Chronic's Research and Aeronautics Project (C.R.A.P.)

[PR19_Kit]

OK Brad, I'll dig them back out and stick them in the mail.

That'll be AFTER I've scanned them, just in case Attempt #4 fails too!

[LATER] OK Brad, I've dug them out and scanned them and they'll be in the mail tomorrow.

[TheChronicOne]

Thank you!!!    We're going to make this happen. I'm confident this time. I think we've honed in on what needs to be done...   ATP with a coat of decal fix...  BAM. Good to go. The Avigraphic ones, for the age, are just way too thick.


Wet sanding on the Tristar today.


Recycled some cans and bought another F-16XL. While everyone was distracted at brick and mortar doing the black Friday thing, I snagged it off eBay for $35 and free shipping. So... you know what this means, I'm definitely throwing in and am going to build one. After I get some work done on the Tristar, I'm pulling one out and getting it open and started. I am undecided on which scheme to do. I want to make the original scheme but I'm not sure if I'll need a bunch of masking or if the Transfers will help me in that department. 



Sounds like a fun, easy going afternoon of model stuff!

[DogfighterZen]

Thank you!!!    We're going to make this happen. I'm confident this time. I think we've honed in on what needs to be done...   ATP with a coat of decal fix...  BAM. Good to go. The Avigraphic ones, for the age, are just way too thick.


Wet sanding on the Tristar today.


Recycled some cans and bought another F-16XL. While everyone was distracted at brick and mortar doing the black Friday thing, I snagged it off eBay for $35 and free shipping. So... you know what this means, I'm definitely throwing in and am going to build one. After I get some work done on the Tristar, I'm pulling one out and getting it open and started. I am undecided on which scheme to do. I want to make the original scheme but I'm not sure if I'll need a bunch of masking or if the Transfers will help me in that department. 



Sounds like a fun, easy going afternoon of model stuff!

Well done on the XL!! Get one built!!

[TheChronicOne]

Thanks!!  I'm stoked as hell.  I said, since I'm going to build one I need to replace it in the stash.     (this is how addictions start I think)  but I wasn't expecting much then I saw that one?! One other person bid on it but it still was way down in price. Happy Birthday I guess. That's coming up, too. I hope I get some money to replace this I spent on the DC-9 and the F-16XL. Sheesh.     Staying off ebay for the next 3 months.

SO... I'm being pulled in a million directions right now trying to multi-task and I'm having difficulties focusing but I remembered to stop and dig the kit out and when I did that It hit me....



So, they trialed the F-16 in the early 80's and even stuck a mini Avenger on it (if memory serves?) for ground pound type stuff to replace the A-10?? I need to read up on it again but I think that's about it. One of the AF's early attempts at assasinating the A-10.  ANYWAY...  point is, why not in whifworld say that they ALSO tried the XL for this junk and painted it up the same way and it went into service or whatever?



So that's the plan for now. Just need to dig up the transfers and a bunch of weapons and stuff. Not sure what these missiles are in the kit. AAMRAAM or whatever? Help me out here. Probably won't keep those I guess..... a couple Aim-9s on the outboard rails would be nice, but the rest would be ground ordnance.

[PR19_Kit]

I've never even seen an XL kit in the plastic, just the box!

How about posting a pic of the missile sprues and we'll try to tell you what they are?

[DogfighterZen]

The missiles are Amraams, AIM-120B to be more precise. The XL was a ground pounder from the get go so your idea makes sense and the camo is also a good choice.

[TheChronicOne]

Sweet. Systems go then!

Pictures coming up real soon. The kit is a weird dark grey color... not like normal "model grey." Pretty interesting. Smoked canopy. Looked like a nice kit but I didn't take a close look. That comes today so stick around.

[PR19_Kit]

Saudia decal sheet is on the way Brad.

[TheChronicOne]

I can't thank you enough! I'm not even sure there's that many left for sale around any more after all this.    I'm looking forward to this now.... after testing the ATP material I'm miles more confident in it working out. This IS going to be built. We're going to make it happen. I can't let this thing beat me...

