EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON - FINAL SHOOTING

Thomas Haberl (th_scale_models)
Thanks for coming across - interested in the story behind this build? Great ... a year ago I didn't have a lot of experience in model building. As a kid I built some models and around 10 years ago I started again but didn't even finish the model I started. At this time I had basic knowledge in using an airbrush. So around one year ago I decided to dig in again and started building a model car (you can see in my projects), but didn't even know techniques like pre-shading, post-shading, ... So as I had this kit at home for over 11 years, I decided to give it a try. From watching YouTube videos I tried to study all this techniques and this is the result. First military plane ever, first kit using techniques like pre-shading, post-shading, weathering, ... it was hard, it was nerve-wracking sometimes, I did a lot of mistakes and I couldn't do all the things I wanted to do but in the end I'm happy with the result. I also think that this kit was not the best choose for starting ... 90% of this model is painted in Revell email colors I already had "in stock". I appreciate all of your feedback and I'm really interested in it. Please keep in mind, that this is my first plane ever using above mentioned techniques BR Thomas

Marius
Awesome result even for someone with much more practice. A quality model for sure!
Nice detailing overall. The cockpit and exhaust areas are looking very good! Too bad you didn't choose any ordnance/weapons for it.

The funny thing is that the Eurofighter (Hasegawa kit) was 3 years ago for me as well the first model after a 15 years break. Just like you, I tried relearning from tutorials.

I also finished the Revell double seater and I remember the nose landing gear was particularly weak and bending under the model's weight. How did you sove this? Or was that not o problem for you?

Because you asked, a small a side comment from me: you can try in the future maybe to better blend those grime or dirt streaks (from the underside for instance) with the main aircraft color in order to avoid a hard edge. Some of these streaks might have a hard edge in reality, but most not that much. Did you use oils for that? I am asking because not all oils behave the same. For instance the MIG oils are good for washes but in my opinion too "volatile" for an adherence to the main color, making the blending more difficult. For such streaks I prefer the oils from Winsor & Newton which are actually also staining your main color allowing for a beautiful blending (with the help of turpentine of course). The difference might be difficult to understand the way I described it, but quite clear in practice. But this might be just a subjective matter in the end.

Thomas Haberl (th_scale_models)
@Marius: thank you for your feedback! Now I see that the ones on the underside are not blended well. As you say the edges seem to be too hard. I will try to do it on my next build. I used Abteilung 502 oils and I'm pretty fine with them.
During the build I had tons of issues with gaps, bad fittings, … but no issues with landing gears. Although I recognized that the landing gears were a little bent and quite tricky to attach. Thanks for sharing your feedback - have a nice day

Jos Jansen
Thomas, you can be proud on yourself mate, you've modelling skills I can see that. I agree that this Revell kit isn't the best kit to start with...but hey, you created an absoluty nice Typhoon. Marius talks about an oil brand, I prefer also the oils from Abteilung 502...very subtle oils for fine art works suchs as leaking oil streaks! If you want a reference model for subtle oil streaks, look at my project of a British F-4.

Thomas Haberl (th_scale_models)
@Jos: Thank you so much for your feedback! I will keep going and I already started my next build Mil Mi24 from eduard. I´m not able to say anything bad on Abteilung 502 oils (but I only used this brand for now ... ). I´ll will check out your British F-4 later today. Have a nice day mate.

Neuling
All´s well that ends well! For me there are no flaws or drawbacks visible on this beautiful model.

Giorgos
Hi Thomas!
(a) Congrats on the Eurofighter! She really looks lovely! (To be honest, I like the fotos with the white background better 🙂 But the built is awesome!)
(b) Same life story here more or less 🙂 So, you are not alone! Keep it up!

Ludvík Kružík
Hard to believe this is the first build of the model. You did great. As Marius writes, it's a great result even for someone with much more experience. 👍
With each additional model you build, you gain more confidence and gradually find your own techniques that suit you and lead to even better results.

Slavo Hazucha
Impressive result, particularly when reading the story (!!!) - I myself had like a 20 years break in the Hobby and basically re-learned everything from videos & media (and wondered about all the marvels in materials and aftermarket I had no access to as a young modeller...) - this is an excellent "first model". And you took on a kit that - as far as I saw & was talking to people - that appears to be sub-par and difficult in more than one department - great way handling that too 👍 - I guess it can go directly to Zeltweg 😉

Regarding Oils (my favourite treatment for all kinds of effect) - I use Winsor & Newton (from an art-supply store in Vienna...) and had no reason to try others - they just "work" and are fairly versatile - I found the technique, thinning ratios, method of application, drying time and "technique and tool used for removal" being the relevant factors with which a variety of effects can be executed. Just love to experiment and learn new things with that stuff... I apply them directly on MRP paints without varnish and count in the effect of a wash or so on the final color, which also works fine (at least to my satisfaction... 🙂 )

Thomas Haberl (th_scale_models)
@Neuling vielen Dank für das positive Feedback!

