Finished up the cockpit, I installed the IP anti glare hood, as well as the PE parts to form the sides of the HUD. I then painted them Tamiya XF69 Nato Black, then glued in the two pieces of clear acetate supplied with the kit with Aleene's tacky glue.



I previously masked the front windscreen with strips and pieces of Tamiya tape detacked, after test fitting it which yielded a perfect fit. I glued it in place using Tamiya Extra Thin.



I built up the main landing gear and drilled out the lightning holes. Brake lines are nicely molded on the struts, so there was no need to replicate them with wire.



Finally, it's time to prime. I'm most comfortable air brushing Tamiya Gray Surface Primer thinned with their Yellow cap Lacquer Thinner @ a flow rate of 20 psi.



The primer coat looks about as perfect as I can get it, and there just weren't any areas that I found that needed any additional work. So earlier today I air brushed on the base color: Model Master enamel Medium Gray FS36251. I haven't used enamel paints since the mid 1970s, as I've been strictly a Tamiya Acrylic devotee since my return to the hobby several years ago. But curiosity just got the better of me, and I had to try it. I also purchased their red can of thinner. Not having a clue at a starting point for thinning it, I decided to go on the thinner side then my usual mixture, so I could lay down a nice even wet coat. I went used 2 parts paint to 3 parts thinner @ a flow rate of 16 psi. Damn, for once I got it right the 1st time!! The paint session took nearly an hour, and not once did the tip clog!!



The color is very close to the shade of the primer, but it's there. Here's picture of the exhaust area where I masked it off for the Alcad base.



So it's now a waiting game of a few days to let the enamel paint really cure, and then the next color will be applied. I'm going to be doing some post shading, but not too much as I want my Eagle in pristine condition.

Thanks for stopping by and having a look.

Joel

Hi Joel

Looking really good! (I'm seriously jealous of that modelling/painting jig!)

All the best

Rowan

Rowan,
Thanks. I got the jig from UMM-USA.
Joel

Very impressive. Like the wiring for the landing lights and the use of tape.

Brian,
Thank you for your most king words. The wire is very soft, and bends very easily. The tape brackets are a no brainer that works very effectively at creating all sorts of brackets and braces.
Joel

After letting the base MM enamel FS 36375 Light Ghost Gray dry for a few days,it was time for the camo paint scheme. Originally I had intended to use MM FS36320 Dark Ghost Gray. But while doing more research I became more and more confused as to what was the proper pair of colors. I've found a multitude of combinations and tones.

So I did more Google searches for ANG units, and of course I found variations in the tonality of the darker Ghost Gray. I found a few pictures where the paint was actually a Bluish Gray, and it just seemed different enough to interest me. So I decided to try and replicate it, but toned done a bit, since the odds are that the digital camera's sensor didn't exactly get it correct.



My1st attempt was pretty poor. Ok, is was worse then poor. Just too much blue, and too stark compared to the Light Ghost Gray. So I remixed the MM enamel Ghost Gray with less Blue, added a tinge of International Black, and repainted the Eagle. Better, but still a little too dark, and still too contrasty. I decided that an overall filter of Light Ghost Gray would do the trick. I'm pretty satisfied with the results at this stage, realizing that the modest weathering that I will do after decaling will further darken and tone down the colors.

Joel



http://s68.photobucket.com/user/Tracker99/media/F-15C01_11_15_132.jpg.html" TARGET="_blank">

Sorry about the lack of quality in the pictures, so I reshot them, and did a somewhat better job with the Post editing.

I've decided to replicate using the MOD scheme of the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts ANG.
Joel

Hi Joel,

Great looking F-15!!! Where did you get the stand you are using? It looks really useful.

Thanks
Russ

Russ,
Thanks for stopping by and having a look.

The stand is by JH Models. There are 4 different models. Two for the various scales, and 2 for Bi-planes in various scales. My stand is the JH4801 that I got from UMM-USA for $34.99.
Joel

Joel, that is looking great. I think you have the colors dialed in really well.

thats a pretty good model eh.

