Building the Strike Eagle

1
March 30, 2022
Cockpit parts ready for primer and paint.
2
March 30, 2022
3
March 31, 2022
Painted cockpit parts. There were decals for the displays, but they have good detail for painting them.
4
March 31, 2022
Painted seats and seatbelts according to some fotos I found.
5
March 31, 2022
6
March 31, 2022
7
March 31, 2022
8
March 31, 2022
Cockpit fully assembled.
9
April 4, 2022
Cockpit part seems to fit nicely.
10
April 4, 2022
Intakes painted white according to the instructions, before assembly. Tried to even the step where cockpit and fuselage fit together and the gap between both intake parts.
11
April 4, 2022
12
April 4, 2022
The radius of the cockpit part and the fuselage are not identical, we will see how this
13
April 4, 2022
From this view, the right wing has a little gap, the left a little step.
14
April 5, 2022
Added the CFTs and fins and did a lot of filling and sanding at the fuselage.
15
April 5, 2022
Did some research about weapons loadout. The kit comes with two LANTIRN pods and cluster bombs. One of the pods is not necessary for these bombs. There are no Sidewinders in the kit, so I took the ones from Revell's old F-15D kit. Should be the same models. Only two of four external fuel tanks are needed, the other two go to the spare parts box.
16
April 10, 2022
I won't use all the bombs either...
17
April 10, 2022
Engines base painted and ...
18
April 10, 2022
... priming all the parts (and the plane).
19
April 18, 2022
so many...
20
April 18, 2022
21
April 18, 2022
22
April 18, 2022
Vallejo 71.097 (FS36118) according to the instructions.
23
April 28, 2022
Vallejo burnt exhaust metal color over Vallejo gloss black primer.
24
April 28, 2022
The gloss varnish is not really visible, also Vallejo. Decals are next.
25
June 1, 2022
Missiles, tanks and cluster bombs.
26
June 1, 2022
Radome in a slightly different color, started with decals.
27
June 5, 2022
The manual was not very helpful in finding the correct position for the decals. Also, some decals seem to be too big for the scale. SOme also have some silvering, despite me using decal solutions. We will see how they turn out after a gloss clear coat and some light weathering.
28
June 5, 2022
29
June 5, 2022
30
June 5, 2022
31
June 5, 2022
Nozzles finally attached.
32
June 5, 2022
33
August 27, 2022
Finally finished. Some mistakes were made but I'm pretty happy overall. 🙂
34
August 27, 2022
Some silvering on some of the decals, the photo makes them even more visible. I used lots of decal solution, maybe its the age of the decals or I did something wrong.
35
August 27, 2022
36
August 27, 2022
37
August 27, 2022
38
August 27, 2022
39
August 27, 2022
40
August 27, 2022
41
August 27, 2022
42
August 27, 2022
43
August 27, 2022
Family foto?

Comments

26 30 March 2022, 09:26

Ekki
Watching.

30 March 2022, 19:33

Bernd Grün
Looks good so far. Following the progress.

30 May 2022, 14:27

Chan Li
Count me in, I think it goes well.
I saw a Chinese character in the northwest of the cutting mat for pic 25, haha.
I think I ruined 3 models of F-15 before I got a satisfactory result, so just be confident and go for it!😁

4 June 2022, 08:07

DerMattes
There is indeed a chinese character on the cutting mat, I think nowadays every cutting mat is made in china 😉
Thank you for the encouraging words, I am currently trying to get the old Revell decals to work with decal setter and softer solutions.

4 June 2022, 15:18

DerMattes
I finally finished the Strike Eagle. I had some problems with silvering decals, espacially with the air refuelling marking.

27 August 2022, 16:56

Chan Li
Congratulations! You've made it 👍
I think this is a good achievement as your first airbrushed model.
I have two suggestions: 1. Get another better F-15 kit, like academy or greatwall hobby, you deserve a better kit. 2. Keep going, the experience will quickly be accumulated.
Plus: I ruined some kits 30 years ago as kid too. ,🤝

27 August 2022, 17:08

Chan Li
Last picture:
"Grandpa were you a hero in war?
No but I served with many of them."

27 August 2022, 17:11

DerMattes
Thank you so much Chan Li, espacially when I look at your really great models. 🙂

27 August 2022, 17:19

Album info

This is the 8th model on my workbench. Over the previous model kits I used all the tools for the first time, including an airbrush, weathering, use putty and sanding, decal solutions and so on. I have some experience in painting 28mm figures for board games with a brush and did some pretty bad model kits ~30 years ago as a kid.
So, if anyone sees this, I am open for every comment, tip, suggestion, etc. to get better in the hobby. Thanks 🙂

F-15E Strike Eagle

43 images

1:72

Completed

McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle

US Air Force (1947-now)
391 FS, 366 WG 87-0210
Mountain Home AFB, ID

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