**** DONE: GB-44 1/48 F-5E - Military A/C of post-war time

[Airframes]

1/48th Scale Northrop F-5E, Fliegerstaffel 11, Swiss Air Force.

Username Airframes
Name Terry
Category Judge - non-competing.
Model Northrop F-5E Tiger II
Kit ESCI
Scale 1/48th
Accessories Resin seat, brass guns and pitot tube, resin wheels, possibly aftermarket decals, some scratch-building.

I picked up this kit, which includes the support set and a display base, fairly cheap a couple or more years ago. Decals for a Swiss aircraft are included, from Fligerstaffel 11 when based at Meiringen, but I need to test these first, as this issue of the kit dates from the early 1980's. If they're unusable, then I'll have to get some aftermarket decals.
I'll probably make a start on the preparation etc within the next few days, but the main 'build' won't really get underway until the Mirage is almost done.
Pic of the box art below, and details of the aircraft etc will follow in the next post.

 

[Airframes]

The F-5E was used by Fliegerstaffel 11 from 1979 to 1999, when they converted to the F-18 Hornet. The type is still used by two other Squadrons, based at Payerne, alongside further Hornets, and are also used by the Swiss National aerobatic team, Patrouille Suisse, but I particularly want to portray an aircraft when based at Meiringen air base.
This airfield is in the Bernes Oberland, and situated in a deep mountain valley, with the aircraft housed in caverns in the mountainside. Within these caverns, hangars have been built, and there are tracks to help guide the aircraft through the relatively narrow tunnels to the entrance of the caverns.
To access the single runway, the aircraft need to use, and cross, public roads.
The pics below show how the model should look, and also show the entrance to the caverns, with a line-up of F-5's.
( Origins of pics unknown).

 

[Crimea_River]

Good stuff Terry. Reminds me of the one on my naughty shelf that never got finished. Someday....

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Andy.
I've already made a start on the preparation.
Having discovered that the resin seat would not fit all the way into the cockpit tub, which narrows towards the bottom (seat designed for the AFV Club kit), I've done some surgery ...... er .... maybe butchery is a better description !
The kit seat is the early version and, although quite well done, it would need a lot of work, destroying detail along the way, to make it look like the later seat.
The cockpit tub needed to be widened to accommodate the seat, and the only way to do this, due to the shape, was to attack the sides with a chisel, as a file had little effect, due to lack of space in which to work. The rear face of the control column base and 'gaiter' was also chopped off, to clear the front of the seat, and this will be filled from the inside and sanded smooth. The seat is just placed loosely for the photos, and will be fitted properly much later in the build.
This is just the initial work, to allow the seat to fit, and, of course, the side walls will be sanded to remove the horrible mess !
The pics show the work so far, and more to come eventually.

 

[Crimea_River]

Hope that's not a sign if things to come.

 

[Airframes]

Shouldn't be - I hope !
I remember building this kit some 30 odd years ago, without any major problems, although I think I may have had to spread one half of the fuselage to get a good joint. It's joined horizontally, rather than vertically.
The instrument panel is just a flat part, relying on decals, which are not all the correct colours, and not very convincing, so I had thought of using the panel from the old Monogram kit, found in the spares box. However, the radar screen stands too proud on this, and it would also mean an lot of work, cutting and chopping, to fit it into the ESCI tub.
Consequently, I'll be using part of a PE set, plus a little scratch work, and I'll also look at opening the bottom of the front cockpit wall, to add rudder pedals.

 

[fubar57]

Neato. When I read Swiss I had flashbacks to the WW2 109 markings. I have one in the stash and it might make a good What-if project

 

[Wurger]

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Geo and Wojtek.

I found a pic on the 'net of the subject aircraft featured on the kit decal sheet, shown below (photo credit on image).
I'm hoping that the kit decals will work, as the only alternative for a Swiss machine are a very comprehensive set of sheets, covering almost all of the F-5's used by the Swiss. But it's quite expensive, and I'm reluctant to pay out for something where I'll only use a very small proportion of the decals.
I've also looked at the only available cockpit PE set, from Dream Model, and don't think it's going to be suitable, due to the overall shape, as explained in the photo captions below, so I'll probably end up using an old (and rather battered) instrument panel from the Monogram kit after all.

Pic 1. F-5E, serial number J-3015., Fliegerstaffel 11 "Tigers", Meiringen Air Base.
Pic 2. The PE set from Dream Model. The clarity and quality doesn't look that brilliant, although of course it may be fine "in the flesh". However, it's designed for the AFV Club kit, and has a more accurate, shallower curve to the top of the panel, whereas the ESCI panel is much more curved. It may be possible to adapt the main parts, but I'll have to think about it, as it may not even fit, and could get damaged if any cutting or filing has to be done, which would be a bit of a waste.
Pic 3. On the left is the kit instrument panel, relying on decals which are predominantly black, and not very convincing. Note the moulded shroud over the panel and around the gun sight mount, which extends forward to join the front coaming.
At right is a rather worn Monogram panel, which has been rattling around in the spares box for around 40 years !
Notice that, although still curved at the top, it's not quite as pronounced as the ESCI part, and is quite accurate in layout, although the radar display stands out from the panel a little too much.,With a little modification, I think it could be used. The shroud would need to be fabricated, and blended-in to the forward coaming, but I think it's doable.
I'll clean it up, trim a bit off the lower side panels, and re-check the fit and positioning in the kit cockpit. If it looks like it'll work, then I'll re-paint it and add a bit more detail.
Pic 4. The kit decal sheet - and yes, the backing paper is yellow. Note the instrument panel decals at the top, and the incorrect serial numbers for the Swiss version. A separate addendum sheet provides the correct numbers, and a further sheet provides the relevant decals for the ground equipment..

