Special Schemes GB - 1/48 Academy F-111C *Finished*

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Fumbles
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Special Schemes GB - 1/48 Academy F-111C *Finished*

Post by Fumbles »

Alrighty then.... Thank you guys that picked what I was going to build next for this group build. I really couldn't pick. So here we are as of Tuesday I will be building the Australian F-111C 30 years special. The only aftermarket bits that I will be using for this build is the Eduard F-111C cockpit set made for the Hobby Boss kit, but I'll make it work. :)

The Academy kit out of the box so far reminds me of the old Monogram kit minus the raised panel lines and this one provides a brass pitot tube. The molds are almost the same.

Just the kit parts for now, I'll be starting the build in the next few hours.... I have a Ice Bucket challenge to finish first.... yeah thanks again Scott! :butt:

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Fumbles
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Re: Special Schemes GB - 1/48 Academy F-111C box and bits fi

Post by Fumbles »

ok first update... The cockpit is almost done. Some pictures will arrive of that tomorrow. I wanted to get on wit the main body of the build to see about the center of gravity. Just to find out how much weight I'll have to add to this kit.

The build sofar..... ahh yeah..... I'm not too happy with Academy right now. The instructions show the build to include a rather complicated system to allow the stores to swing with the wings. I even melted plastic with a hot knife. After building this system and about to put the two halves of the fuselage together.... I discovered that Academy only provided the 'boot' parts to have the wings fully open! :wall:

After that little disappointment... I figured I would dry fit the forward fuselage to the main fuselage.... Oh yeah nasty gap. So I'll have to build some kind of a fuselage spar to raise the main body height to avoid a huge gap and also a week point that may collapse on a later date without it. :surrender:

hmmm Academy.... please don't let me down anymore.

On with the shots for now.

The nicely designed to swing wing stores... that will now be usless..
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Going to need some kind of spar here.
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Another shot of the bottom gaps, not as bad.
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Thanks for looking.

Niallxg
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Re: Special Schemes GB - 1/48 Academy F-111C WIP 27/08/2014

Post by Niallxg »

Just hope she doesn't live up to the F-111s nickname. :sad:

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Deacon
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Re: Special Schemes GB - 1/48 Academy F-111C WIP 27/08/2014

Post by Deacon »

Wow, that's one hell of a step in that join mate! :sweat:

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Fumbles
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Re: Special Schemes GB - 1/48 Academy F-111C WIP 27/08/2014

Post by Fumbles »

Hello again everybody, Sorry for the rather large update on this build today. I've been quite busy with trying to get a business up and running plus building away on this kit, so I have not had much time for logging onto the computer.

Todays update shows the reinforcement I installed so I could do away with that nasty gap in the last update. Plus what happened when I tried to use a "Mr Hobby" blue.... I have never seen anything like it before, the paint sprayed like cotton candy. So that was a setback and I had to sand it off and start with a home made blue. :wall: I'm going back to acrylics that I'm used too. Then finally where I am as of today. Painting is done and a coat of clear is drying. If all goes well...... I hope to be putting on some decals by the end of the day.

Thanks for looking.

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After the reinforcement was installed with a bit of rough sanding.... no more gap! :yahoo:
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A little more filler around the canopy and the fuselage join after some paint.
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Next up... the strange cotton candy spray... The blue almost went black as well.
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Finally I got the blue sorted.
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Where I am this morning. Clear drying away. I have not installed the wing fold boots yet. Those parts will be up to the new owner of they would like the wings swept or open.
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SvB
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Re: Special Schemes GB - 1/48 Academy F-111C WIP 08/09/2014

Post by SvB »

Very impressive job getting rid of that gap, that is pure skill :clap: :clap: And the cockpit is looking fantastic as well :cool:

Looking forward to the next update :snack:

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Deacon
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Re: Special Schemes GB - 1/48 Academy F-111C WIP 08/09/2014

Post by Deacon »

Yes :yahoo: Fumbles is back in the chair.

Lovely work mate. :clap:

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Fumbles
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Re: Special Schemes GB - 1/48 Academy F-111C WIP 08/09/2014

Post by Fumbles »

Many thanks for the looks and the comments everyone.... I'm calling this one done! Academy..... You have let me down on this kit. The fit issues alone are astonishing! The canopy is too small I actually put a small crack in it just trying to fit it wide enough on the fuselage. Not providing the 'bendable' boots for the swing wings.... I mean come on, they (Academy) provided an excellent system to allow the wings and load outs to swing together. But only provide the boots to forever have the wings swept open! I will say though.... They only good thing about this kit was the decals. They went on a treat.... That is all. Now time to move onto another kit..... hmmm Airfix Lightning is calling me I think. :heyhey:
Thanks for looking and here is just one shot for now. The rest are in the finished gallery.

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Deacon
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Re: Special Schemes GB - 1/48 Academy F-111C *Finished*

Post by Deacon »

Am I right in saying that this is teh quickest build you have ever done? :whistle: :wink:

Obviously from the finished build, i can't see the issues you had with this kit.

Lovely job Rod, well done sir. :clap: :clap:

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