Hellenic Air Force F-15E

[FAR148]

OK, my last two modeling project failed completely(USN Su-27 and S-3 AWACS). After 18 month of working on my IAF A-10I, I did not want to work on or start another long term project. So, I worked on a few profiles to get away from building for a while. Now working on my TSR.2 profiles, which I will built at least one of them but not until I finish the series and I pick one to built. But the itch to build has already started. So Friday night I went looking through my stash for something to build. Got 3 Revell 1/48 scale F-15E's and remembered I downloaded somebodys what-if profile of a Hellenic Air Force F-15E. So, it should be a simple build, pretty much out of box but I will add some resin seats( I hate building seats ) Got the idea, the kit and paints. Decals I will make and print myself. Time to build! This build is going to be about completion and not perfection.

Here a quick and dirty paint guide I came up tonight. The pattern is based on the IAF's F-15I paint scheme. I think it's going to look pretty cool. :wub:

I got to paint the pilots instrument panel but most of major work in the cockpit is done. Still got to add some detail parts, but Im happy with it.

Revell did a great job on the nozzles. :wub:

With three of the same kits, some of the sprues got mixed up and some parts are light and some dark. :lol:

Edited March 29, 2010 by FAR148

[FAR148]

Got the front office done and got it placed in on one of the fuselage halves. You can see my roll of pennies nose weight, hate tail sitter.

Got the targeting pods together and shot them in a base coat of Dark Ghost Gray.

Glued down the air brake.

Also placed the tails. note the twin TEWS.

[FAR148]

Painted up a pair of AIM-120's

And this morning I made this beast! AGM-148

[FAR148]

So, here's how to make a AGM-148. First you will need parts from Hasagawa Aircraft weapon set B and D. In the background you can see I got the forward fusaelage join to the rest of the body.

From weapon set B, you need... GBU-8 halves and fins and Pave Spike pod halves.

From weapon set D, you need... 4 GBU-24 fins and two halves of the Skipper rocket nozzle.

[FAR148]

First let's start with the Pave Spike pod. It's the right size and shape to become the rocket body for the AGM-148. Glue it together and cut the front off just in front of the mount point. You don't need the head of the pod but keep it for something else.

Now on to the body of the AGM-148, cut free the two halves of the GBU-8 and glued them together. Once your glue has set up, time for some fin trimming. We got to remove some of the main body fin so that the new GBU-24 fins to fit. I first cut the rear angle cut with my razor saw stopping at the break line in the body. Them with a new no# 11 blade, I removed the rest. Once all 4 were removed, I sanded it smooth.

Either when your glue is setting up or after, you can glue up the rocket nozzle and cut it to length. I super glued the two halves together and with my razor saw I cut the nozzle at the break line as the body starts to taper.

Back to the AGM-148 body, I scribed two new panel lines on the head of the body using some tap and the back side of a no#11 blade. I then added the new fins, lining up the little control bump on the fin inbetween the the new panel lines. Next I filed a flat spot in the two body bands so that the rocket will sit flat on the body of the AGM-148.

[FAR148]

Next I glued the rocket nozzle to the body of the rocket(pave spike pod) and sanded the joint.I then added two pieces of strip styrene for detail.

TA-DA! one AGM-148. Got to fix those bands.

I also managed to get her intakes on. One fits better then the other but I can live with it. The CFT's went on much better than I thought they would, as did the weapon stations.

I got to rescribe a few panel lines but she is coming along nicely. Hopefully by the end of the week, I will have her panel lines preshaded so I can start painting her this weekend.

[FAR148]

Been playing around with illustrator and photoshop working on my decals. My Greek Mud Hen is going by from 330 Mira "Thunderbolt" based out of Néa Anghialos air base. Once I finished drawing it all up, I print it on a piece of transparency film to check the fit. Not the final decal, want to chance it a little bit. Looks pretty good.

Preshading Done!

[FAR148]

Paint has started! :lol:

Until later,

Steven L

[gb_madcat_sl]

Nice! This is going to be a real beauty!

Mark

[strikeeagle801]

...

Edited April 10, 2010 by strikeeagle801

[GreyGhost]

Very cool idea, Steven ...

I really like the colors you chose for the paint scheme ...

Gregg

[Waco]

Awesome...love it!

[mario krijan]

I like it a lot! Great work!!

[onescale]

Hello,

this looks very good!! I like that paint scheme very much.

And you did a graet job until now!

A Greek Strike Eagle would be interesting, but with their financial situation in mind, it will never happen........

Best regards,

Jens

[phantom]

Excellent WIF!!!!!!

[Alex.B]

Nice paintjob!!!!

[stelios2000]

it was to buy these birds in 1999....But politics decided instead of buying 30 of these to buy with almost the same amount of

money 60 F-16C/D BLK52+ and 15Mir2000-5...

very nice work....

great

thanks

Edited March 29, 2010 by stelios2000

[rom]

niiiiiiice!!!! :D

[speedlimit]

Very nice build Steven! More please.

Eric

[FAR148]

Thanks everybody

I should another update in a few days.

Until later,

Steven L

[Aggressor Supporter]

This is a very cool what if Strike Eagle build. Nice pics too. Keep it up.

[Jinxter13]

That is one awesome Strike Eagle, very beautiful work on the inside of the burner cans, as is the rest of the build....this is one of those Whiffers that has some very real possibilities.

[mimis]

Very nice my friend!

[FAR148]

Thanks everybody :lol:

The main paint job is done. Now time for all the little details.

More to come,

Steven L

[HOLMES]

Steven L.

Just BRILLIANT... :o