Jonathan,
Thanks. I think I've got the main part of the outside of the exhausts pretty close, but the front collar should be steel, not the aluminum I used. Will just repaint it when I do the Alcad NMF for the exhaust areas.
Joel

that yellowish ceramic color on the fire side of the vanes might be worth attempting as well. at least, I presume that's a hot gas path ceramic coating. I'm only familiar with stationary engines, but I imagine they use the same technologies.

Jonathan,
I'm currently doing google searches and looking at other F-15 builds to see how they handled the inside of the exhaust cones. From what I understand it's mostly carbon residue in various shades.
Joel

Joel,

Thanks for the information. I went ahead and ordered one.

Russ

Well, it was time to finally turn my attention to the exhaust areas and finish the exhaust cones/engine assemblies. I decided to completely do the bottom 1st which is by far the larger of the two areas of the exhaust area, then the top side of the exhausts. Time wise, it's about the same as doing both simultaneously, but this way I only have to turn the F-15C once.

I started by masking off the bottom exhaust areas with little pieces of Tamiya tape, then larger pieces as a backing, then some paper towel to cover the rest of the fuselage. Of course, some how I managed to get a little over spray under the paper towels that had to be retouched later. Next up I air brushed on Alcad's Gloss Black base coat over the Tamiya primer. I gave that a day to dry, then polished it out with Micro Mesh pads from 4,000 to 12,000. The areas that I couldn't get to, I used a combination of Q tips and a soft cotton cloth to apply Mequiar's Scratch X 2.0. I always polish on the conservative side, as I've more then once polished right through paint and primer!!

I used Alcad Stainless Steel and the base color, Magnesium , and Duralumin for different sections. I tried some blue pastel chalks as well, but wasn't thrilled with the results, so buffed most of it off.

I also noticed in the pictures on the bottom that the left exhaust area needs to be retouched as somehow I managed to damage the Alcad finish. Not a big deal as it doesn't take much time. I just have to remember to actually do it.

Joel

One can definitely notice the difference in the base coat colors, Joel. As usual, your providing us with a fine tutorial.

Another beautiful model coming around.

Ben,
Thanks for stopping by and liking my modest efforts.
Joel

I am going to have to score myself one of those jigs as well. That Eagle is looking good Joel.

Paul,
Thanks for stopping by, and liking the progress on the Eagle to date.

UMM-USA has all those jigs.
Joel

this is a fantastic build, I am following it closely in silence and I think that there are many like me

Drabslab,
Thank you so very much for your most enthusiastic comments. It really means a lot.

Well, my so called fantastic build's Alcad NMF for the upper exhaust area is WRONG! I had all the research material in the world, and still screwed it up by following the kit painting instructions. The NMF should extend to the base of both tails, not just to the halfway lip. So I'm going to have to stop the stenciling, and re-mask, then prime with gloss Black, then Alad11 Stainless Steel.

Fortunately, it's not a killer of a job, but a really stupid mistake on my part that will take a full week to correct.

Joel

I took a modeling friends advice about my incorrectly not extending the NM areas to each of the twin tails, as I followed essentially the kit instructions, and I had more then enough documentation to prove otherwise. I even posted a few pictures of the tail area that showed the proper exhaust areas, but for other reasons. The issue I now faced was trying to mask as close to the twin tails as I could, which proved to be harder then I thought. I masked and re-masked till I got it as close as I could without having the tape ride up the tail since the areas aren't a flat straight line, and the space is quite confined. I got it close, but I wish I got it closer. Still it's a lot better then it was. I'll just have to live with it on this build.

Here's a few before and after pictures.









You can also see some of the dozens of stencils I've been applying using the kit decals till the Caracal sheet arrives.

Joel

Well, it's decal time for the fuselage. I used a combination of GWH kit decals for stencils, and Caracal decals for the rest. I must say that the Caracal decals are awesome. They should be as they're printed by Cartograf. There is also a special mention of thanks to Ken Middleton for his contribution to the design of this sheet: CD 48021Air National Guard F-15C part 1. Ken has also been contributing to my build with advice and direction as I've needed.



Here's a few quick grab pictures to bring you up to date.

Joel

Perfect decal application so far, Joel. Looks like you're closing in on another fine finish.

Ben,
Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I have a long way to go. before I get to call my Eagle done.
Joel