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Alphajet in 1/72 scale from various kits
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Revell kit #03995 has a single set of markings for the Alpha jet "E" of the Armee de l'Air 1,000,000 flying hours as of E25 in 2008.
The colour scheme is complex but very nice looking.
This kit was made as per instructions. I corrected the kit on some minor points as noted for the Heller kit on page 1....
After basic assembly, the model got a base grey coat to check for any imperfections. Next, the colour scheme would follow. Revell provides a special page in the instructions on how to apply these colours. I made a copy of the decal sheet to have a pattern for the curved lines. Masks from tape were cut based on these.
The first colour airbrushed at the appropriate areas was Aluminium (marked E) using Revell aqua 99 Alu acrylic.
When dried, these aluminium areas were masked using the pattern. Next was the yellow for which Gunze Sangyo H329 acrylic was used.
When dried, the next masking was done and followed the black gloss colour.
The model was now ready for the decals, which were great. I had a couple of these kits so had some spare decal sheets as well.
The canopy would be set closed, so I detailed a bit the cockpit at this stage and installed the canopy. Any gaps were closed with white glue and when dried painted black with brush. Note there is also a thin yellow decal line running on the central frame.
Final completion was as described on page 1. The gears were installed and finally a gloss varnish coat of Johnson Future/ Pledge.
A nice Alpha jet of the French Armee de l'Air.
Alpha jet "E" Armee de l'Air 1,000,000 flying hours / E25 in 2008
Many other Alpha jet models would follow. I was inspired by a very nice decal sheet of PRINT SCALE # 72-182 with many Alpha jet schemes. Note that the drawings themselves are not that accurate, but the decals are fine. I bought the set online from HANNANTS U.K website.
The decals are very thin, so take care when applying them. The only issue is that walkway lines are only provided for 1 model. So I had to search these from other decal sets as well. I used decals from e..g Modelart 72/028 which I had got from my modelling friend Henk and other decals from the various kits.
I also had a special article about the Alpha jet in Scale Aircraft Modelling of July 2014 magazine with various colour profiles. These came in handy as well showing often the upper camouflage patterns as well.
A Heller (moulded) Alpha jet was again made.
Assembly was done as described for the previous Revell model which used the same Heller moulds.
The scheme picked was for an Ivory Coast / Cote d'Ivoire Alpha jet of Escadrille de Chase FACI as obtained October 1980. This is a nice Alpha jet in an African camo scheme. The Print Scale drawing is somewhat inaccurate as it does not show the "add-ons" that were needed:
- longer higher fuselage spine; this was made from rod with putty and sanded in shape.
- two nose strakes, made from thin card.
Colours airbrushed (before adding all the other details like undercarriages) were:
(1) Aluminium lower surfaces, using Revell aqua 99 acrylic;
(2) Green approximately Fed.Std FS 34102 using Gunze Sangyo H303;
(3) Darker green approx. Fed.Std FS 34079 using Gunze Sangyo H309
Masking was done between each colour, often by houlding a bit of paper while airbrushing.
I set the single part canopy closed. I also inscribed the detonator chords (as described on page 1)
Added were two long range fuel tanks. But the kit parts are 6 mm too short, so I inserted a plug using other spare tank parts.
Pylons were set in place and the aluminium coloured tanks were installed at the outher pylons! Also the lower belly gun pack was also set in place and I added at the left side a short "gun barrel" made from a metal pin.
The final detailing was done as for the other kits with gears, lights and so on. A big special antenna was added on top from scrap. Small pitot tubes were added as well on the nose. A semi-gloss varnish was airbrushed finally with a flat base Tamiya X-21 mix with Johnson Future/Pledge.
That completed this nice Alpha jet of République de Côte d'Ivoire armee de 'l áir.
IVORY COAST
[ area: 322,500 sq.km | capital: Yamoussoukro | population 24 million | GDP US$ 1,900 per capita nominal ]
Ivory Coast or more appropriately in French "Cote d' Ivoire" became independent in August 1960. With French assistance armed forces were set-up. The army started with Max Holste Broussard aircraft and a DC-3 and later the air force was established and some C-47's were obtained as well.
The first jet aircraft type was the Alpha Jet "C1", arriving in 1980 with 6 delivered (and later 1 extra).
For more information about the "Force Aérienne de la Côte d'Ivoire", look at the MiG-23 page here....
Alpha jet C1 Cote d'Ivoire "coded TU-VCA / CA-1"
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this page created
October 26, 2017