Convair's Viggen Clone - Model 201 "Kestrel"

[Spino]

It turns out that the AIM-152 can't be carried in the Convair 201's fuselage troughs if there is a centerline tank fitted, because the wings in the mid-section of the AAAM won't clear the tank on launch, so the tank would have to be jettisoned in order to fire the missiles!  I guess it will have to be the AIM-260s if I want anything better than late-model AMRAAMs. 

[Spino]

Well, I really underestimated just how big a 1:32 A-10 canopy is   

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A 1:48 scale A-10 canopy would probably have been better, but I'm open to suggestions.

[frank2056]

Try smash molding a clearcanopy with some packaging material. Print a copy of your canopy (maybe slightly smaller to account for the thickness of the plastic) and use that as your master. You may have to put putty on it and sand it down to cover the filament layers. It may take a couple of tries, but you'll get a clear canopy.

[Spino]

Try smash molding a clearcanopy with some packaging material. Print a copy of your canopy (maybe slightly smaller to account for the thickness of the plastic) and use that as your master. You may have to put putty on it and sand it down to cover the filament layers. It may take a couple of tries, but you'll get a clear canopy.

That's actually a really good idea!  I am very much a hoarder when it comes to clear plastic, so I'm sure I have something that will work.  I'm printing the mold now for it.  I also am in the process of making a vacuform box that I can connect a shop vacuum to, but I'm not sure if it'll work if I use a 3D printed piece as my mold.  It might melt the PETG or PLA!

[scautomoton]

I was making a vac former, and then I found a kit on the bay for about £40. It's how I make all my canopies now. 

[Spino]

I was making a vac former, and then I found a kit on the bay for about £40. It's how I make all my canopies now.

I'll look into that.  As much 3D printing as I do, it just might make sense to just get one like that.

[frank2056]

That's actually a really good idea!  I am very much a hoarder when it comes to clear plastic, so I'm sure I have something that will work.  I'm printing the mold now for it.  I also am in the process of making a vacuform box that I can connect a shop vacuum to, but I'm not sure if it'll work if I use a 3D printed piece as my mold.  It might melt the PETG or PLA!

If it's a solid master, it should stay cool before it melts or deforms. I use a dental vaucuform machine. They're cheap and easy to use. Mine came with a bag of small bearings to use in the base, to hold the baster in place.

[Spino]

Seems like I'll be investing in one of these things too at some point, unless I can get my vacuum box to work.

[frank2056]

I started collecting parts to make one, then saw the cheap dental vacuforming machines everywhere. I thought the relatively small draw area was going to be a drawback, but I've never needed to form anything that used all of the space available.  If it can fit in a 126mm x 126mm (about 5" x 5") you can form it.

[Spino]

Finally glued the pilot into place.  This model may not turn out as well as the F-8S...

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Also painted the gun port area.  Quite frankly I feel bad for the radar given the location of that gun port, but so long as it's a solid-state radar hopefully it wouldn't have the issues that the F-4E supposedly had.

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Had a couple of AGM-158 JASSM's printed up, but the only place they can go without interfering with the main gear is on the main wing pylons.  The smaller inboard ones are severely limited on what they can carry between the landing gear, fuselage missile troughs, and the Sniper targeting pod I added.  A pair of GBU-38s would easily fit, and I might even be able to squeeze in some GBU-12s, but nothing longer than that (so nothing with anything like the range of the JASSM).  I'm thinking the way forward on this is either dual GBU-38s on one or both inner pylons and then the GBU-31s on the outer pylons, or swap the GBU-31s for TERs with GBU-12s/GBU-49s.

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[Spino]

Gentlemen, we have progress.  I fitted the armament and added most of the decals.  These decals were slightly modified from those for an F/A-18 Hornet, rather fitting I think.  Currently I've got this thing outfitted with two GBU-31 penetrators for busting hard targets, two GBU-49s for less overkill close air support, and AIM-260s and AIM-9Xs just in case.  I'm debating about adding a small extra pair of pylons outboard of the main wing pylons, but I'm not sure what I'd put on them other than more air-to-air missiles (which I don't need), or maybe Sidearm anti-radiation missiles.  I do have some AGM-179s kicking around, so I might be able to throw in a couple of those, or another pair of GBU-49s.  I'll figure it out.  Anyway here's some photos.

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I threw in the F-8S for size comparison, the Convair is quite a bit shorter and has a lot less wingspan!

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Honestly I was a bit unsure about using the non-slip walkway decals on the upper fuselage like this, but they seem to be a decent fit.  Reminds me a bit of the F-4.  I did have to shorten them though, otherwise they would have almost touched the fuselage roundels!

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[Spino]

I actually have hi-viz decals for the same Hornet squadron printed, so I might do another one of these at some point.  All the PSR to fix the model issues was a pain, but I think it's worth it now!

[Spino]

Added an extra pair of pylons with AGM-126 Sidearm IIs for self-protection against low altitude radar-directed SAMs and SPAAGs.  These are distinct from the wingtip AIM-9Xs by their larger rear fins and white color scheme.

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[HarryPhishnuts]

That looks fantastic