An American Whatif..... McDonnell Douglas 265-1 VLF AFTI

[Thorvic]

Coming along nicely after a summer break for regular duties  .

You need to find pilot figures with face mask on and visor down to avoid flesh tone painting 

[Rick Lowe]

You need to find pilot figures with face mask on and visor down to avoid flesh tone painting

The one you used looks good, but this idea is even better - saves time that could be better spent designing/printing/making other things.
I fail to see a downside to this... 

[Weaver]

Fleshtone is easy: coat of Humbrol "Flesh", followed by a wash of Windsor & Newton "Nut Brown" ink. Job done.

Don't even think about dry-brushing highlights on a 1/72nd figure in a helmet in a cockpit.

[Gondor]

You need to find pilot figures with face mask on and visor down to avoid flesh tone painting  :thumbs-up:

A pilot is also more likely to be flying a fast jet with his mask on and visor down.

[zenrat]

Fleshtone is easy: coat of Humbrol "Flesh", followed by a wash of Windsor & Newton "Nut Brown" ink. Job done.

Don't even think about dry-brushing highlights on a 1/72nd figure in a helmet in a cockpit.

I like to mix my aircrew up - human beans come in more than colour y'all.

[Weaver]

Fleshtone is easy: coat of Humbrol "Flesh", followed by a wash of Windsor & Newton "Nut Brown" ink. Job done.

Don't even think about dry-brushing highlights on a 1/72nd figure in a helmet in a cockpit.

I like to mix my aircrew up - human beans come in more than colour y'all.

True: "caucasian fleshtone" then. The problem with doing other races is that the pilots are usually moulded as caucasians and some other races have distinctly different facial structure as well as different skin colour.

[zenrat]

Fleshtone is easy: coat of Humbrol "Flesh", followed by a wash of Windsor & Newton "Nut Brown" ink. Job done.

Don't even think about dry-brushing highlights on a 1/72nd figure in a helmet in a cockpit.

I like to mix my aircrew up - human beans come in more than colour y'all.

True: "caucasian fleshtone" then. The problem with doing other races is that the pilots are usually moulded as caucasians and some other races have distinctly different facial structure as well as different skin colour.

True in 1:1 and in the larger model scales.  But in the one true scale?  You can't tell.

[scautomoton]

Continuous small steps on this one lately, I may or may not have been working on something else that I really want to display at SMW.

Anyway, cockpit was masked, the windshield faired in with some red putty and a lick of primer applied. There were some small pinholes which needed a light sanding to sort out, and I also added the AoA probes (I'm using the Master Pitot set for an F16).

Then it was a quick touch-up with primer before experimenting with mixing Air Superiority Blue using the paint I have to hand. And, rather than muck about painting white bands on the tails for the AFTI moniker I've got some Fantasy Printshop white stripe decals on order from The Bay.

But it is now painted! Well, mostly. The fuselage and wings & things are now something like Air Superiority Blue. I found a couple of different mixes online, and went with my own blend of the following:

Tamiya X-14 Sky Blue - 1 part

Mr Gunze 11 Flat White - 3 parts

Mr Gunze 21 Off White - 3 parts

Mr Gunze 3 Red - 3-4 drops from the end of a stirrer.

And now its all drying. The photo below has been tweaked to bring it closer to what you see in person, but that's on my screen, under a warm LED light etc etc. I'm happy with it though, every single image I've looked at online is a different hue, so its good enough for me. I pre-shaded with black , which was probably a mistake, since it look several coats to calm it down. We'll see what it looks like in the daylight tomorrow.

Exhaust nozzles and Sidewinders need painting next, and then its very nearly finished. Oh, and I need to do the pitot too, plus the little side probe things like an X-29 has (they're on the 3-view so I've included them).

[scautomoton]

Status report: we are well on our way to being complete. I think I'm basically done with decals, I could spend hours more trying to add various stencils, but, I feel to leave well enough alone. I've used a mix of F-16A and YF-16 decals I sourced. And on the basis it was notionally proposed as a technology demonstrator I've not used low-viz markings.



A coat of gloss over the decals is next, then some very minimal fading of the upper surfaces with Tamiya Weathering Snow, some minor streaking here and there, then a matt coat, assembly and the lottery of removing the canopy masking....

[kerick]

That's looking very good!

[Thorvic]

Coming along nicely Stuart, will look impressive once completed on it's stand. Going to be interesting placed alongside an F-15 Eage or a YF-22.

See the other project is coming along.

[PR19_Kit]

That blue really suits it. 

Wasn't the prototype F-15 that colour?

[scautomoton]

I'm fighting the temptation to just stick all the bits on now. Need to get it coated tomorrow then it can be assembled and its done.

Coming along nicely Stuart, will look impressive once completed on it's stand. Going to be interesting placed alongside an F-15 Eage or a YF-22.

See the other project is coming along.

It would look like a midget next to them! Its very small (like a 144th F-22). And yes, other project coming together very quickly. Imagine if it actually looks half decent when its done!

That blue really suits it. 

Wasn't the prototype F-15 that colour?

I must admit, I wasn't sure before I painted it whether it may look too pale, but in the flesh its lovely. Air Superiority Blue was what the very first F-15As were painted, but they didn't stay that way for long because it made them stand out against the sky. So they went with the boring greys we all know and, er, love (?) nowadays. It got me looking for the right kit to make an early F-15A. Seems Hasegawa F-15C re-tool from 1986 is the way to go apparently....

[PR19_Kit]

It got me looking for the right kit to make an early F-15A. Seems Hasegawa F-15C re-tool from 1986 is the way to go apparently....

IIRC Monogram did an early one, and it was blue on the box art too. I've been converting mine to a 'Streak Eagle' for about 40 yrs now.................. 

[Gondor]

That looks really nice, Stuart. As for the other project, I think you should carry on with it 

Gondor