DONE @p.5 +++ Republic F-96B 'Thunderguard', USAF 325th FIS, 1959

[PR19_Kit]

It does look very 'Republic' for sure.

[NARSES2]

It does look very 'Republic' for sure.

Yes indeed

[Old Wombat]

Lots of PSR ahead, but you can already recognize the idea of the "missing link" between the F-84F and the F-105?

Yes. Yes, I can! Excellent start, Dizzy!  

[Dizzyfugu]

With a better impression of the fuselage I eventually decided to upgrade the fin:  the F-96B will receive the upper section from an Il-28 (left over from a Trumpeter kit, many moons ago). Same height but deeper, for more area and longitudinal stability. The stabilzers will be slightly enlarged, too, using the outer sections from the same Il-28 tail.

[Wardukw]

So glad you've got going on this Diz..I already know it's gonna be very cool 😎 ☺️

[Dizzyfugu]

Some impressions from yesterday's progress - from an ugly club to an aircraft-ish thing. Once the tail was added I had a severe déjà vu experience, and now I know what the thing reminds me of: the Il-40, esp. its early incarnation (probably the odd cockpit position and the fin with the cruciform arrangement)!



However, this is how things evolved on the bench:


1:72 Republic F-96B 'Thunderguard'; USAF, late Fifties (What-if/modified Italeri kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Republic F-96B 'Thunderguard'; USAF, late Fifties (What-if/modified Italeri kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Republic F-96B 'Thunderguard'; USAF, late Fifties (What-if/modified Italeri kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


A ventral plug for a display holder was added, because the tail won't be able to hold the model's weight - a standard attachment point for the holder I normally use for flight scenes. And after three or four PSR treatments (esp. on the nose and the flanks around the air brakes) the F-96B looks like this:


1:72 Republic F-96B 'Thunderguard'; USAF, late Fifties (What-if/modified Italeri kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Still butt-ugly, and mightseriously compete with thecontemporary  F-89 for the "Worst-looking USAF Interceptor Ever" trophy! 

[Wardukw]

   
Yeah but it's a cool butt ugly matey   

[PR19_Kit]

Looks VERY good with the Feri intakes. 

[Dizzyfugu]

Small update: landing gear bits have been added, as well as hardpoints. Ordnance will be a pair of OOB drop tanks, a pair of Ding Dongs under the outer wings, and four Falcons in pairs under the inner wings. Quite crowded, but contemporary.


1:72 Republic F-96B 'Thunderguard'; USAF, late Fifties (What-if/modified Italeri kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Livery-wise, this one will end up in NMF with bright unit markings. ADC grey came later than the Fifties, IIRC, and SEA or other camouflage, too. Should look good in shiny silver, though. 

[Wardukw]

  
Wicked cool Diz 😎

[kerick]

Excellent kitbashing! Looking forward to more of this. 

[DogfighterZen]

 

[Dizzyfugu]

Glad you all like it, and the enthusiastic feedback. Here's a look at the upper side, too, with the T-33 canopy in place. I still feel the urge to put Red Stars onto it, could even be an evolution of the Chinese Q-5?

The canopy still needs some PSR around the windscreen, but the part blends into the aircraft's contours surprisingly well and gives the F-96B a modernized look, compared with the F-84F. I also added an IRST in front of the cockpit - for the late Fifties it's a bit early for this technology, but the system that eventually went onto the F-101B in the early Sixties was already under development and saw hardware stages in the second half of the 50s-decade, so it might be the firstoperational  use of such a system? I also added small splitter plates to the Ferri intakes, left over from the Strikemaster optional parts from my recent Jet Provost build.

Painting (all over silver base) will start soon, hopefully today. Have to start a decal safari soon, too, I have an Xtradecal F-102 set somewhere, and certainly more options in the loose pile.


1:72 Republic F-96B 'Thunderguard'; USAF, late Fifties (What-if/modified Italeri kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[Wardukw]

Dizzy I got bad news for ya mate...that looks to modern to be from the 50s 😁
It's amazing how the canopy now gives that bird a similar profile like the Czech Albatross .

[Dizzyfugu]

Looks like a wooden desktop model now... 


1:72 Republic F-96B 'Thunderguard'; USAF, late Fifties (What-if/modified Italeri kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr