1/48 F15E Demonstrator 

Although Hasegawa claims their kit P8 is a F15E Strike Eagle, the decal sheet it provides is for the F-15B S/N 71-0291.  The F15B 71-0291 is owned by McDonnell Douglas for various testing and demonstration purposes.  F15E’s demonstrator had been one of the 71-0291’s jobs. 

The kit includes many accessories includes 2 conformal oil tanks, 2 600-gallon external oil tanks, 4 AIM 9 Sidewinders, 4 AIM 7 Sparrows, 22 MK20 cluster bombs and various pylons.  Such a large number of accessories is not the case in Hasegawa’s later productions such as the F14 or F18 etc.

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Fellow modelers should note the followings in order to built an accurate F15 71-0291 

1. Remove and fill the gun gas bleed vents on the starboard side of the aircraft;

2. Use part C13 instead of part C14 on the port side vertical stabilizer (Step [3]);

3. The main landing gear well doors are all open while the 71-0291 is on the ground. 

The aircraft is built OOB. 

I use Gunze hobby color to paint the European I Scheme.  20% flat white is added to the base color to allow for the scale effect.  Weathering is done by applying raw umber oil paint on the aircraft after a flat clear finish.

Engine exhaust exterior is painted gross silver.  Black enamel paint is used to highlight the turkey feathers.  Then the exhaust exterior is tuned down by powdered black pastel. 

Engine exhaust exterior is painted flat white.  Heavily diluted black enamel paint is sprayed over it to simulate the effect caused by smoke emitted by the engines. 

Happy modelling.

Kenneth

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