Airfix F-80C

Madoc · January 26, 2005, 03:34:45 PM

Folks,

Hello there! Nothing fancy here, just my first OOB kit in over two decades...

Airfix F-80C Shooting Star

My main intent with this build was to get back into the hobby and also to work up my experience with using Bare Metal Foil. It was a learning experience to say the least!

While I'm not entirely satisfied with the results, she sure does look nice in the sun!

Madoc

Aircav · January 26, 2005, 03:37:15 PM

What's the Sun ?

Cool F-80 BTW................one day I'll get the nerve to have ago at BMF

The Rat · January 26, 2005, 03:49:23 PM

Nice job there! How did the kit itself go together, easy? I've seen it on the shelf in various incarnations of boxing but never picked one up. (Oops, just clicked on your link and saw that you've done a detailed report. I'll head back and read it...)

I have about 4 kits in limbo for as long as twenty years or more that are partly covered in foil, and I keep saying that one of these days I will get stuck in and finish them off.

I think I'll say it again; One of these days I'll do them, honest.

Madoc · January 26, 2005, 04:06:04 PM

QuoteNice job there! How did the kit itself go together, easy? I've seen it on the shelf in various incarnations of boxing but never picked one up. (Oops, just clicked on your link and saw that you've done a detailed report. I'll head back and read it...)

I have about 4 kits in limbo for as long as twenty years or more that are partly covered in foil, and I keep saying that one of these days I will get stuck in and finish them off.

I think I'll say it again; One of these days I'll do them, honest.

Rat & all,

Thanks. The kit itself did _not_ go together easily. The Airfix F-80C is a 70's vintage molding and, while it's more advanced in its features than the Series 2 kits of the 50's, it still was rather lacking in a great many ways. Chief among these was the fit of the major pieces and the degree of surface detailing. Having to putty wing joints I can deal with. Having to cure the really awful seams on the _insides_ of the air intakes was something else and again. That was _not_ fun.

I'm still up for having another go at this particular subject. I've got an MPC version of this kit coming in the mail so I'll be able to apply all sorts of "lessons learned" to it. In the same batch will be a Hasegawa T-33 kit so between the two of them I should be able to cull enough pieces to cobble together a better model. We'll see...

Madoc

Captain Canada · January 26, 2005, 05:55:46 PM

Hey Madoc.......looking good ! Should have a 'don the sunglasses' warning tho ! I've got that kit, and it's definatley a piece of work, but you made 'er look pretty good ! I'll have to try that foil one day.

I'd have to say, that the Hasegawa kit isn't much better. And neither is the heller ! Oh well, we waited a long time for a good F-5D, so I hope a good T-bird will be around soon !

Cheers !

Alvis 3.1 · January 26, 2005, 07:36:07 PM

During my Korean Airfield from Hell diorama...I discovered the F-80 was out of production! I was forced to take a Heller T-33 and cut out the fuselage extension and rebuild the top deck to match the F-80 cockpit area...fortunately..the immenese stash of previously built kits yielded an F-80 canopy, so I heat formed a new one...I wound up doing three of em....I actually like the plane's looks and had several great colour options for them!
I tried this with the OLD Hasegawa F-80...not a chance..the fuselage countours are so bad it wouldn't match once the what should have been straight section was removed...a tad too much taper where there should not be one...the Heller T-33 actually has the panel lines where the section was added to the F-80 to make a T-33....nice!

Alvis 3.1

elmayerle · January 26, 2005, 09:08:35 PM

Well, Alvis, that could also be an easy way to get started on the F-80D/E (see the appendix to Miller's "Skunk Works" book) conversions since those used the longer T-33 fuselage, even though they were single-seaters.

nev · January 26, 2005, 10:49:40 PM

For someone building their first kit in 20 years that looks pretty damn good B)

Quoteone day I'll get the nerve to have ago at BMF

Steve, how many times do we have to tell you, just get a can of Halfords Aluminium! Easy Peasy!

Patrick H · January 26, 2005, 11:34:28 PM

Looking good Madoc. I know how much work is needed to get an older Airfix kit together and looking decent. Currently working on a Airfix Viggen, alongside an Heller one and I'd prefer the Heller one.
So, well done, it looks great.

QuoteSteve, how many times do we have to tell you, just get a can of Halfords Aluminium! Easy Peasy!

Or just use Humbrol's polished aluminium. Load up the airbrush and spray away.

Patrick

NARSES2 · January 27, 2005, 01:40:10 AM

Shows what can be done with an old kit -

Ollie · January 27, 2005, 05:54:06 AM

Good job bro!

Almost as good as mine!

:dum:

Joe C-P · January 27, 2005, 08:43:38 AM

QuoteWhat's the Sun ?

It's a large glowing ball in the sky. Around here it only appears on the coldest days, so therefore it must generate a field of cold.

Good job on the metallizing, especially for your first build in two decades. Welcome back to the hobby!

JoeP

Alvis 3.1 · January 27, 2005, 10:38:50 AM

QuoteWell, Alvis, that could also be an easy way to get started on the F-80D/E (see the appendix to Miller's "Skunk Works" book) conversions since those used the longer T-33 fuselage, even though they were single-seaters.

Oooooooooo...really? Methinks a 1050's RCAF interim fighter just popped up in my brain...muchos tacos greasies Senoir!

Alvis 3.1, fluent in Manglish..a terrible combo of French English and Spanish, capable of generating some very accidental but obscene words!!

elmayerle · January 27, 2005, 10:52:39 AM

Quote
QuoteWell, Alvis, that could also be an easy way to get started on the F-80D/E (see the appendix to Miller's "Skunk Works" book) conversions since those used the longer T-33 fuselage, even though they were single-seaters.
Oooooooooo...really? Methinks a 1050's RCAF interim fighter just popped up in my brain...muchos tacos greasies Senoir!

Alvis 3.1, fluent in Manglish..a terrible combo of French English and Spanish, capable of generating some very accidental but obscene words!!

Alvis, I should warn you, both of those are swept-wing birds. Now, if you were going to be something really different for a ground attack bird from the 50's, a F-94D, built from either of the Emhar F-94C kits, would look wild.

Madoc · January 27, 2005, 11:03:26 AM

QuoteGood job bro!

Almost as good as mine!

Ollie,

Thanks. Now, were I a 48th scale modeler then the comparison might be a bit more "on the level" now wouldn't it!

I truly wish that either Revellogram of Hasegawatamiya would put out a P-80 with the level of detail and accuracy of that old 1/48th scale Monogram P-80 kit. That sure would be nice...

Madoc