Subject: Re: Tamiya 1/32nd scale F-15E Strike Eagle.
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Louise and Guy" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2008 21:03:33 -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: Louise and Guy 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Saturday, May 17, 2008 2:50 PM
  Subject: Tamiya 1/32nd scale F-15E Strike Eagle.

  Gallery Template #05

  "Tamiya 1/32nd scale F-15E Strike Eagle" 

  by "Guy Wilson"
  --------------------

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  Hello all, 

  here is my latest submission, the Tamiya "Bunker Buster" edition of their 1/32nd scale F-15E Strike Eagle. Some of you may have seen my previous Mudhen in the gallery already but with this model I wanted to try something a little different. I had seen this particular airframe at the 2005 RIAT and was inspired by her "hard worked" appearance. There were a number of techniques that I wanted to attempt on this build which I had n't tried before.

  Firstly, I wanted to add a crew this time around. This posed some challenges in itself but luckily the kit parts are a good place to start. I have seen many models with aircrew on board but I wanted to try to re-create the transparency of the visors, in particular, the high contrast yellow visor often worn. In order to do this I carved out the visor of the kit pilot and WSO to give a crude representation of a face and then heat formed a replacement visor from clear plastic sheet. Once this was tinted with acrylic floor polish tinted with the appropriate ink the end result was quite pleasing. 

  I used the kit cockpit but added some scratch built detail, plus I also spent some time adding bits to the seats then sat the crew in and added the belts from foil. In my opinion, the Tamiya cockpit is perfectly adequate with a little TLC, particularly if the canopy is to be closed. 

                                       Click on images below to see larger images

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  Something that is very eye-catching on the full sized F-15E is the wide angle HUD. If you get the chance to walk around one of these at an airshow you will clearly see that the coated glass changes colour in different lighting. After seeing an article by Dave Roof I was struck by a bolt of inspiration. Dave had used irridescent confetti to add visual interest to the MFDs in his Hornet cockpit which has the same colour changing properties as the F-15E HUD. I scoured the internet looking for a suitable material and after some trial and error (and one replacement HUD,......thanks Harv) settled on a thin irridescent plastic film. I pressed a small, hot metal sphere into the film to deform it and then cut out a circle which I stuck to the plastic HUD with acrylic floor polish. I was absolutely thrilled by the result and even now I think the HUD is my favourite part of the model! 

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  With the cockpit and canopy as I wanted it my attention turned to other areas of the build. For me, there are three main areas of interest on a modern jet fighter, the cockpit, the gear/wheel bays and the tail pipes. I opted to tackle the landing gear next and save the tail pipes until last. Once again, scratch built detail was added to give the gear legs and wheels a more realistic appearance including some weathering. I know these aircraft are well kept but there is always something a modeller can find to dirty up if you look hard enough!

  I turned my attention to the payload next. I chose a load-out sourced from the F-15E strike Eagle website of 2xAIM-120, 2xAIM-9, 2xGBU-12, 2xGBU-38 JDAM and 2x WRM fuel tanks. Keith Money kindly provided the bombs (thanks Keith) which I detailed. I used Cutting Edge adaptors and AIM-120s then borrowed the AIM-9s from the Tamiya Black Knights F-14 as they looked better than the ones supplied with this kit. The WRM tanks were converted from the kit editions and the AN/AAQ-13 LANTIRN pod was treated to a little TLC before being slung under the intake. 

  For the targetting pod I was persuaded to build a SNIPER pod which might now be available through DrPepper resins.

  The last and most herculean task involved adapting the Flightpath etched burner cans to use some of the kit parts. I'd used the etched parts before so I knew what was in store but this time I hoped to model the petals in the closed position as though the engines were running.

  This turned out to be a mammoth undertaking with no less than 371 parts per side! I'm pleased with the finished article though. Adding the plastic parts to the etch managed to get rid of the 2D appearance that can be apparent from certain angles.

  I was very lucky to have an inordinate amount of help from the guys here on the ARC forums so I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support and encouragement, I appreciate it. 

  For anyone foolhardy enough to want to know more, a long and detailed build thread can be found here:

  http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=73471&hl=Don't%20get%20excited

  I hope you enjoy reading this short article as much as I enjoyed building the model. Until next time, keep well and happy modelling.

  Guy (geedubelyer) Wilson.

  Click on images below to see larger images

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