Northrop FA-5K

Weaver · July 08, 2008, 08:39:38 AM

Quote from: Gary on July 08, 2008, 05:03:12 AM
That looks so neat. Was this a real what if, if such a thing can exist? I wanna watch this one closely! Neato man!

Yes and no - the idea came from the N300-A5 was a real Northrop study for an F-5E Tiger II with it's wing (and tailplanes, oddly) moved up to the shoulder position, the principle idea being to free the wing design from having to accomodate the u/c, and allow the pylons to be better spaced and carry deeper stores. It was still a fighter, not an attack type though. Mine differs by being based on an F-5B (just 'cos I had one to spare): the drooped nose, avionics, stores and detail of the u/c are my invention (the N300 drawing is a bit vague on the latter point).

cthulhu77 · July 08, 2008, 12:50:49 PM

This a jet that "should have been". Wonderful execution, sir !

Spey_Phantom · July 08, 2008, 01:11:19 PM

Quote from: Weaver on July 04, 2008, 02:20:39 PM
An evening's progress:

that kinda looks like an EADS MAKO (HEAT) from this angle, i gonna keep track of this build

sotoolslinger · July 08, 2008, 02:22:56 PM

MMMMM nice shoulders

Weaver · July 08, 2008, 07:19:28 PM

Thanks for the encouragement folks!

Bit more progress tonight. Thought I'd better take a picture of it with it's wings on properly before I set about them with my dubious PSR skills. Stores are in paint, apart from one that's still building

(think it's got more parts than the kit.....

)

These are the first pictures I've taken with my new, £12-from-Aldi tripod, BTW, which is why they look a bit warmer than the earlier ones: 60W daylight bulb and a 15 second exposure, instead of flash.....

John Howling Mouse · July 08, 2008, 08:39:17 PM

Looking mighty fine. That's a good reminder/tip about using the tripod with longer exposure.....hmmmmm....going to have to try that out, especially on NMF subjects.

Brian da Basher · July 09, 2008, 01:49:32 AM

That's one sharp looking F-5, Weaver! I really like your modifications and look forward to your next update!

Brian da Basher

Weaver · July 09, 2008, 04:36:05 AM

Cheers BdB and JHM.

I'm stil undecided about colours. It's going to be Norwegian, but I don't fancy F-5A white/NMF or F-16 grey. That leaves:

1. The sensible option: F-104 Olive Green over Light Grey.

2. The silly option: copy/adapt this Norwegian Navy scheme:

I'm not putting it to a vote, because:

a) in the absence of an airbrush, it depends entirely on what rattle cans I can find locally. (It also, of course, depends on how close to the deadline the painting starts....

)

b) I know what you'll pick anyway.....

cthulhu77 · July 09, 2008, 06:14:12 AM

Our local hardware store stocks some really nice "designer" series rattlecan colours...all satin or flat, and in pale and pastel variations of green, brown, and blue...

Spey_Phantom · July 09, 2008, 06:15:18 AM

what a great little model, mind if i build it under licence in the future

it looks just so......right

Weaver · July 09, 2008, 07:23:01 AM

Quote from: cthulhu77 on July 09, 2008, 06:14:12 AM
Our local hardware store stocks some really nice "designer" series rattlecan colours...all satin or flat, and in pale and pastel variations of green, brown, and blue...

Hmmm- there's a thought: can't recall if Plasticote do something like this, but I can find out. Cheers!

Weaver · July 09, 2008, 07:24:45 AM

Quote from: Nils on July 09, 2008, 06:15:18 AM
what a great little model, mind if i build it under licence in the future
it looks just so......right

Go for it: Northrop hold the patent, not me.......

If you've got Tony Buttler's American Secret Projects book, you can check out the original, which is quite a bit different.

Ed S · July 09, 2008, 08:15:49 AM

This is coming along nicely. A good looking model. I like the camo on that ship. But it might be a problem matching rattle can paints to that.

Ed

John Howling Mouse · July 09, 2008, 09:23:30 AM

Quote from: Ed S on July 09, 2008, 08:15:49 AM
This is coming along nicely. A good looking model. I like the camo on that ship. But it might be a problem matching rattle can paints to that.

Ed

Depending on where Weaver lives and what he can access, Krylon has a nice assortment of ultraflat "camo" paints that might work. I've got their 44291 Khaki which looks like a dead-ringer for the tan, at least on my monitor. Their white primer would work just fine for the white, naturally. I think Krylon's sandable grey primer might be a touch too dark for the grey, however, they also have their 49240 "zinc rich primer" which would work for the grey. You just have to use this grey first, then mask in order to paint the other colors around it. While safe on plastic, this zinc primer doesn't always play well with other paints.

Weaver · July 09, 2008, 09:41:53 AM

Thanks for the input guys.

I'm in Manchester area UK, and I've never seen "Krylon", I'm afraid.

I'm not fussed about matching the ship precisely (who says the Norge AF would be?), in fact I'd like the grey to be a bit lighter and wrap around to an all-grey underside. White primer will be fine, and I'd be surprised if I can't get a pale grey. It's the "sand" that's the problem: I don't want it too dark.

Anyhow, tomorrow night I get to go to the only LHS with Humbrol spray paints (not the full range though), so I'll see what they've got.