1/48 Revell F-15 E-->K conversion

[Janissary]

Hello all, I would like to build this in my next project:

>> Fresh F-15 K <<

I am particularly drawn to the colors and that's what I would like to replicate. I have the 1/48 Revell F-15E kit and want to stick to it. I will be using the PW nozzles already in the box (like in the above pic) and not the GE engines. I have been doing some research but I am stuck at a number of points. I will try to simplify these with the following questions, any help would be much appreciated.

(1) Is it safe to assume that F-15E's themselves would look like this out of the assembly line? [if yes, I may build the E model straight out of the box and forget about the K conversion]

If a K conversion is necessary:

(2) Is the cockpit color overall black?

(3) Are there significant structural changes in the cockpit or can I use the kit cockpit? I read that the ejection seats have the extra canopy brakers on the K version but I can live with that inaccuracy if the rest is ok.

(4) Does the K version have the GPS dome on the fuselage top?

(5) [Most critical questions for me:] On the K version, the RWR radars atop the vertical stabs are the same and size-wise are midway between the asymmetrical thin and thick RWR's found on the E version. Is there anyway to scavenge these from an old Tamiya or Hasegawa F-15? I would like to avoid scratchbuilding them. I can reach out to those who have the Academy F-15K but I am sure they used those parts already. If scratch building is the only way to go, any ideas how?

(6) The E model has some raised structural details on the top surfaces of the horizontal stabs. Can I keep them for the K version or do they need to go?

(7) Can I find the three distinct radar fins(?), one behind the cockpit and two under the radome, in any F-15 boxing or do they need to be scratch built?

(8) Is there anything else I am missing that you can remind me?

Thank you very much for your consideration.

[magman2]

The GPS dome is in Your Photo, Your best bet is buy the Academy F-15K, for all the Parts and Weapons

Edited March 29, 2011 by magman2

[Qian]

(1) I doubt it...

If a K conversion is necessary:

(2) Yes, cockpits are all black including the walls.

(3) Slight difference in the cockpit at the Up-front Controller (UFC) being a more modern flat screen panel display instead of the 'grilled' one found on the kit. Same goes for the rear cockpit too. But the difference is minor so if you don't mind, all is cool.

(4) Since it's an updated Beagle, yes the GPS dome is present.

(5) Scavenging from old Tamiya and Hasegawa kits would be a good idea but should you need to scratchbuild, thin plastic rods should be fine I suppose.

(6) Keep them. Those strengthening plates are present on all export Strikes.

(7) The Academy F-15K kit has the 3 antennas that you need. But if you don't wish to get another donor kit, then scratch building from some thin plasticard would be the way to go.

(8) You will need the LAU-129 launchers and ADU-552 adaptors. Longer outer CFT pylons and the IRST sensor are needed too. The IRST is mounted above the LANTIRN targeting pod. I guess if you want to build the most accurate Slam Eagle, go with the Revell kit and get the Academy F-15K kit as a donor. Also, do remember to fill the secondary heat exchanger vent just behind the WSO on the right side. Export versions of the Strike Eagle don't have this vent although for an unknown reason, the vent is present on the Singapore F-15SGs.

With these points taken into consideration above, I think you can get a reasonably accurate looking Strike.

Edited March 29, 2011 by Qian

[strikeeagle801]

(1) Is it safe to assume that F-15E's themselves would look like this out of the assembly line? [if yes, I may build the E model straight out of the box and forget about the K conversion]

Yes, it would be safe to assume that. The materials used in the F-15K are the same as the F-15E, so it would look the same at the assembly line.

If a K conversion is necessary:

(2) Is the cockpit color overall black?

Yes, it is over-all black. The only non-NVG "friendly" cockpits are the F-15E and the F-15S (SA will probably have black pits)

(3) Are there significant structural changes in the cockpit or can I use the kit cockpit? I read that the ejection seats have the extra canopy brakers on the K version but I can live with that inaccuracy if the rest is ok.

Just the UFC in both pits. Otherwise the same.

(4) Does the K version have the GPS dome on the fuselage top?

