Subject: Re: Revell 1/32 F-15E (1982)
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Chuck Sawyer" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2007 16:59:06 -0700

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

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.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: Chuck Sawyer 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2007 12:56 PM
  Subject: Revell 1/32 F-15E (1982)

  1/32 Revell F-15E (1982) 

  by Chuck Sawyer

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

  After a 23 year hiatus, I decided to get back into plastic aircraft modeling after recently discovering this site.  My first project is the same as my last model, a 1/32 Revell F-15E.  This 1982 model kit is not really an F-15E at all, but an F-15B prototype (71-291) that was the first attempt at making the F-15 a fighter bomber.  

  Here is my effort of 23 years ago, when all I had were the box photos to go by for painting and decal location.  There are lots of errors and I hadn't even heard of modeling putty back then, much less used any.  Still it's an attractive jet..

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

   

  Now my latest iteration of this very same kit, utilizing many of the building and painting techniques that I've found here.. 

   

  Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 03.jpg

   

  The biggest difference is the engine nozzles.  The old kit has nozzles with turkey feathers, whereas modern American F-15's do not, so I bought a corrected resin set from Cutting Edge and then deleted the tail hook faring.  This old kit is missing other stuff as well, like drop fuel tanks and modern weapons.  New WRM 610 gal. resin drop fuel tanks were also bought from Cutting Edge and I raided an Academy F-18C kit for 2 AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, 2 GBU-10 laser guided bombs and 1 GBU-24 laser guided bomb.

        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 
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  The Lantirn Navigation and Targeting pods are also missing, so thankfully a set was available from Flightpath Gunsmoke Range to make this F-15E more accurate, especially with laser-guided bombs.  Unfortunately these pods do not come with mounting pylons, so I scratch made a set from pylons from another kit. 

  Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 07.jpg

   

  A new (to me) painting technique that I've found here is weathering, which I think makes the aircraft look much more realistic, so I applied the popular artist oil wash after a couple of coats of Future.  Future also brought out the clarity of the canopy, which was sanded to remove the center line.  Final decaling was done with the Twobobs "Saddam Hunters" decal scheme, which goes with the WRM drop tanks used in the Iraq war in 2003. 

   

        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 

   

  There are still lots of errors, but I hope you like the improvements that I've made to a 25 year old Revell kit after being away from the hobby for so long.  My next project is the Tamiya 1/32 F-14A "Black Knights" kit, but I've already purchased the very popular Tamiya F-15E "Bunker Buster" kit for a future build.  It'll be interesting to see how well these much more expensive but nicer kits go together. 

  Photos and text © by Chuck Sawyer

   

  Chuck Sawyer

  President & CEO

  TimberRock Energy Corp.

  Suite 1750, 530 - 8th Ave SW

  Calgary, Alberta   T2P 3S8

  T (403) 444-6520   F (403) 444-1212

  C (403) 689-1051

  [email-masked]