Kitty Hawk F-5F done.

[Clunkmeister]

This showed up in the mail today, and tomorrow I’ll open it up, spread it all out, and take some quick pics of the different series from the F-5E.  

My foist impressions are “WOW”, so that should say something.  

I’ll follow it all up with a fairly quick OOB build using kit decals, etc.  There’s been one or two built elsewhere, but I’m not a big jet modeler, so this will be a test for me.

Ernie

I aplogise for the crappy ‘Ernie pic’ but it was just a snap with my cell.  

[BlrwestSiR]

Ernie, I was wondering if any of the tiger stripes are included as decals or masks?

Can't wait to see you build it.

Carl

[Clunkmeister]

First look says Tiger Stripes are courtesy of my airbrush, but tomorrow will be the test.

[BlrwestSiR]

Thanks for checking Ernie.

Carl

[Clunkmeister]

Ok, let’s have a super quick look at The differences and dispel some rumours. 

Here’s the different sprue with the be two seat forward pit.    

Moulding is typical Kitty Hawk. Nice!  Some minor flash, no pebbling, and of course, the typical Kitty Hawk ejection towers in places. 

Some juicy resin pilots plus a boarding ladder are included.  Noice!

 

[Clunkmeister]

Now the rumours. There have been rumblings about mirror image decals like these.  Yes the rumours are true  

 

[Clunkmeister]

And these. Sundowner mirror image in printing  oops  

 

[Clunkmeister]

But, a correction sheet is supplied, so do not fret, all is not lost. 

[Clunkmeister]

More tail options. I counted a minimum of EIGHT options!    This kit is one seriously nice kit, folks. The single seater is awesome. The two seater just adds to it all.  There’s been plenty of amazing builds of the single seater in the several months it’s been out, and I expect this will follow up the success of the single seater. 

[Ivan Ivanovich]

Not much different from the single-seater boxing, basically inheriting the same inconsistencies, errors and omissions.

Offering two marking options for extensively modified Singaporean F-5T aircraft without providing the required parts, instrument panels, HOTAS cockpit mods and the distinctive FIAR radar nose, is a joke. The same goes for the IRIAF marking options. The one-guide-fits-all assembly guide is one big misleading clusterfuck - again.

Anyway, still a nice kit. 

(I've got six of the single-seaters in my stash)

[Clunkmeister]

LOL @ Ivan. Yuuup.  As they say,  it really, really pays to do your research. A really decent general  representation can be built from the kit using the supplied parts, but if you wish to build a specific aircraft, research will be required as well as some possible aftermarket help.

The kit is a huge step up from the old Hasegawa kit and builds into a really nice model. 

[Martinnfb]

Can't wait to see this being build. Thank you for the pictures Ernie.

[Clunkmeister]

Lots has been written on the single seat version of this kit, and much of the  same applies to this one as well. 

Avionics, radar, fire control, ejection seats, and other visible features can vary from Nation to Nation, and while the kit will build into a nice generic example, but to make an exact scale example, you'll need to do some research and involve the spares box or maybe some AM.

[JeroenPeters]

Geez... That's pretty cool.

Thnx for this first glance!

[Clunkmeister]

1 hour ago, JeroenPeters said:

Geez... That's pretty cool.

Thnx for this first glance!

Thanks Jeroen. I'm not the big jet expert here, so I'm not really the guy to comment.  But the kit itself looks super buildable. I'm going to build it up here as a quick OOB, probably going with VFC-111 markings just to be different.  From what I can see, the Sundowners FrankenTiger looks fairly accurate externally, with the duckbill nose and all, just gotta check the 'pit.  Maybe Ivan or someone in the know on F-5's might be more able to say...

[Clunkmeister]

What I know of jets:

1. air goes in the front

2. fire comes out the back

3. they go really fast

4. they look really cool

5. they're really loud

[BlrwestSiR]

2 hours ago, Clunkmeister said:

What I know of jets:

1. air goes in the front

2. fire comes out the back

3. they go really fast

4. they look really cool

5. they're really loud

You forgot they drink a lot of gas.

Carl

[Clunkmeister]

1 minute ago, BlrwestSiR said:

You forgot they drink a lot of gas.

Carl

Heating oil.. Ha!

[harv]

And I was looking forward to build a Sundowner. Think they w I'llll have a fix for the tail decals ?.....harv

[Martinnfb]

36 minutes ago, BlrwestSiR said:

You forgot they drink a lot of gas.

Carl

You guys forgot about the chemtrails too

[Clunkmeister]

13 minutes ago, harv said:

And I was looking forward to build a Sundowner. Think they w I'llll have a fix for the tail decals ?.....harv

Harv. Read the above, and lay off the Joy Juice.  The correction sheet has the fix. 

[BlrwestSiR]

Can you build a Mig-28 from it? You know, to keep up international relations. 

[harv]

Doh.....

[smitty44]

1 hour ago, BlrwestSiR said:

Can you build a Mig-28 from it? You know, to keep up international relations. 

That's the first boxing...The Furball Aero sheet has the markings for Maverick's nemesis.

[Ivan Ivanovich]

For those wanting to build a USN/USMC F-5F, VFC-111/VMFT-401:

Externally, the KH kit is pretty much spot-on, requiring only minor mods.

 

General:

• Omit the fuselage spine VHF antenna blade (kit part B31)
• Shave off vertical tail VOR/ILS antenna, reshape fin tip (kits parts C15/C16)

RWR installation:

F-5N/F are ex-Swiss AF aircraft originally equipped with RWR, hence featuring a different instrument panel layout comprising the RWR-specific azimuth indicator and RWR control panel. The baseline kit depicts the original IP layout characteristic for F-5F aircraft without RWR installation. The KH IP also lacks the different UHF/VHF control panels on the IP's centre column. The RWR specific IPs are not included in the KH F-5E/F kits. No aftermarket replacements, so far.

Again, the Kitty Hawk F-5E/F instrument panels are representative of original, early instrument panels. No RWR, no MFDs whatsoever.

 

Post-2008 USN/USMC F-5N/F Litton GPS upgrade:

• Revised instrument panel layout, radar screen replaced with a Litton MFD/multi funtion display (not included, no aftermarket set so far)
• fuselage spine GPS dome (not included, no aftermarket set so far)

Post-2008 USN/USMC F-5N/F instrument panels:

 

Post-2008 USN/USMC F-5N/F GPS dome:

Replicating the GPS dome from scratch isn't rocket science...

Meet the puck:

 

F-5N/F vertical tail fin tip - no VOR/ILS antenna on USN/USMC F-5N/F:

 

HTH