Yes

(5) [Most critical questions for me:] On the K version, the RWR radars atop the vertical stabs are the same and size-wise are midway between the asymmetrical thin and thick RWR's found on the E version. Is there anyway to scavenge these from an old Tamiya or Hasegawa F-15? I would like to avoid scratchbuilding them. I can reach out to those who have the Academy F-15K but I am sure they used those parts already. If scratch building is the only way to go, any ideas how?

The best idea for this is to look for the Twomikes Resin tails when they get re-released in the very near future. He will have both of the counterweight versions included, so that you can do any combo needed. ie, the two large weights for the K and SG, the two smaller weights for the S and I, and one of each for the E. They also have all of the reinforcement plates and the rudder bulge added in as well.

(6) The E model has some raised structural details on the top surfaces of the horizontal stabs. Can I keep them for the K version or do they need to go?

See above

(7) Can I find the three distinct radar fins(?), one behind the cockpit and two under the radome, in any F-15 boxing or do they need to be scratch built?

You should be able to scratch them pretty easily out of plastic card.

(8) Is there anything else I am missing that you can remind me?

If you are wanting to do it exactly as in the picture, then no, you are good to go with what you've got. If you are wanting to do an in-service Slam Eagle, then you need to add several things. The CFT "stub" pylons have an extended rear fairing on them when compared to the ones mounted to the Echo. The centerline pylon is also longer on the Kilo then on the Echo. They also carry the TIGEREYE IRST pod above the LANTIRN targeting pod. ADU-552 adapters and LAU-128's would be needed for the missiles mounted on the wing pylons. AIM-9X and JHMCS are mounted on F-15K's, so you would need the JHMCS sensor on the canopy sill for them as well. The best way to get there would be to get an Academy F-15K kit and raid what you need from there and put on your Revell F-15E kit. You kind of get the "best of both worlds" there. The Revell kit is light years ahead of the Academy kit in terms of fit and shape, and it has the right engine nozzles for the new batch of F-15K's, but the Academy kit has the weapons, decals, etc that you need in the kit. If you want the most accurate Slam Eagle you can get, I'd suggest the Twomikes tails I mentioned above, and the LAU-128/ADU-552's that Shawn Hull (www.shull24.com) makes, as the ones in the Academy kit are too short.

Aaron

ps. Excuse the plug here, but this thread has a lot of good information about updating and building the Revell F-15E kit. Some of it is also relevant to building an F-15K.

Edited March 29, 2011 by strikeeagle801

[LZ82]

Here's a novel idea...just build the Academy kit, save some time, money and effort for use in your build or future builds!!! You see these type of post here all the time. Not to diss any of the helpful/useful inputs... but cmon...man!!!

Edited March 29, 2011 by LZ82

[Janissary]

Magman, Qian and Aaron. Thank you so much for all your input. That's exactly the kind of information I was looking for. I very much appreciate it. Lz82, thanks, I shall consider that.

Edited March 30, 2011 by Janissary

[strikeeagle801]

Here's a novel idea...just build the Academy kit, save some time, money and effort for use in your build or future builds!!! You see these type of post here all the time. Not to diss any of the helpful/useful inputs... but cmon...man!!!

Well, it is all a matter of how accurate he wants to be. There are a miraid of problems with the Academy kit if you really care about accuracy. Even the "updated" kits still have problems with shape and fit that can not be overcome. So, I was giving him the option. If he wants a truely accurate Slam Eagle, the steps I outlined will get him there. If he considers "good enough", well, good enough...then yes, the Academy kit alone will get him close. If he wants to build one of the new batches of Slam Eagles, he'd still have to outsource the engines from somewhere.

Aaron

Edited March 30, 2011 by strikeeagle801

[Jennings]

The "counterweights" on the vertical fins are only anti-flutter weights if they're skinny. The fat ones seen on US F-15s are part of the internal ECM system (along with those big boxes on the left side of Bay 5 behind the cockpit on single seaters) that has never been exported, even to our friendliest friends like Japan and Israel. That's why you only see the dual skinny anti-flutter weights on export a/c. The fat one serves the purpose of being an anti-flutter weight, but its main function is as an antenna.

