scott_t

Got the front attached to the rear ....... hopefully the alignment is as good as I think it was as I added tape to hold things together. Will find out tomorrow at some point. It's a long beast ...that's for sure.

very informative and cool !!!!

This build is alive and crawling forward. This is the forward fuselage with a coat of Mr. Surfacer 1200 on it. The cockpit has the Quinta F/A-18D (late) set installed but I have it all taped off for now, so pics will come later for that. I still need to install the Quinta pieces on both instrument panels and will post pics of those when they are done. I have the Flying Leatherneck ATARS module installed and you can see the cameras/sensors that will be covered by a clear resin piece later. I also have the Aires nose gear bay installed. It was literally 1/8" too short in length so I cut the rear area about a 1/2" from the end and built the length out with resin scrap by 1/8" and then reattached the previously cut off piece. I had to extend a few hydraulic lines and a larger duct but it looks pretty good. I need to tape off the wheel bay and hit it with some Tamiya white before doing some detail painting. Last but not least is I'm using a set of Legend SJU-17 NACES seats. I had to add a couple of belts with the included lead foil. That's where I'm at currently.

Hi, I decided to go with an Academy 32nd scale F/A-18D with an ATARS (Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance) conversion for the nose of the aircraft. Subject will be a jet from VMFA(AW)-121 Green Knights, 2007, Al Asad Air Base, Iraq from Operation Iraqi Freedom (that should cover the Desert requirement) Among many aftermarket bits and pieces I'll be using are the Flying Leathernecks ATARS conversion set and decal set for the markings. I have some other pieces from Flying Leathernecks (GPS dome antenna, blade antenna, AN/APX-111 IFF antennas, LAU-7/A-6 missile wingtip missile launchers, & Quinta cockpit 3D decals for the late Hornet. Weapons load will consist of 1 or 2 AIM-9L/M missiles, AIM-120 missile(s), AGM-65 missile, a BRU-33A/A dual rack launcher with 2 X GBU-12 bombs, a Lightning pod on the centerline, and 2 X 330 gallon wing tanks. I am also entering this on another large scale aircraft modeling site for another group build running on the same timeframe that is named "Snakes on a Plane", requiring an AIM-9 Sidewinder as part of the load. A few pics depicting the subject, though none are of the exact jet I am targeting: That's all I have for now ....... hope to start making some progress soon. -Scott

thinking something like this ...... though I'll be lucky to get the truck and MAYBE the trailer done before the group build ends. Hobbyboss M1070 HET and eventually, an Abrams

I started on another Tomcat ... 1/48 ...... Tamiya F-14A. This will be a Desert Storm VF-1 Wolfpack bird. I have started with the nose gear bay and nose gear. Wheel bay is from MCC and the gear is Detail and Wonder. I had to do some surgery to get the nose gear to mate up with the bay. Had to cut the nose gear mounting lugs of to fit in the bay and then worked it to mount with brass wire so I can move the partially assembled gear leg up into the gear bay so I don't snap it off. The detail on the gear bays and landing gear for the nose gear and main gear is just crazy. Removing the gear from the 3d printed supports was a little nerve-wracking. -Scott

Fantastic job Peter !!

Thank You !!

Love it !!! Great build !

love the desert idea ..... tallies is a good one as well as racers

I have had no issues ordering from Fruil directly. Just takes a little more time to get them delivered to the U.S.

I take a 6-8 inch piece of wire and slice off 1/4 inch (6mm) lengths with an Xacto blade. Cutting that short because as I said, for this one you are putting a short piece of wire on each end of the link. Tracks are now assembled ..... now have to paint, wash, dry brush, etc.

Yes they are ....... the ones included in the kit were a little painful to work with ...... I ended up with a little too much much glue and then they were not flexible in some areas. I had a set of the Fruil in the stash. They are not bad to work with. Just have to drill and open the holes for the wire to slide in. I have used Fruil previously on a Merkava IV build and with that set, it was one wire per link. The way the Leopard Fruils tracks are designed, you insert a very short wire on each side of each link. 80 links per side X 2 wires each X 2 sides = 320 very short pieces of wire !!!! On the home stretch of the assembling the tracks.

Amusing Hobby Leopard 2A8 1/35

With the Great Twins Group Build just ended last week ......is there a new group build planned? Thanks !

I like what you are doing with the cockpit Mark. I am going to go a similar route with my F-model build. The F-model looks very similar to the D in the front cockpit and the rear looks close to a D model. I just ordered an Aires G pit and 2 D-model Quinta sets. It will be fun to bash them together. Happy Modeling !!!! Scott

Looks good so far Mark ! I am pulling together the pieces for a Trumpy F-105 myself, but it will be an F-105F with Cutting Edge decals. ResKit has some great looking pieces such as pylons and weapons, replacement tail fin and other stuff. Now, they are doing an "all in one" upgrade which includes the intakes, main wheel bays, nose gear bay, and landing gear. So, I will wait for that before getting started. Watching you build closely ! -Scott

Love it !!! Very convincing !!!

Looking forward to this !!!!

Looks awesome !!!!!

Thank You !

Thank You !

Thanks very much Peter !!!! Next time I think I won't pre-shade with black. The MRP paints have such thin coverage that it made the paint scheme come out darker than I wanted. Now I have to decide .....what is next on the bench ??? -Scott

Thanks Keven ! Much appreciated !!

Thank You Martin !