Subject: Re: Kfir Submission
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2014 15:13:11 -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: [email-masked] 
  To: Aircraft Resource Center 
  Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2014 1:54 AM
  Subject: Kfir Submission

  "1/48 Scale Italeri Kfir C1/C2" 

  by "Burt Gustafson"

  Please include your ARC Discussion Forum Name with your submission 
  -------------------- 

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here 

  For your viewing pleasure, here are some photos of my 1/48 scale Italeri Kfir C1/C2. In the late 1960s Israel bought and paid for 50 Mirage 5Js from the French aircraft manufacturer Dassault. But then, in the summer of 1967 the Six Day War changed everything. With the start of the war the French government imposed an arms embargo on Dassault and the aircraft could not be delivered.

   The Israeli Military felt the Arab countries could gain the upper hand if something was not done and done quickly. In stepped the Mossasd and launched a covert action and acquired (stole) the blueprints for the Mirage III, all 250,000 pages. It has gone down in history as one of the largest espionage cases ever exposed. The first aircraft built from the plans was called the Nesher (Eagle), and built totally in Isreal. After numerous revisions and improvements the Kfir (Lion Cub) finally entered service in 1975.

   The Kfir entered service as an air superiority aircraft, but that was short lived. In 1976 Israel started to take delivery of F-15 Eagles from the US. After the purchase of F-15s, the Kfirs were relegated to ground attack missions throught their service life until 1990 when they were withdrawn from active duty.

        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 photo 03.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 photo 04.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 photo 05.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 photo 06.jpg 

  Construction

  Building this Kfir kit was a big exercise in filling and sanding seams and gaps. To be polite, the parts fit of this kit was less than precise, typical of an Italeri kit. I suspect this was an old kit as the panel lines were all raised, the ones that were on the plastic. Many of the panel lines were missing. Along with missing panel lines, there was a lot of flash and broken parts, the assembly drawings were not so good either. All in all, not a fun build. But, the cockpit went together rather well. The kit provided decals for the instrument panels. I added some PE seatbelts to dress up the ejection seat.

  Painting

  All paints used for this model were Model Master and Floquil enamel paints. The instruction guide provided paint schemes for four different aircraft. I chose to go with the paint scheme for Kfir C2 882, of the Hornet squadron at Hatzor airbase in 1979. The paint scheme calls for Light Ghost Gray with a Dark Ghost Gray camouflage pattern. I substituted the Dark Ghost Gray with Aggressor Gray so you could see the camouflage pattern. The landing gears and wheel wells were painted with Floquil Reefer White.

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

  Decals

  The decals were the only redeeming quality for this kit, and there a lot of them. The decals are well printed and lay down over detail nicely over detail, what little there is. Note that the decals had a slight tendency for silvering. A touch of Micro Sol on each decal eliminates the silvering—Solvaset is too strong for these decals. Once decaling was complete I hand brushed a light coat of Future over the decals, then finished the model off with an airbrushed coat of Model Masters Semi-Gloss Lacquer Finish.

  Comments

  Evan with all the fit problems this kit has and all the filling and sanding, the finished model came out looking pretty good—frankly it surprised me. I was pleased with the finished model. Just so you know, this was not a shake and bake build. I don't recommend this kit for anyone, unless you need some practice filling and sanding. Remember, pain is purifying.

  "Burt Gustafson"

        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 photo 07.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 photo 08.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 photo 09.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 photo 10.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 photo 11.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 photo 12.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 photo 13.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 photo 14.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 photo 15.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 photo 16.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 photo 17.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 photo 18.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 photo 19.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 photo 20.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 photo 21.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 photo 22.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 photo 23.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 photo 24.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 photo 25.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 photo 26.jpg 

         Photos and text © by "Burt Gustafson"