1:48th Tamiya F-117A Nighthawk

1
January 18, 2019
Just a basic cockpit with it being closed up so not much to see in there.
2
January 18, 2019
Just a basic cockpit with it being closed up so not much to see in there.
3
January 18, 2019
Using a black desk with black plastic for a stealth aircraft.... I shoulda thought that one through...
4
January 18, 2019
Just sprayed the white sections... All held in place by bluetac
5
January 18, 2019
Front wheel well, wheels ready for black and the main undercarriage wells..
6
January 18, 2019
The white parts after being painted. Masking the wheels with blutac acted as a mask for the tyre colour..
7
January 18, 2019
A black desk and black parts is not a good idea I think.... 😉
8
January 18, 2019
The wingtips glued up and drying so that the rest of the top can pop into place. It's a snug fit but I found trying to do the full join at once was not working. Get the wingtips and flaperon join glued and then the rest should be much easier.
9
January 19, 2019
An overall view with elevons, tails etc added.
10
January 19, 2019
A closeup of the rear of the aircraft. Fit overall is pretty good.
11
January 19, 2019
Damn. It looks like the left elevon has come loose. I need to check that out..
12
January 19, 2019
Damnit! Only after I glued the top and bottom did I discover that I had forgotten to add the glass for the detector in front of the cockpit.... FFS! So, is sanded the glass down to size to pop it in from the top. Fortunately that worked.
13
January 19, 2019
This is a view after I had washed the model in dishwashing liquid to degrease it. I blew it off with an air compressor and now letting it air dry in 30+C temps.
14
February 3, 2019
Vallejo Light Gull Grey surface primer. I had a pig of a time with it....
15
February 3, 2019
Undercarriage doors
16
February 3, 2019
Another view
17
February 3, 2019
18
February 4, 2019
Fresh from Gunze Flat black..
19
February 4, 2019
Fresh from Gunze Flat black..
20
February 4, 2019
Fresh from Gunze Flat black..
21
February 4, 2019
Fresh from Gunze Flat black..
22
February 4, 2019
Fresh from Gunze Flat black..
23
February 4, 2019
Fresh from Gunze Flat black..
24
February 4, 2019
Fresh from Gunze Flat black..
25
February 4, 2019
Fresh from Gunze Flat black.. The subtle weathering at intersections is the gloves I used. Didn't realise they were talc lined.. F%&^%k!!

Comments

18 January 2019, 05:18

Bryn Crandell
Watching.

18 January 2019, 17:35

Christian Mundt
Nice work so far. How is the fit of the Aires cockpit?

18 January 2019, 17:48

Maciej Bellos
In!

18 January 2019, 18:17

John Murray
Christian, In the end I wasn't able to source the parts that I wanted. I decided to do it buttoned up as a result. Closed bomb bay, closed canopy etc. That way the cockpit would be barely visible through the glass. Since returning to the hobby after a 30? yr layoff, I am right now relearning basic techniques and thought this would be a good chance to get started again.

18 January 2019, 23:49

Jos Jansen
Welcome on board John...! Great job so far 👍

19 January 2019, 08:52

Maciej Bellos
Welcome back John!

19 January 2019, 14:43

John Murray
Thanks for the welcomes.. 🙂

19 January 2019, 22:00

Jan Raska
In, how this model fits together? Planning one for myself in near future.

4 February 2019, 06:13

John Murray
Jan, the fit was quite good. The only issue was the top to bottom mating. They are full fuselage and wing in one. Clamping sections together was tricky due to the shape of the fuselage. Clamps just slid off. In the end, I glued from the nose backwards and it took awhile. The fit there is ok but it is not perfect. I really should have filled the seam but on the underside of a matt black aircraft, it was good enough for me. However, being more finicky, it should have been filled all the way around the join.

8 February 2019, 03:40

Album info

This aircraft will be cockpit closed as well as bomb bays. I am using this to get back into the swing of techniques etc

Tamiya Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk

25 images

1:48

Completed

1:48 F-117A Nighthawk bomb bay (Aires 4382)

1:48 F-117A Nighthawk Cockpit Set (Aires 4367)

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