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Kitty Hawk F-5F done.


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Ernie Ernievich has kindly and generously agreed to provide me with proper photographic documentation and measurements in order to draw up the rear IP for the KH F-5F boxing.

Quite naturally, we'll be busy with other things during our first months in NZ. To date, folding up our tents here on the Franco-German border has finally started to pick up full speed. So I haven't got any idea as to "when" and "how". Scale modelling in general will only have low-tier priority. 

I'm basically willing to impart the original files and layouts (.AI/.CDR/.SVG, etc.) to full- or part-time aftermarket suppliers (for free) - serious and honest commitment/interest provided.

F-5E front instrument panel (Swiss AF, USN/USMC F-5N aircraft prior to the 2008 Litton GPS upgrade. If you omit the pedestal VHF/UHF controls, the IP will go with almost every RWR equipped F-5E - F-5S/T, RTAF F-5E Tigris, F-5EM, Chilean F-5E Tigre III excluded)

DwIVByr.jpg

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So unfortunately, last night I had already placed the decals, so there’s no going back.    As of Saturday, this model has been spoken for. A gentleman wants it for his display, wants it stock OOB, except I can have my choice with seatbelts. So, Sundowners it is, box stock, and my old standby of HGW belts. 

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Here’s the decals.  Front and rear pits with console decals, and panel decals. These decals have had one light coat of MicroSol, no going over whatsoever since dry.  As you can see, they performed extremely well.  I’m going to go over them with a sharp #11 and then hit them up again.   Maybe the scopes needs some transparent green over gunmetal?

746F54DD-1DEB-4C2D-A81E-E7B0CBE24841.jpeg

EC11278B-E5CE-4021-AAC1-1E406907928F.jpeg

0C278365-4880-4412-9F13-45485256AABF.jpeg

9487ED49-6AAA-4E11-9571-2E5366B09441.jpeg

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Ernie

Fantastic idea and enjoying all the work and discussion on the Little Tiger. Quick builds are great for mojo boosts and building the model as it comes straight out of the box: of course that means no fixin’ just gluing and movin’ on.  

Sure looks like you’re settling into more of a OOB build with a few enhancements, maintaining your high standards and not compromising build quality.

Keep ‘em comin

Peter

 

 

 

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WIP...

Preliminary rear instrument panel PE layout. Still requiring some minor tweaks here and there.

F-5F front IP to follow soon.

ohO0qgn.jpg

 

Preliminary F-5N PE layout. WIP.

KsYoc7g.jpg

The proportions of the KH IPs are slightly off. No big deal, though. A good friend of mine and fellow modeller will stop by with the kit within the next few days so that I can print the layout on overhead foil in order to check the size against the kit part.

If the results are satisfactory, all I've got to do is to find a company in NZ or AUS to do the custom photo etching.

 

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14 hours ago, Clunkmeister said:

Living up to the hype so far. Zero fit issues as long as you verify locator pins, etc. 

i found one main gear wall was miss numbered left to right, but anyone with 1/3 of a working human brain will figure it out in 15 seconds. 

Nice Ernie, but sometimes 15 seconds are enough for the glue tu cure :D I got headaches because of all that speed issues.

Cheers Rob

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I am so in love with this kit, I need to get one. I have a great book I bought in the early 90’s called “Bandits”, it’s a full color picture book of USAF and Navy aggressor squadrons.

I like because it has pretty pictures, words confuse Grog, Grog get angry.

https://www.amazon.com/Bandits-Pictorial-American-Adversarial-Aircraft/dp/0879386231

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14 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Ernie

Looking good and nice steady progress to boot. But those silly manufacturing/instructional mistakes: shame on KH

Peter

Here is my thoughts on KH, I think they have enthusiast running the company, then somewhere in another city, they have CAD engineers creating drawings, then they send those to the injection moulder, who does his best to interpret what the engineers, who are not enthusiasts, have drawn. These simple mistakes, like mirror image decals and alignment pins that have been transposed, so they are off by just enough to be a mismatch, these mistakes are created by people who may be good at what they do, but don’t understand the subject matter they are working on. KH needs to, 1...get people who are enthusiasts, and 2...have their team sit down in a room and completely build a kit from test shots, fix what is wrong, then release a better model. This is what separates Hasegawa and Tamiya from the guys making back alley kits. KH may not be back alley, but they have a long way to go before they are beloved, like the infallible Tamiya or the exceptional Hasegawa.

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