Thomas Haberl (th_scale_models)
@Giorgos: Many thanks for your feedback! Appreciate it and I'm very happy that you like my build. I did some pictures with white background but I was not that happy with the result so I shared the ones with black background. I also prefer white background and tbh the shading was much more visible with white background. I'm looking for a photo box so probably pictures from my next build will be with white background

Thomas Haberl (th_scale_models)
@Ludvik: Thank you for your feedback. I can't tell you how much I learned from this build, starting from how the improve glueing the parts together until getting more and more comfortable with the airbrush. Never thought that I'm able to use highly diluted paint (5%) and do post-shading. But I need to say after a view trials and playing around with pressure, distance and confidence I managed to do it without any bigger issues

Thomas Haberl (th_scale_models)
@Slavo: I totally understand you - I was so impressed by finding out how this market developed ... amazing how the quality of the sprues improved compared to this old kit. I already have a good stock of kits and opening these boxes was really amazing for me. About the kit ... yeah ... not the highest quality I guess but with patience and putty you can fix almost all issues and I think the kit choose me, as it stayed with me for a decade 😄 I'm planning a diorama with a concrete ground and Zeltweg number painting, so he will be in small Zeltweg later. Regarding oil washes and weathering I also learned a lot and I'm confident for my next build. I really appreciate your feedback and enjoyed reading it. Have a great day

Thomas Haberl (th_scale_models)
@Giorgos: I added some pictures with white background. Do you like them?

Daniel
I've heard of several experienced modellers that got frustrated and binned this kit, so kudos for conquering this one as your first jet! 👍 With an excellent result as well 👏🏻

Still, if it's going to be an EuFi in 1:48 this is basically the best kit around, same applies to Revells Tornado, another true PITA from what you see+hear.

What I noticed is that a lot of beginners (including me) make their start into modelling extra hard as they shy away from the "pro" AAA Kits and buy the cheap "beginner" ones - which are mostly really old and frustrating...(typical things I wish I knew before 😉 ) But great that you ve got the needed tenacity and looking forward to more jets from your bench 🙂

Thomas Haberl (th_scale_models)
@Daniel: vielen Dank für dein Feedback. Ja, es war tatsächlich ein Kampf mit mir selbst dieses Modell fertigzustellen. Oft genug war ich an dem Punkt, wo ich ihn einfach beiseite stellen wollte. Aber er lag halt 10 Jahre herum, dann dachte ich mir, ich probier es einfach mal ... als nächstes kommt mal ein Hubschrauber - Mil Mi 24 eduard (Zvezda) weil ich mal was mit Photoätzteilen machen wollte und der eduard kit war da preislich ganz ok. Wahrscheinlich auch nicht die allerbeste Wahl, aber denke wenn ich den Eurofighter gepackt habe, schaffe ich den auch ... Danach dann das Warzenschwein von Academy - von dem erhoffe ich mir wirklich sehr viel. Mal schauen.

Daniel
Ohja, von der warthog verspreche ich mir auch viel 👌🏻

Giorgos
Indeed! IMHO the white background does justice to her! Congrats again!

Mid Franconian
Ein toller Eurofighter, gratulatiere!! Gefällt mir sehr gut!
Und noch dazu in österreichischen Markierungen. Sieht man m.E. viel zu wenig.

Thomas Haberl (th_scale_models)
@Mittelfranke - vielen Dank! Als Ösi musste ich wohl diese Markierungen wählen ...

ScaleFella NAFO
lovely weathering

Thomas Haberl (th_scale_models)
@NAFO: thanks - not perfect, but acceptable for the first attempt

Michael Kohl
Top result.

karatel
Awesome build. I also built Austrian Typhoon few years ago but 7L-WE

Thomas Haberl (th_scale_models)
Thanks @karatel and @Micheal appreciate your positive feedback

CaptGPF
Based on the end result, it doesn't look like a first build after a 10 year hiatus!

This thread made me wonder just how many of just came back to the hobby after such a long spell- thanks to Covid! 🤔

Ludvík Kružík
It seems that this hobby has its own special charm - it is difficult to abandon it permanently. Many of those who took it up in childhood return to it in adulthood. I have left it and returned to it several times. The reasons were varied, but Covid was not among them.

Gary Victory
Really nice build Thomas of a kit that's not the easiest to put together well. Top job Thomas.

Thomas Haberl (th_scale_models)
@CaptGPF and @Gary: many thanks! I really appreciate your feedback. Indeed the kit was a challenge, but I still sit in front of this plane from time to time and watch it ... 😄 reminding me off all the beginner mistakes I did ... @Ludvik: Similar on my side, childhood modeller as most of us, then teenager with totally different interests, gave it another try in my late twenties but didn't even finish the kit (I still have the unfinished car somewhere). Came back in 2022 almost exactly 2 years ago after stumbling upon a youtube video of Scale Model Shed. That was kind of inspiring so I was looking for the old kits and found the Samba bus and the Eurofighter .... the journey began and you know what .... my P-51 Mustang won first place on last weeks IMPS Austria so this time I will stay in 😄

CaptGPF
I forgot to congratulate you on your beautiful Mustang winning the IMPS. I agree with you guys - this is a hobby that has that ability to draw you back - even if we take a long hiatus from it. 😀

Thomas Haberl (th_scale_models)
Thanks! Was very surprising because I didn´t even want to show it there ....