This is looking quite nice!
Hello everybody!
Thanks a lot for your comments!
@18bravo thanks for the photos! Do you have anything showing the stencilling on the top and bottom of the machine? Also, please see the text below.
@Wig41 - I’m glad you like my work!
And in the meantime I have applied a layer of clear gloss (Gunze Top Coat) on top of the colours and applied the Caracal decals. They worked very well together with the VMS decal fluids.
Here’s what it looks like now:
I have to conclude, that the Caracal set seriosly lacks most of the stencilling, for example looking at the following photo:
one can see clearly the walkway on the elevator - and a similar, but much larger walkway is to be expected on the wing and fuselage.
That’s why I would like to ask for a favor - could anybody please post here or PM me a good scan of a decal sheet for an F-111A? Could be from the set Hasegawa, or maybe other, also in 1:48. I would like to use those scans as a base for my own design, that I would print as custom decals.
Thanks a lot in advance, have a nice day!
Paweł
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Looking good so far. Here is the decal page from the Hobby Boss kit.
Full instructions here: Scalemates
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Thanks a lot Gino! Thing is when I try to access it, a site called manlo asks for some password…
I think I can find the instructions no problem - but I would need a nice detailed scan of the actual decal sheet to base the design for the individual stencils on.
Have a nice day!
Paweł
I think I fixed the link. Hope it helps.
Good luck.
Thanks again, Gino, the link works for me now and the Hobby Boss instructions are helpful. Hopefully somebody will be so kind as to post or PM me a scan of the actual decals.
Have a nice day!
Paweł
I’ll check it out later this week. Lots to do with visits to Fort Cavazos and whatnot…
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Hello everybody!
I felt like I have to do something about those missing decals - so I have finally drawn something up, had it printed out and recently they arrived - that’s also why this update has taken so long…
So here are the walkways on the horizontal stabilizers:
I have also experimented with picking out the panel lines on black surfaces:
More walkways are needed on the wings:
I still have to add some more “no steps” and markings for the refuelling ports. This is also true for the fuselage:
When I’m done decalling I want to highlight the panal lines and at last add the clear flat to kill that shine!
Thanks for looking and have a nice day
Paweł
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I did check our F-111 for you. It’s missing all of the stenciling save for the safety and rescue into, and the serial number data. Even so it won a national restoration award several years ago.
I did manage to recreate the ECM pod on the horizontal stabilizer using PVC and piece of steel tubing someone had thrown in the scrap bin that was just the right size. I had to cut the slots to allow for the internal hardware that was in the way. Why grown adults keep pulling on things like this, I don’t know.
It still need black paint in this photo:
If you need detail shots of the landing gear that you can’t find online let me know.
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Hello!
Thanks a lot for checking. I noticed that there are not so many references on those early F-111As. Lots of them seem to have been repainted with many factory markings ending up overpainted.
Well, I guess anything elongated looks like errm, errm handle! to them!
I wish I had this official tech order for painting the F-111A - the general TO 1-1-4 is suspiciously vague on the F-111.
Have a nice day!
Paweł
I might be able to get that, now that you mention it. We definitely have it for the Blue Angel F-18 that I worked on. Painting specs are as precise as 1/8 inch. I’m headed to the museum after the gym, so I can ask “Picasso” when I see him.
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First off, let’s meet “Picasso.” Crusty old dude who does most of the painting and stenciling.
Now, I did say we’re very precise with stenciling. We’re working on a Harrier today. Here’s a glimpse as to how it’s done, as per Air Force specifications:
So if we’re this meticulous, what happened on the F-111E?
There good new, and there’s better news.
When a plane arrives as this one did back in 2013, all stenciling is notated so it can be replicated exactly later on. I actually have photos from then. This plane had none of the usual informational stenciling, but it bore its original paint job.
We happen to have a pilot who flew them. He said most squadrons were very meticulous about the stenciling. Some not so much. This was one of them. His own plane was devoid of almost all stenciling, and our plane was done with his approval.
As you saw above, we have the drawings that show in great detail where the makings go. Picasso says we may have those drawings squirreled away someplace. Our archives are in a bit of disarray at the moment. He said if he can’t find them he can try to make some calls and get digital copies.
Then he said something profound. “Why don’t you go to one of your modeling sites?”
I said, “Dude. Guys like you give it to guys like me, who then post on those very sites you’re suggesting. We don’t have it yet.”
He said he’d do his best. But he also said you can find them online. I’m not going to do that search as I know you can do it just as easily. The trick is knowing the key words. (He doesn’t do searches, he calls friends.)
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I know I have more photos somewhere, but here’s our Blue Angels F-18 as it looked in 2013. We just recently repainted it. (I’ve posted photos) You can barely see our F-111 in the background as it looked before restoration.
A few of our planes were flown in on what was to be their very last flight. The F-18 was one such plane.
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Hello!
Thanks a lot for your comments - from what you write it’s a little like building models in 1:1. What is the name of the exposition? Does it have any web page with photos?
Picasso sure sounds like an interesting person!
I checked my TO-1-1-4 again and the document I’m looking for would be TO 11F-111A-2-1-1
I tried to look for it online, but a google search didn’t give me any good results. Does anybody know if I can get this document from Air Force somewhere - or somewhere else? I have the feeling it could be a treasure or a curse for a modeller.
Meanwhile I’m decalling on. Thanks for looking and have a nice day!
Paweł
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Hello everybody!
I’ve got another update at last. I have managed to finish the decals, accent the panel lines anf finally put one some flat to kill that funny shine. Here’s what it looks like:
Now I plan to put it on its wheels, install the engines and other major assemblies. This will leave some delicate antennae and sensors that will make handling the model dangerous!
Thanks for looking and have a nice day!
Paweł
3 Likes
Very nice! So the guy I’ve told you about (Picasso)out of the blue sent me a link to Cybermodeler.com and the F111 Modeler’s Online Reference. There’s tons of info there so you probably already know about it.
And yes, interesting doesn’t even begin to describe the old dude.
Hello!
Thanks a lot for your comment!
Here’s a better link: General Dynamics F-111 Modeler's Online Reference
I have actually found many of the individual pages via google, but the link above kinda concentrates them in one place.
You can greet the old hand from me! Thanks again and have a nice day
Paweł
Hello everybody!
I have another update - I have finally installed the engines:
There is also the landing gear and the ECM pods ALQ-87 (from Reskit):
And I have at last decided to remove the canopy masks:
Thanks for looking and have a nice day!
Paweł
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