J

[Janissary]

Thank you Aaron and Jennings. Great info! I am still curious about these weights/antennas on the vertical fins of the K version. I looked at a lot of pictures of K's and it seems to me that these parts are neither too skinny (like the ones on the JASDF), nor too thick (like the left vertical fin of USAF), but somewhere in between. Is this accurate? I kept telling myself my eyes are playing tricks but thought I'd ask. Thanks in advance.

[sharkey]

Here's a novel idea...just build the Academy kit, save some time, money and effort for use in your build or future builds!!! You see these type of post here all the time. Not to diss any of the helpful/useful inputs... but cmon...man!!!

I've built both the Revell and Academy F-15/K and I can tell you, he will be saving time building the Revell kit. The Academy kit is nice but the fit is no where as good as the Revell.

[Wayne S]

Here's a novel idea...just build the Academy kit, save some time, money and effort for use in your build or future builds!!! You see these type of post here all the time. Not to diss any of the helpful/useful inputs... but cmon...man!!!

Well, it is all a matter of how accurate he wants to be. There are a miraid of problems with the Academy kit if you really care about accuracy. Even the "updated" kits still have problems with shape and fit that can not be overcome. So, I was giving him the option. If he wants a truely accurate Slam Eagle, the steps I outlined will get him there. If he considers "good enough", well, good enough...then yes, the Academy kit alone will get him close. If he wants to build one of the new batches of Slam Eagles, he'd still have to outsource the engines from somewhere.

Aaron

Price of the Revell kit plus shape, "if" he is building the same as the picture, Revell kit is definitely the way to go.

Wish I can recall the company that made them, I used plastic toothpicks for the smaller balancers on the tails, since I always broke the suckers anyway.

[strikeeagle801]

The "counterweights" on the vertical fins are only anti-flutter weights if they're skinny. The fat ones seen on US F-15s are part of the internal ECM system (along with those big boxes on the left side of Bay 5 behind the cockpit on single seaters) that has never been exported, even to our friendliest friends like Japan and Israel. That's why you only see the dual skinny anti-flutter weights on export a/c. The fat one serves the purpose of being an anti-flutter weight, but its main function is as an antenna.

J

Wrong. F-15K and SG have the full ECM system installed from the get-go. The ALQ-135 in both the SG and the K is actually better than that found in the Echo. You are correct in the fact that Japan and Israel do not have the -135 system, but the Koreans and the Singaporeans do, and I expect that the Saudis will as well when they get thier SA's, as they are supposed to be modelled off of the F-15K.

Aaron

Just so you know I'm not just blowing smoke. One of several refs where I got my info.

Edited March 30, 2011 by strikeeagle801

[strikeeagle801]

Thank you Aaron and Jennings. Great info! I am still curious about these weights/antennas on the vertical fins of the K version. I looked at a lot of pictures of K's and it seems to me that these parts are neither too skinny (like the ones on the JASDF), nor too thick (like the left vertical fin of USAF), but somewhere in between. Is this accurate? I kept telling myself my eyes are playing tricks but thought I'd ask. Thanks in advance.

Trick of the eye. They are the same size as the thick one on the F-15E.

Aaron

[TheBruin]

is the Academy kit that bad? i want to build one too,

[MarkW]

The Academy kit is harder to put together for sure. While it has the static and in flight inlets, for example, the inlet trunks are terrible on the Acad kit. The fore and aft fuselage join on Academy is also just terrible compared tyo the Revell kit.

The overall shape of the Academy kit is off in basically unfixable ways--the engine humps, for example, are visibly too high, for example.

On the flip aside, you get a ton of well done weapons, and you could stretch the Academy LAU-128s with a plastic plug and save some aftermarket $$. The Academy decals are mind boggling--Revell's simply suck in comparison. Not only is the Academy sheet roughly three time bigger, the decals are much nicer in print an thinness.

Really, if you can get both kits, you should have all you need.

[TheBruin]

thanks for the info