OA-37F Dragonlady - Delta Force support

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Hello everybody!!

As I said here and here, I'm starting a new build and well, this time, I really want to finish it one day!!

For that, the A-37B is a very good base, the plane beeing so little in 1/72 that it looks like a 1/144 fighter!  
But well, I admit that the size of the model will probably be a little problem for the scratchbuild I plan to do (Better to have good glasses!!)...
By luck, the Academy is a very good model, with thin engraved panel lines and parts which fit perfectly!!

So, here we go for the first pictures, done before I start to glue the parts


I chose to do a single seat variant, but in fact, the OA-37F will be very modular, beeing used in twin and single seat (and maybe UCAV, don't know yet) with only half an hour to change the configuration of the plane...
I don't know yet what this big black box will be in my backstory... Some more electronic stuffs? Amos for the gun? Additional fuel??




Here is the fuselage with the cockpit. Note the attempt of weathering in the cockpit, the first time I tried something like that. I wanted to do something very used by succesive conflicts...
But well, due to the flash of the camera, the weathering looks too dark and too agressive, in my opinion...




And last picture for today, a close view on the cockpit...
Initially, I didn't want to do scratch on this plane, except for the weapons. Moreover, I wanted to close the canopy, so I chose to do an "old style" cockpit... But now that I start scratchbuild a dorsal electronic spin, a FLIR turret and even a mini-radar, I regret that...
But well, the parts in the cockpit just fit perfectly like this, I don't want to destroy the whole thing just to put some multfonction displays, a bigger HUD etc ...

And well, I was already very proud of myself for the painting of this very little part!!
Wow, NOW I REALLY admire the guys who work on 1/144 planes !!!





So, what do you think?? Any suggestions?

For the moment, the building process is more advanced, the wings and tails beeing glued while I start hand painted pre-shading (don't know what it will look, I hope it won't be too horrible) and the scratch of a milimetric nose-radar and the dorsal spin...

So much work for such a little plane, but I really really enjoy this little kit and I REALLY enjoy building something that I think I am able to finish in a simple but funny way!!

I hope you'll like it

[Brian da Basher]

Looking good, PD7! Your cockpit detailing is right up there with the best of them! I wish I had your patience and talent to pull off such work! Great stuff!

Brian da Basher

[John Howling Mouse]

Coming along nicely, PD7.

Get it done and I'm sure it will be "wicked" as some might say!!    

[K5054NZ]

Nice stuff so far Yannick! Amazing! Lana would like to know how you did the control panel detailing.

[Archibald]

Vraiment bien!!!  ^_^  

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Thank you all for your nice comments!

This model will be the first to test some new stuffs I learn on this site and others about modeling: weathering, detailling, pre-shading etc etc... That's why I'm very happy that the result on the cockpit seams not so bad to your eyes

Zac, tell Lana that I use the "dry brush" technic for the control panel detailing!
I learn that from a French website, and that's fabulous!!
-You paint your control panel all in black (or dark grey, depends on the model) and you wait the paint is dry.
-Now, you chose a not so small brush with silver paint... On a white paper, you paint whatever you want until there is yes a few silver paint mark... In fact, you need just a few paint, but spread all over the "hair" of the brush (don't know if you use "hair" for brush in English )...
-Now, you pass you brush over the panel control part, but you have to be very careful: just brush slowly against the part, in order to touch only the control stuffs that are in relief on the part...

With this way, you'll have all your control stuffs in silver (or green, or grey, whatever) while the background of the panel control will be still black... Of course, you'll maybe have to use after that a very very small brush in order to paint black over possible silver marks on the background...




More pictures in few hours, with the start of the scratch and my first attempt in pre-shading

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Here are some new pics!!

Close view on the hand brushed preshading... First time I try, and I think it looks cool. Hope it will be good too after I paint the whole thing...


A global view on the preshading, with the big part of the dorsal spin.


Another view, with the second art of the dorsal spin:


And last for today, a preview of what I will put on the plane: a FLIR turret on the right and a little AESA radar on the left...


I'm working for the moment on the radar that will be semi-recessed under the nose of the plane: that's a difficult job because of the little size of the part I use, but a very interesting one!!

For the moment, surprizely, the kit is entirely from the box, because I used some unused parts of the kit in order to do the dorsal spin and the radar

[John Howling Mouse]

"You've just taken your first step into an entirely new universe..."

-----Obi-Whatshisname Kenobi

[K5054NZ]

I always seem to think of his "other" quote:

"You'll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy......." I just love it!


Yannick, that can't be the product of JUST drybrushing! Lana and I drybrush not only our cockpits but our radials and we never, ever get results like that! Jealousy switch on..........  B)  

[Archibald]

Very nice! you detailed the cockpit very well (to be honest, I never do it...)  

[BlackOps]

Looks great! I am very curiuos to see how your shading looks once you get some paint on it. I have been meaning to try this technique but haven't yet.

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Lookng 4ward to this one. Keep the pics coming PD7.

Ian

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Thanks for the comments

And I'm sorry Zac, that's really just dry brushing work!  
I was myself very proud of the result, maybe it also explain why I don't want to re-build it as an all glass cokpit, even if the OA-37F in "reallity" has glass cokpit  

"You've just taken your first step into an entirely new universe..."

-----Obi-Whatshisname Kenobi

 
Yep, and I'll try to do my best to be part of this new universe



For the shading, I have still some works to do on it because when I start the preshading, I thought I was near to finish the model!!
But finally, I found some stuff to scratchbuild!!  :dum:
I think that was my non-conscious brain that did it because if I really enjoy building, I'm not very good in paint-job

But well, I'll keep the pics coming, but slowly...

Indeed, this week is a week of holidays here in France, so I will pass most of my time with my girlfriend and the rest of the time to work on my university exams for next week...

But well, don't worry! Pics of the finished radar are coming!! Just a few putty and sand and here we'll go!

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Hello!!

I just finished the radar of the OA-37F Dragonlady

It was a difficult job, all done with putty, sand and cutter works (I never cut my fingers so often in a single week-end!!) put I'm pretty happy about the result...

Well, still some sanding to do, but the result seams good however...

I also add some antennas on the tail, some stuff (antennas or additionnal air-intake, not sure) above the engines, as shown on the picture (plus an anti-missile system under the fuselage, between the two engine exhausts):







OK, now, I still have some putty/sanding work for the radar, I have to buy some Tamiya light-grey paint, and here we go for the first coat of paint!!
But it won't be until one week, because my girlfriend is at home and we have to work on our exams for the university... If I have some time, I'll work on the weapons, not on the heavy works.

But I'm very anxious about this little plane!! It will be my first work with preshading, major scratch, acrylic paint and, well, it will be my first whati-if model finished!! (or, I hope so!!)


So, I need you to tell me what do you think about the whole stuff!! Well, of course, imagine it with a FLIR turret on the right side and the flying refueling system... But does it sounds good, or realistic for you??
Do you have any idea of other possible modifications??
(Well, do you have any idea of what are the added antennas made for? For me, they're cool, but I don't know what is their utility)

[Archibald]

Very bien!  I love the asymetric radar pod, and the back hump for the avionics (in skyhawk style). With the FLIR and IFR probe, it will look beastie!!!
keep on!!!