Area 88 1/144: Flamenco Flight (Buccaneer)

[strobez]

The other Area 88 project I'm working on is "Flamenco Flight" featuring a Buccaneer.  In order to hit the enemy's fuel storage facility, Major Roundel leads a squadron of planes through a narrow rocky chasm to evade enemy radar defences. To survive the mission, they need to dance the Flamenco of Death!

This one is slightly cheating - even though it certainly doesn't feel like it - but I'm starting with a pre-built kit from Area 88.  There's not a lot of other options in 1/144 except a vaccu-form from Welsh Models.  This seemed like the better choice, but hopefully it will look better than it started as once I'm done... no guarantees though!



So let's deconstruct it and make some improvements...



Still scrubbing off the paint, but let's add some LEDs inside...



The underside panel is made of some strange rubbery vinyl.  It needs to be replace.



Luckily I have a bit of tubing that should work.



A bit more fitting needed, but that'll do.



Underside all wired out and glued up, so I decided to try out the base.



White primer... shows ALL the gaps.



Time to get serious on the air intakes... first then need to be thinned.



Reinforced with some polystyrene... I also destroyed one of the engines in the process, so a bit of scratch building using MiG-21 wheels as a starting point.



And looking good.  Now for some painting.



Interior of the intakes painted. Looks pretty good.



Now for a bit of work on the rear of the engine.



Let's get some paint on to see what still needs work.



Welcome to the show, Major Roundel... nice eyepatch!



It took a bit of squeezing (and cutting) to get them seated... but they're in.



Canopy on... ready to go!

[PR19_Kit]

Cooer, that looks like a rather nice little model there, and with you giving it the 'Strobez Treatment' it can only get better. 

[Dizzyfugu]

I like the base with the picture from the inspiring manga a lot. Very cool idea and solution. 

[zenrat]

Maintenance at Area 88 must be a complete nightmare with all those different types to service.

[strobez]

So... dusty this baby off...  I'd originally shelved it because I had a plan to get a bunch of 1/144 scale Area 88 decals professionally printed.  However a hard drive crash (okay... I dropped it) killed all my files, so I decided to just be happy with the best I could do with the tools I have at my disposal.

So... masking is next, I guess.



Underside coat of paint on.



Top coat of paint on... a few flecks need to be touched up.



Still a few more touches needed



Decals on. Not quite satisfied with the homemade decals, but at this scale they're so small that even cutting them is a challenge. So I guess we live with the results.



One last check of the lights and we're done... oops. Except for the missiles. I almost forgot about them.



And.... voila~!

[The Rat]

 

Remember years ago when we all said that we would need to take up knitting one day? This might be the day.

[Old Wombat]

At least it doesn't have spinning prop's!

Another great build, strobez!

[strobez]

Remember years ago when we all said that we would need to take up knitting one day? This might be the day.

I have no idea what that means... but it made me laugh.

[Weaver]

That looks great - the LEDs really work nicely! 

[Dizzyfugu]

Very cool and dynamic, well done! 

[zenrat]

 

[su27rules]

 

[PR19_Kit]

And starring Greg's MONSTER Tamiya Paint Pot, we have THE BUCC!   

Another superb (and tiny) Strobez masterwork. 

Those LEDs do look the business too.

[Spey_Phantom]

looks great 

[Scooterman]

SHARP!