**FINISHED** X/JT-47 "Valon" NASA

[AeroplaneDriver]

I think it'd look good in NASA colors. I think there are a few sets of 1/72 NASA sets floating around...

[Mossie]

Tactical Fighter Training Squadrons?  You can find quite a few sheets from different platforms and choose your own colour scheme.

[TheChronicOne]

She's looking good in white. Re the decals, maybe an old hasegawa T-38 could provide what you need? They seem to have decals for all white Talons so, maybe that could be an option...

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/hasegawa-js-018-northrop-t-38a-talon-f-5b--311899

Cheers, hoss!!! Definitely considered that but they don't have the specific ones I need. In fact, I already have some but they aren't era appropriate and/or not of Vance or Sheppard.

[TheChronicOne]

I think it'd look good in NASA colors. I think there are a few sets of 1/72 NASA sets floating around...

I was thinking the same thing and those or something from an Edwards test-plane (plenty of F-16 stuff to be had) are rapidly moving up the list. It's actually sort of weird the lack of 1/72 T-38 decals....    One thing in common almost every AF pilot has in common is that they went through Talon training so you'd think there'd be lots of folks out there wanting to build the stuff they flew.

[TheChronicOne]

Tactical Fighter Training Squadrons?  You can find quite a few sheets from different platforms and choose your own colour scheme.

Problem is I've already chosen the color scheme so I need stuff that goes with it. If they have white tactical training fighter squads at Sheppard or Vance AFB then it will work but I figure that stuff would have shown up in some of my searching already. Perhaps I need to adjust my search terms a bit! Barring this, my alternates are to do some sort of test-plane scheme. If I wind up doing that I THINK I have some stuff that might work but I'll have to piece together a bunch of stuff.  I just find it frustrating and a little odd that it's so difficult to get ahold of some decals for one of the most prevalent and widely used aircraft on the planet.   

My search begins anew! I'm going looking for the Tactical Fighter Squads stuff and if I can't find any, I'll rifle through my spares and see what sort of test-plane crap I can come up with. 

[TheChronicOne]

This right here is pretty much what I'm shooting for:



It's of the appropriate era and of the appropriate air base. Problem is...... 1/48.       This was sort of a special scheme (even the tailcode is "special" as Sheppard is normally "EN") but even a stock Sheppard scheme would due. Or... a stock Vance scheme. But it has to be of the right era... the F-16 didn't exist in ... say..... 1959 so that eliminates a ton of options... I also don't want it to be too new.... so.... like.... 80's through mid 90's or so.... so a "new" scheme wouldn't work, either. There are plenty of those out there, too (you know, the two tone stuff with the grey lettering).

The reason why my alternatives are test plane schemes is because they are more likely to work with the paint job and if I can't get a training scheme for the bases I want then I'd rather just switch to test plane. It would be like saying you want a High School Yearbook from the school you went to..... any old yearbook from any old school from any old year defeats the purpose. If it will be a trainer, it will be Sheppard or Vance. If it won't be a trainer, it will be a test plane. That would be NASA, Edwards, etc.     

[kerick]

F-104 Starfighter NASA decals? They were used for chase planes.

[TheChronicOne]

Brilliant.... Yeah buddy, I like the sound of that and I am about 90% certain I have a sheet of those!!   I need to go grab my box of spare transfers.....   

[kerick]

Caracal makes a set and microscale had one but I think is out of production so good luck on that. Maybe someone here has some they are not going to use?

[TheChronicOne]

No worries most likely. I said 90% but that's just because I might have misplaced them. I know I do have a set, it's just a matter of finding them. I recently moved the whole stash (kits and everything else even) to an entirely new room and some things are elusive all of a sudden.     I'm moving slow because I had to stop to cook, but I did manage to find and also fetch the box where it should be so within in the next half hour or so I *hope*(if nothing else comes up, sheesh) to be finding them.    If not in that box then I probably put them in with a 104 kit and I'll not want to waste hours looking for them and will have to acquire some more.

In other news,...  I'm sanding on the thing once again and getting rid of the flaws and a patch of raised panel lines that I need to do away with. I'm not finished & other things came up and had to shelve it so......  back at it tomorrow and hopefully it'll be ok and this next coat of white will be the last.


EDIT: Found it in the box!  Sweet. Now I have one alternate contender on the ready. The search continues.......   

[Rick Lowe]

Because of this mix I've started wondering what I could graft the front section of a OA-4M kit I have onto...

Jorel62 did a few schemes for a 'Skylass', which is the front and top fuselage of a Skyhawk on the wings and engines of a Cutlass.
It looks so cool that I've been trying to resist getting the kits to do it with since I saw it...

[TheChronicOne]

Quick update.... I'm definitely into paint now. I've a scheme planned and it takes a few steps but it's almost finished. Since it's NASA now, I've added another blue. I still have to finish all the masking but once that's done, I'll finish the lighter blue then go back in and do touch up on all of it. I THINK at that point it's time to clear it and start transfers I guess. I still need to finish the fuel tanks, though, so I can start on those while the clear dries. OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. Best laid plans and all that. 




Wow such beautiful photography! I should work for Nat Geo!

[Tophe]

Good model, go on!

Wow such beautiful photography! I should work for Nat Geo!

At least you deserve the gold medal in modesty contest

[TheChronicOne]

That's me always, always humble! 

[Tophe]