Subject: Re: F-15SG Tiger Meet
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Christopher Yee" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 16 Jul 2011 23:41:15 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
ARC Air - Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.arcair.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Christopher Yee 
  To: Steve Bamford ARC 
  Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 9:17 PM
  Subject: F-15SG Tiger Meet

  Gallery Article Template
  "1/48 F-15SG "what if" Tiger Meet" 
  by "Christopher Yee"
  --------------------
        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here 

  Kit: 
  Academy 1/48 F-15K 
  Paints: 
  Tamiya TS-12 Orange decanted and airbrushed
  Tamiya & Mr Hobby acrylics
  Alclads
  Scratch built:
  Various antennas, RWR, and other lumps and bumps specific to this variant.

  This project was a unique one in that it was commissioned by a friend who is a F-15SG pilot.
  His only request... To make this unique, custom, beautiful & in flight.

  After contemplating ideas for a little while, we agreed on a scheme that adorned the F-16AM "Solo Display Team 2009" J-015 from the Netherlands. 

  Not entirely confident that I could pull off the paint job, I began with the construction of the kit and scratch building the additional parts for this variant. Some issues with the intakes which is usual for this Academy kit as it is the same tooling as all their other F-15's. I encountered the same issues when I built the F-15i Ra'am. In addition there are plenty of ejector pin marks to tidy up, and gaps at the wing roots. Other than that, the build went along smoothly.

  Being displayed in-flight I made sure details such as the ailerons and horizontal stabilizers were positioned in the correct stance, even the pilot and his WSO was modified and positioned to look the part of a 45deg left climbing bank. 

  Constantly referring back to my references of the actual Dutch aircraft I noted that being a fresh paint job that there is absolutely no weathering to speak of. So with this in mind I made a mental note to minimize the pre-shading and panel line demarcation. However being a scaled down model I also realize that without some panel line detail it would simply look like a mass of solid color and somewhat like a toy plane. So using some artistic license I still wanted to define some areas.

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 03.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo03.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 04.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo04.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 05.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo05.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 06.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo06.jpg 

  Time for the paint. After pre-shading the entire fuselage I laid down the black areas first with Tamiya X-18 Semi Gloss Black. I could have used flat black, or gloss black actually as the model is going to receive a coat of Future/Klear anyway, however I really wanted to get a feel for the final look of what the satin black would look like at the end to boost my confidence of the final product! After allowing to dry I masked the black areas to remain. I decanted a rattle can of Tamiya's Orange and laid down the Orange in light coats at first over the pre-shading. Once I was more confident that I could achieve the desired effect, I laid down the last two coats slightly heavier with the pre-shading just peeping through the surface enough to break up the fuselage.

  Next came the tedious and nerve racking task of scaling off the lion emblem that is the centre piece of the scheme, creating the masks and applying it to the complex curves of the F-15's upper and lower fuselages. Of course the lower fuselage was the most complicated due to the rise and falls of it's profile.

  Once done however, a deep coat of Tamiya X-7 red was applied. Allowed to dry for half a day, I nervously peeled off the masks to reveal just the look I was hoping for. Some touch up was needed here and there, but I was pleased with the result!!! Final to the custom job was the vertical stabilizers. Here I chose to enlarge the "Shikra" silhouette form standard and mask them to cover as much of the vert stabs as possible  in line with the lion on the fuselage. Again this worked a treat. The rest of the build went as usual with Alclads used for the engine areas and nozzles, and then the mandatory coat of Future to seal in the paint and allowed to dry for 2 days ready for decals. This too was a slight challenge as now I have numerous black surfaces which requires white or in my case light grey decals. Afterburner decals came to my aid with a set of F-15C decals that came in light grey. Perfect!!!

  So finally another two coats of Future to seal and protect the decals, a VERY light panel wash to subtly highlight the panel lines, and then a coat of Mr Hobby Semi Gloss Acrylic clear coat.

         
        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 02.jpg here 

  To finish her off a custom case was made to measure, and while that was being done, I fashioned up a brass rod and holder to mount the "bird" in her "cage".
  Overall it was an enjoyable build. Not one that I will attempt again any time soon however! 

  Thanks for looking. :)
  "Christopher Yee"
        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 07.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo07.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 08.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo08.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 09.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo09.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 10.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo10.jpg 

  Just delete any of the boxes below you don't need.....it's not important to include them.....they are there to give you an idea of the finished article.  It is best to limit your article to no more than 60 or so photos, so the finished webpage won't take too long to open.
        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 11.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo11.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 12.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo12.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 13.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo13.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo14.jpg 

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 15.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo15.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 16.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo16.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 17.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo17.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 18.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo18.jpg 

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 19.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo19.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 20.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo20.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 21.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo21.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 22.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo22.jpg 

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 23.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo23.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 24.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo24.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 25.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo25.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 26.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo26.jpg 

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 27.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo27.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 28.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo28.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 29.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo29.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 30.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo30.jpg 

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 31.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo31.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 32.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo32.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 33.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo33.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 34.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo34.jpg 

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 35.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo35.jpg 

       

  Photos and text © by "your name goes here"