1/72 Have Blue XST

[Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy]

This model has a long story. Actually years before the model, as a teenager in the 80's I kept a binder/scrapbook with every little tidbit about the Stealth Fighter. Folks my age and older will remember a time when the rumors of the Stealth Fighter program in the 70's and 80's was sort of like the rumors of the Loch Ness Monster, yet the rumors were everywhere, consistent and persistent.

Once the F-117 was declassified in late 1988, the word was that, yes, photos had been taken of the Have Blue XST aircraft, and, no, they would NEVER be released to the public.

I remember the wonderful day in the early 1990's when that changed and two photos were published. What an amazing aircraft it was to me. Love at first sight including that bizarre camouflage. I had just been in flight school and my ground school instructor had even been a C-141 pilot on the Have Blue program.

 

Fast forward to Summer 1994. Saw an advertisement for an Pegasus-brand injected kit of the aircraft in FineScale Modeler through Squadron Mail Order. Not usually an impulse buyer, I was on the phone the moment I got home with the magazine to order mine!

And over many years I kept studying the kit wondering how to tackle it. Years turned to a decade. Then more than that.

Finally officially started it in about 2012, 18 years after purchase. A block sander was the most perfect tool for the large facets of the undersides. Brass mesh for the intakes REALLY made a difference in the appearance. Testors/Italeri F-5E landing gear. Lost the canopy, but since it was so horribly molded anyway I was better off making it with clear plastic sheet that had been packaging for something-or-other.

And over three years I struggled with the paint colors. Nothing seemed right. At long last I settled on the following: 36440, 30277, 35237 and black.

The fact that the tails aren't tall enough aren't enough to make me want to redo them; there comes a point where you're just glad it's over!

So here she is, very not-perfect but patiently waiting 22 years for her unveiling, the Pegasus 1/72 XST (Experimental Stealth Tactical), Project Have Blue.

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2019 by Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy

[Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy]

Closeups of the intakes showing the fine-gauge brass mesh.

 

 

 

Edited March 24, 2019 by Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy

[Rob de Bie]

And over many years I kept studying the kit wondering how to tackle it. Years turned to a decade. Then more than that.

Finally officially started it in about 2012, 18 years after purchase. A block sander was the most perfect tool for the large facets of the undersides. Brass mesh for the intakes REALLY made a difference in the appearance. Testors/Italeri F-5E landing gear. Lost the canopy, but since it was so horribly molded anyway I was better off making it with clear plastic sheet that had been packaging for something-or-other.

And over three years I struggled with the paint colors. Nothing seemed right. At long last I settled on the following: 36440, 30277, 35237 and black.

The fact that the tails aren't tall enough aren't enough to make me want to redo them...comes a point where you're just glad it's over.

So here she is, very not-perfect but patiently waiting 22 years for her unveiling, the Pegasus 1/72 XST (Experimental Stealth Tactical), Project Have Blue.

Excellent work! And one of only five finished ones that I know of :-) Your inlets and canopy look very good, showing me the way to go. I'm still fighting with mine, that I will probably paint in the more boring gray scheme.

Rob

[Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy]

Yep, well, considering how often I was checking out your page there on the same, it's neat to know we've been helping each others' inspiration!

[Jay Chladek]

I have that kit and given what you started with, very good job. The landing gear was an inspired choice and perhaps not far from the truth given those F-5 gears got used in a lot of experimental aircraft due to how simple they are to maintain.

Only thing that might improve it a little would be perhaps using some ultra-fine polishing cloths to try and knock off some of those black camo overspray areas. I've used it with success on my models from time to time. Although if you put a clearcoat on already... could be a little tough since you would have to sand through the clearcoat to get to the paint layers. Otherwise, given how small the model is, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy]

You're right Jay; I've been trying to break in a new airbrush for a few years now and it's been like pulling teeth sometimes....

[Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy]

Thought I'd update this with some construction photos, including the scratchbuilt canopy transparencies and pitot, wire mesh intakes and the Testors/Italeri F-5 landing gear....

 

[Brian P: Fightertown Decals]

I remember when that kit was fairly new in your stash!! Bet it felt great to finally get it built and to do it so well!! Congrats and good job. Scratch built canopy?! Nice!!

brian

[kiwiRKC]

Hi Andrew, that's a nice rendition of the "Have Blue"! 

 

I'm about to build a 1/144 F-117 (Dragon kit # 9904) as the first FSD a/c, 79-10780/ "Ship One" as it was painted for the first flight in June 81' - disruptive three-tone “pastel” camouflage pattern, comprising light tan, light moss green, and a darker tan, with three different shades of each color.

 

I have enough pics of the upper surfaces, but nothing which clearly shows the undersides.

 

Do you have any idea if the camo continued underneath or (more likely) was it grey?

 

Any comments/suggestions would really be appreciated.

 

 

[Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy]

On 2/15/2022 at 6:50 AM, kiwiRKC said:

Hi Andrew, that's a nice rendition of the "Have Blue"! 

 

I'm about to build a 1/144 F-117 (Dragon kit # 9904) as the first FSD a/c, 79-10780/ "Ship One" as it was painted for the first flight in June 81' - disruptive three-tone “pastel” camouflage pattern, comprising light tan, light moss green, and a darker tan, with three different shades of each color.

 

I have enough pics of the upper surfaces, but nothing which clearly shows the undersides.

 

Do you have any idea if the camo continued underneath or (more likely) was it grey?

 

Any comments/suggestions would really be appreciated.

 

Hey there, thanks for the kind words!

I wish I knew what the paint scheme was on FSD1; judging by the in-flight photo you posted it appears possibly to be only light underside, maybe light gray as you suggested.  

I look forward to seeing the results!  

[kiwiRKC]

Thanks for your input! I've since realised I have Robert F. Dorr's "Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk", which includes 3-views of the FSD and production aircraft to 1/72 scale plus a color 3-view of the FSD #1 in that "disruptive blue, grey & sand pattern". This confirms the undersides in the grey, so that's how it shall be done!

 

I'll upload some pics when the build is complete.