F-111F, 48th TFW, Lakenheath, Operation El Dorado Canyon, 1986

Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules

An underrated fearsome cold war fighter. When we were designing the B-2 cockpit in the early '80s, the AF provided an FB-111 crew, pilot and weapons systems operator, for technical support since we used a similar two man crew. I was surprised to learn that the FB-111s were assigned the high risk special weapons targets while the B-52s were stand off. In other words they were the ones going down town Moscow (of course, I didn't know what the targets really were).

An interesting side note is that later in the program, the AF changed the WSO to a pilot. This person would now be the mission commander performing the WSO tasks. The B-2 was also designed to accept a third crew station which has never been implemented and probably never will.
 
Last edited:
Lots of detailed shots of the wheel wells from F111.net, forward bay first and then the main wheel bay. The kit parts don't quite match up with the pics in terms of where all the interior plumbing is but it's not too far off - albeit slightly understated. (I don't think there's ANY way, the finished product is going to look THAT detailed, but we'll see.) Edit: Added some exterior shots of the wheels / tires and forward bay doors.
 

Attachments

  • IM000100.jpg
    74.1 KB · Views: 198
  • IM000101.jpg
    67.1 KB · Views: 205
  • IM000102.jpg
    68.6 KB · Views: 209
  • IM000103.jpg
    74.3 KB · Views: 177
  • IM000104.jpg
    66.4 KB · Views: 174
  • IM000105.jpg
    52.1 KB · Views: 171
  • IM000106.jpg
    75.5 KB · Views: 150
  • IM000113.jpg
    105 KB · Views: 144
  • IM000112.jpg
    80.6 KB · Views: 195
  • IM000111.jpg
    82.5 KB · Views: 142
  • IM000110.jpg
    77.3 KB · Views: 155
  • IM000109.jpg
    66.4 KB · Views: 165
  • IM000136.jpg
    62.3 KB · Views: 156
  • IM000135.jpg
    92.9 KB · Views: 176
  • IM000116.jpg
    83.1 KB · Views: 167
  • IM000115.jpg
    97.7 KB · Views: 162
  • IM000114.jpg
    101.8 KB · Views: 174
  • IM000137.jpg
    77.3 KB · Views: 167
  • IM000108.jpg
    56.8 KB · Views: 189
  • IM000097.jpg
    80.4 KB · Views: 165
  • IM000092.jpg
    92.8 KB · Views: 187
  • IM000082.jpg
    85.4 KB · Views: 195
  • IM000067.jpg
    85.2 KB · Views: 183
Last edited:
Great shots Dwight. I always find those a blessing and a curse in that they reveal areas not often seen but at the same time show what has been missed on the model that begs to be added or fixed.
 
A quick in-progress shot taken a few days ago. It's tough to see all the details (still trying to get this camera figured out) but you can see the finished tires and wheels, partially finished seats, the exhaust cones (dry fit only), the wing with interior flap surfaces painted, the masking for the piping in the main wheel bay, one of the GBU-10Es painted a VERY weathered Olive Drab, and the speed brake with its interior painted flat red and the actuator arm painted flat red lower, flat white upper with the silver oleo. I'm not going to be adding any additional wiring to the wheel bays as they are fairly accurate already and just need the electrical and hydraulic connections painted (hence the masking). Oh that one odd looking thing in the center is the ALQ-131 pod. Radomes have been painted white and are masked off so I can paint the rest of them olive drab.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0681v1.JPG
    98.9 KB · Views: 116
I am looking forward to seeing this one. It hits a soft spot for me because those are from my era in the USAF. I have a completed kit that I had a pro model builder do for me because I knew I could never do it justice. Here are a few shots to give you a little incentive.







Keep in mind you are goign to have to add weights to the nose if you plan on displaying it with the wings swept back.
 
evangilder said:
Keep in mind you are goign to have to add weights to the nose if you plan on displaying it with the wings swept back.
Click to expand...

Ahhhh, thanks for the tip. I am planning on doing this one with the wings fully forward (16 degrees). With the Hasegawa kits, if you try to build them fully swept back (72 degrees) you have to trim all of the interior flap detail off. It's doable but a lot of work and since Hasegawa was nice enough to give you the flap down option, I'm going for a swept forward look!
 
Lots of nice detail work there Dwight, good stuff.
Nice model Evan, brings back memories of 'your' birds low over the Northumberland coast - lost normallv !! (only kidding!)
 
Found these snooping around for 1/48 F-111 stuff.....8)

F-111F, 72-1448, 48 TFW, RAF Lakenheath, Aug 1991, Wing CC's aircraft
F-111F, 70-2390, 48 TFW, RAF Lakenheath, Nov 1991, Wing CC's aircraft
F-111F, 71-0884, 492 TFS/48 TFW, RAF Lakenheath, 1991, Squadron CC's aircraft
F-111F, 70-2403, 493 TFS/48 TFW, RAF Lakenheath, 1991, Squadron CC's aircraft
F-111F, 74-0178, 494 TFS/48 TFW, RAF Lakenheath, 1992, Squadron CC's aircraft
F-111F, 70-2391, 495 TFS/48 TFW, RAF Lakenheath, 1991, Squadron CC's aircraft
F-111F, 70-2364, 494 TFS/48 TFW, RAF Lakenheath, 1991
F-111F, 70-2370, 494 TFS/48 TFW, RAF Lakenheath, 1991
F-111F, 70-2386, 493 TFS/48 TFW, RAF Lakenheath, 1984
F-111F, 70-2387, 494 TFS/48 TFW, RAF Lakenheath, 1991
F-111F, 70-2413, 492 TFS/48 TFW, RAF Lakenheath, 1991
F-111F, 71-0892, 494 TFS/48 TFW, RAF Lakenheath, 1991
F-111F, 72-1451, 493 TFS/48 TFW, RAF Lakenheath, 1991
F-111F, 72-1450, 494 TFS/48 TFW, RAF Lakenheath, 1992
 

Attachments

  • ABD48054.jpg
    42.5 KB · Views: 207
  • ab_48054_d2.jpg
    166.2 KB · Views: 165
  • ab_48054_d1.jpg
    209.5 KB · Views: 202
  • ab_48054_p.jpg
    174.2 KB · Views: 255
Last edited:
And THESE are coming out at IPMS nationals in August:
 

Attachments

  • UH_Art.jpg
    202.5 KB · Views: 191
  • UHinsert.jpg
    125.3 KB · Views: 184
  • UH1-1.jpg
    104.5 KB · Views: 478
  • UH2-1.jpg
    107.9 KB · Views: 371
  • UH3.jpg
    65.9 KB · Views: 211
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Similar threads

  • Sticky
**** FINISHED: F-8E, WS15 of VMF(AW)-323 "Death Rattlers", Operation Green Wave
2
Replies
39
Views
10K
Catch22
**** DONE: F-8E, WS15 of VMF(AW)-323 "Death Rattlers", Operation Green Wave
2
Replies
38
Views
7K
Crimea_River
  • Sticky
**** FINISHED: 1/48 RF-8A Crusader VFP-62 Operation "Blue Moon" 1962
2
Replies
24
Views
11K
Vic Balshaw
**** DONE: 1/48 RF-8A Crusader VFP-62 Operation "Blue Moon" 1962
7 8 9
Replies
172
Views
32K
Vic Balshaw
K
1/72 F-5E Aggressor Testors/Italeri
2 3
Replies
49
Views
17K
Wayne Little
Menu
Log in
Register