Elsewise, I've done some quality work on the Tristar. It's now ready to recieve a last coat of flat white after a bunch of wet sanding and a bit of masking. A while back I bought flat white to use thinking that I could paint my acrylics on it... can't do that with the gloss. I figued, "If need be, I can just hit it with gloss." Well, turns out, I was reading in a model building book about airliners and this was actually advised as a decent way to finagle a nice finish with rattle paints if not using something like appliance epoxy. The feller said that the flat white goes down "smoother" and "thinner" and then you just gloss it and it looks like a million bucks. I haven't reached the end of that stage yet but I can vouch for how nicely the flat white went down and that's even with flaws here and there in my finish.      Neat stuff.... learning all the while....   

I also wet sanded and then put another coat of silver paint on the engines. I need to get some reference pictures to finish painting them... I'm not sure the entire things are supposed to be the same shade of silver..... shouldn't parts of the exhaust cone things or something be darker ... or something?? I need to investigate this but the engines are back on track now for sure! 



Next up.......  fighter jet fun! I think I'll put this into the group build, as well. Seems to me it would count........ 

"...both F-16XLs were retired in 2009 and stored at Edwards AFB."







Found some stuff to make loadouts although I'm not sure how to go about it exactly. The kit is set up to recieve the AMRAAMS like like an F-15 would on the belly with one set of fins stabbed into the fuselage and the missiles sitting flush rather than hanging on pylons. Not sure I can get away with that with laser bombs, a nuke, iron bombs, or whatever. (Yes I'm contemplating throwing a nuke on this thing.... )




May or may not build some of those tractors and weapons toting contraptions. No armament with those but they're sweet and would look good sitting around with the XL. I'd have to dig up some of the bombs and crap I've made and painted but never used to put on them because I'll be saving the stuff in the NATO set for actual airplanes.

Kit ain't got no instructions with it.    I don't really care... this thing looks exceptionally simple so I wouldn't use them any way most likely.

So that's that. I'll be needing to make a thread for it over in the GB forum but I'll get started on it another day. If anything, I'll be investigating finding some markings for this. Seems I need stuff like black roundels and I'll need to make sure the AF numbers on the rear are correct or whatever. I guess if they went into full production it wouldn't matter too awfully much but I wouldn't want it to be too far back... probably mid to late 80's up through the late 90's or something.

[scooter]

AMRAAMs and Sidewinders.  And, as point of reference, AMRAAMs can go on tip rails.

[TheChronicOne]

Thank you!! Never knew they could put AMRAAMS out there....  HMMM... I like asymmetric loads so perhaps an AMRAAM on one side and a Sidewinder on the other? Could be pretty cool! 

I'm thinking I need to do a little homework on sensors and the like, too....     Two up front on the nose and maybe some other stuff, too, perhaps, if I can manage it? Not sure yet how to approach it but I know I'll be needing to do something.

[scooter]

Thank you!! Never knew they could put AMRAAMS out there....  HMMM... I like asymmetric loads so perhaps an AMRAAM on one side and a Sidewinder on the other? Could be pretty cool! 

I've seen photos of Mud Hens with 'winder AMRAAM combos on the pylon

[DogfighterZen]

AMRAAMs and Sidewinders.  And, as point of reference, AMRAAMs can go on tip rails.

Not the rails on the XL, they're the early ones (16S210) and those weren't able to carry them... but this is whifff world and that is just a minor detail. 

[TheChronicOne]

This is going to be a fun build.. I can kind of relax because I have people here that are experts. When I get in a bind, I'll just ask for help.

Rui.. have you considered compiling your knowledge into a single space? People pay good money for comprehensive reference material!...   


In other news, Caracal makes a sheet for the CAS Vipers that has dark roundels and markings. It also has suitable unit designations and serials and... the ... year.. thingies. One was 1984 and I think that should work just fine for one of these.

[Old Wombat]

FYI re: Star Trek stuff on Starship Modeler:

Site: http://www.starshipmodeler.com/

Store (new format, apparently): https://starshipmodeler.biz/

Star Trek stuff: https://starshipmodeler.biz/model-kits/full-kits?genre=32&p=1