Hobby Boss 1/48 F-111C - Aussie Pig

[Quinny]

This Is It Folks... Over the Top

Thanks again for the welcome - very much appreciated.

This project has been off to a slow start as I needed to get some materials, bits & pieces together. I figure I'll just throw up a few things here as to where I'm up to & how I got here...

The family & I visited an aviation museum in Evans Head, Northern New South Wales (Aus) - on display there is a F-111C. The aircraft (tail number A8-147) was based out of Amberly AFB, which is about 12 miles (20km) west of where I live now.

(Let see if I can get photos to post here...)

  

Ok - cool

So - long story, short - there's a model kit for sale in the office, the family decided I need to build it.

Here's my work bench that I put together:

I guess it's a normal to think to yourself, I need one of those things, or perhaps another one of those

Just keep adding stuff to the bench seems to be the go - right ?

So... progress so far:

I got the Res_Kit cockpit for the F-111 ( keavdog not the Roo )

Way too complicated for my abilities - That photo etch stuff - crikey that's delicate stuff

Hopefully, those seat belts will look a bit better after paint

... anyhoos - that's about where we are at this stage. Hopefully, I get some time over the weekend to get a bit more done.

Thanks for looking.

Cheers,

Q

[Quinny]

TF - 30's

[stikpusher]

Long ago at Edward’s AFB…

[Quinny]

Woha - is that you... "A" model, right ? ... Desert Camo ...

I took this photo at Richmond AFB (NSW) - back in ... 2005 ?

My special bond with the F-111... when I was a little bloke, we lived out of town - about 15 miles from nowhere

I would hear them coming, at night... doing 500 knots, about 200 feet off the ground, flying on terrain radar directly over our house.

By the time I ran out the back, all I could see was the two big TF-30 burners disappearing down into the valley on their way back to Amberly AFB.

For me, as a country kid - it was just awesome 

 

[Quinny]

It's a big aircraft !

[handiabled]

Following this one! The office looks good so far!

[Quinny]

Ok - bit of an update finally ... but first, a side project.

G-kid No.5 ripped the wheel of his favorite Hilux Ute:

Crisis averted ...

Back to the F-111, this Res-Kit is proving to be a bit of a challenge - don't forget, I'm a rank amateur at this stuff.

See these joysticks, control sticks - I don't know what you call them ... took an hour to install. 

Why, you ask ?

So, I have these tiny things in the tweezers under a magnifying glass trying to get the damn things to stick - and then sproing, off into the distance they go ...

I'm looking for this tiny grey part on a grey concrete floor - hands & knees with a torch and - hey presto ! I find it.

... and then it happened a second time, I didn't even see which way it went this time - I'm ready to chuck this thing in the bin, seriously  ... and then ... found it again. 

 

Finally got some paint down:

Started with a 50-50 thinned Nato Black, not sure why ... anyhoos - seems to go down pretty good...

Put a coat of ... I think it was Sky Grey over that ... (yes - just checking it was - XF-19 Sky Grey)

... also had a bit of a tinker with the cockpit decals:

I wet them to get them off the backing paper - dried them out a bit & then glued them on with Tamia cement - they seemed to survive ok...

And a little detail paint work started ...

We're getting there, slowly

Thanks for dropping in.

Regards,

Q

[dean48ws]

"Over the top folks!'" I'm sure Doc Neeson would agree. I don't know why you guys do this to yourselves! Just kidding, looks great and the detail in the aftermarket stuff is mind blowing. When I drop something small, it's generally when I sweep the floor and the very carefully go through the dustpan. Have found stuff I didn't even know I'd dropped !! Floating fake timber floor, seems to eat nearly as much as carpet does.

[Quinny]

Jun 9, 2024 2:33:36 GMT -5 dean48ws said:

"Over the top folks!'"

Someone got it

[TJ]

Wait a minute....hold on....this is your first kit in how long?? You have skills brother. This is looking fantastic

[Quinny]

Thank-you Sir

[Quinny]

Just putting this up as a reference for when I get to paint: (A8-147)

[handiabled]

The work you did on your instrument panel is wonderful

[406 Silverado]

You've got some good detailing going into this one already Quinny. Will be bookmarking this one.

Nice reference shot too.

[Quinny]

Ok - So had the day off work today ... managed to get to the bench for a few hours ...

It's a terrible photo - looks messy but it's not really - looks more silver than it is. Anyway ... I'll get a better one tomorrow when the cockpit is all assembled.

As far as I've found from examples on the web, the seats have a dark grey sheepskin. I don't have that colour, so I mixed a bit of white in with matt black & still didn't get the colour right... 