I'm going to test the kit decals later, using one or two of the USAF items. The sheet looks OK - no fading, cracking or creases - so I'll try a decal straight off the sheet first. If that breaks up, I'll spray the sheet with clear gloss, and try again.
If they don't work, then I'll have to bite the bullet, and buy that expensive decal set - but then, I only paid about £9 for this kit, which includes the full ground support set, now released under the Italeri label, at twice that price, so I guess it's swings and roundabouts !

 

[Wurger]

 

[T Bolt]

Nice start Terry. On question, Would it have been easier to file down the sides if the resin seat where it fits into the cockpit tub and isn't seen rather that widen the cockpit tub, or am I not seeing something?

 

[Crimea_River]

Glad you found a suitable instrument panel Terry. I went into my stash and checked if I had one since my project involved kitbashing two kits, the Monogram Tiger II being one of them. The other, the very crude Italeri F-5A, has the same detail as yours with only a bad looking decal that is to be placed over a rudimentary flat part. Unfortunately, I have no Swiss decals that would suit your machine and hope you can use the ones you have.

 

[Airframes]

No Glenn, that would have destroyed the detail on the top of seat sides, particularly the ejection handles on each side.
I had considered removing the rear section of the sidewalls, below the side consoles, and replacing them with plastic card, mounted vertically. However, the bottom of the sidewalls only needed to be shaved slightly on each side, to allow the seat to drop into place.
I did shave a sliver off the front lower edge of the seat though, so that it would clear the control column base.
The tub has now been sanded, and with the seat in place, any less than smooth surface is totally hidden.

I've looked further at the instrument panel situation and, although I'll probably adapt and use the old Monogram part, I'm going to experiment with the kit part, and see if it's physically possible to make each individual instrument bezel and switch panel. In theory, it should be possible, having done similar jobs in the past, but the small size, using very thin plastic card may prevent a neat result from being achieved. Not just making the square bezels with round holes, but fixing them without the plastic deforming. Also, the instruments on the starboard side are all just round, without a square mounting plate, so that would be very tricky to achieve.

EDIT :- Thanks Andy, and no problem re the decals. I actually have some usable Swiss roundels from other kits, and could probably make the serial numbers, either from available decals, or home made. But the rest I'd have to find.
I think the kit sheet should be OK, having used very old ESCI /Italeri decals in the past, without problems. But if they don't work, then it's off to Hannant's, and that huge decal set !

 

[Crimea_River]

I wonder if the Tiger crest is a temporary one for a Tiger Meet?

 

[Donivanp]

Nice one Terry. I recall back in 78-80 I was assigned to the 436AMW (Air Mobility Wing) Dover AFB, Del. We loaded up those F-5s, five at a time on our C-5As and flew them over. It was quite a sight. Wings pulled and fuselages stacked nose over tail at an angle. As I recall (and that's pretty hard) the C-5A was technically capable of taking seven, but due to wing box issues they were limiting the loads.

 

[Airframes]

That must have been a sight to see Don !

Andy, the tiger badge denotes Fliegerstaffel 11 'Tigers', and is the Squadron badge. The unit now operates the F-18 Hornet from Meiringen, although there is still another F-5 Squadron based there, with two more Squadrons elsewhere, each carrying their Squadron badge on the nose, although I forget what the badges are offhand.
Those F-5s retired from Swiss service were sold back to the USAF for use in the Aggressor role !

 

[Airframes]

Got to say a huge THANK YOU to Geo, who has just sent me, a book on the Swiss F-5E, with shed loads of colour detail pics.
He am da man !!

I should receive the 'Mushroom - Spotlight on the F-5E' book tomorrow, so, with this and Geo's generous help, along with a few reference pics I have, I should be sorted for detail and colours info.

 

[Wayne Little]

Good start there Terry.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Wayne.

Been doing some more checking on details, and also fiddling around test-fitting the instrument panel from the old Monogram kit.
The book that Geo sent me, in a PDF, has already proved to be extremely useful, revealing lots of small, exterior details, and further research, looking at the details for that decal sheet, has also helped with the colour scheme - although now in Gull Gray and Dark Gull Gray, for the period depicted by my model, the colours were two shades of light grey, hence the overall lighter appearance in the photo I posted earlier. Good news, as I now don't have to cobble together a minimum order, just for two tins of paint !
I've also tested the kit decals, and they seem to work OK, so more good news.
Pics below show some of the test fitting of the instrument panel, and the book that Geo sent me.

Pic 1. The book cover.
Pic 2. The kit instrument panel, showing how the moulded-in shroud joins the forward coaming.
Pics 3 and 5. The Monogram panel had the side panels reduced in depth slightly, and is shown here just loosely placed in position in the approximate location where it would be fixed. Although looking slightly taller, it's actually more or less the same overall height as the kit part, and I think I can scratch build the shroud and blend it in to the coaming. There is a visible joint on the real aircraft, so a bit of leeway there.

 

[Wurger]