Belts appear to be a tan ... with a blue anodized (used clear blue over aluminum) buckle & chrome fittings - did my best there.

... the ejection levers came out ok I thought ... I'll get a better picture of them too.

Gave the whole thing a wash with Vallejo dark grey - I wish I had used light grey now - sort of lost that sky grey colour...

 The HUD is white, as I used wood glue to stick that in - still drying (hopefully clear)...

Thanks for stopping by...

Regards,

Q

[handiabled]

Great progress! Your office is coming together really nicely

[Quinny]

What I am enjoying is ... the airbrush. 

I haven't used one before and I was initially quite intimidated by it ... but I just got in there and thinned some paints & got into it ... 

I'm certainly not expert, but it's fun to use.

[handiabled]

Jun 14, 2024 3:47:11 GMT -5 Quinny said:

What I am enjoying is ... the airbrush. 

I haven't used one before and I was initially quite intimidated by it ... but I just got in there and thinned some paints & got into it ... 

I'm certainly not expert, but it's fun to use.

That's all that really matters! The more you use it the more comfortable you will become with it.  

[Tojo72]

That's some busy looking cockpit,it looks great.

[dodgy]

G'day Quinny, I've been absent from MSC for a couple of months and it's great to come back and find another Aussie. You're doing superb work on the pig mate and I've now got this build bookmarked. Doc Neeson and the Angels, what a legend, what a band!

[Quinny]

Jun 14, 2024 6:41:06 GMT -5 dodgy said:

G'day Quinny, I've been absent from MSC for a couple of months and it's great to come back and find another Aussie. You're doing superb work on the pig mate and I've now got this build bookmarked. Doc Neeson and the Angels, what a legend, what a band!

Good evening scale model champions 

Hey, a big welcome back to you dodgy ... Nice to see you back & thanks for dropping in to check out my F-111 thread. - Thank you for your kind words... I think that makes three of us Aussies now  

Mr. Damage

[Quinny]

Now ... I'll preface this to the Mods, - there's no intention of advertising or promotion, just informational - I'm not affiliated with this company whatsoever ... - feel free to delete this one if I've crossed that boundary 

If you buy the Res-Kit for the 1/48 Hobby Boss F-111C, you don't get the canopy mask for the forward "glass" canopy. You can see it sitting there in the photo - dunno what to call it ? You get the canopy "doors" that open though ...

With this kit you get all the masks, both inside & out ... and a bunch more - about $AUD 10 Delivered ...

There you go - thanks for looking.

Q

[Quinny]

Now ... I'm trying to button this thing up, so I can ... get into the real model build box ...

It's hard to take photos of something so small:

[handiabled]

Jun 15, 2024 2:28:25 GMT -5 Quinny said:

Now ... I'll preface this to the Mods, - there's no intention of advertising or promotion, just informational - I'm not affiliated with this company whatsoever ... - feel free to delete this one if I've crossed that boundary 

If you buy the Res-Kit for the 1/48 Hobby Boss F-111C, you don't get the canopy mask for the forward "glass" canopy. You can see it sitting there in the photo - dunno what to call it ? You get the canopy "doors" that open though ...

With this kit you get all the masks, both inside & out ... and a bunch more - about $AUD 10 Delivered ...

There you go - thanks for looking.

Q

It's always great to share info especially about aftermarket sets! The cockpit looks great in the fuselage

[406 Silverado]

Jun 15, 2024 2:33:59 GMT -5 Quinny said:

Now ... I'm trying to button this thing up, so I can ... get into the real model build box ...

It's hard to take photos of something so small:

 Fantastic detailing Quinny. You sure pulled that pit off in good fashion bud. 

[Medicman71]

It's really looking nice!

[Quinny]

Jun 9, 2024 2:25:31 GMT -5 Quinny said:

... also had a bit of a tinker with the cockpit decals:

I wet them to get them off the backing paper - dried them out a bit & then glued them on with Tamia cement - they seemed to survive ok...

... Just back on this - probably not a good idea to use cement ... the thicker ones seemed to survive ok, I did a test on smaller ones that I didn't end up using, they did get roasted a bit. So maybe use wood glue or just trust the decal glue.

[dodgy]

Looking good mate, top detail work.

[Quinny]

Thanks for the positive comments everyone - really makes it worthwhile.

That radome

... the Pig 

[Quinny]

Am I ever gonna see your face again ?

Phase two: The box is on the bench

Had a bit of a clean up... I wanted to show you the oil paints that I bought too - going to try some oil wash weathering What could possibly go wrong

Thanks for checking in ...

Q