F-111 group build

Slavo Hazucha
A warm welcome to the latest victim of Vark invasion! Its great to see that everyone has some different unique extra bits & pieces 🙂 I see you got the radar absorbing surfaces as decals for the intakes... Hope the Academy kit can muster some inlet interiors to put them on - the HB kit does not... 😄

Nathan Dempsey
Oooh an Academy kit finally joins formation. I'll be watching this one intently Clifford since both of the Varks I have are Academy kits.

Clifford Keesler
I have built 3 of them, this is #4. They go together pretty well. I get the PE cockpit set which helps the cockpit a lot. And a vacuformed canopy from squadron, though there is really nothing wrong with the Academy canopy. The wheels are the weak part of the landing gear, so I use resin. Cutting Edge model works used to make seamless full length intakes for those kits, but I have not been able to find any. Overall it is not a bad kit. I will have to source aftermarket weapons for it, as the FB-111A version only comes with external tanks. Thank you for the warm welcome Slavo. I hope mine turns out 1/10 as nice as I know yours will be.

Clifford Keesler
Found a resin set of TP II resin intakes for the Academy kit. They are made by DMOLDS, just go to DMOLDS.com. I will not be getting a set. A bit above my budget at the moment.

Nathan Dempsey
I'm waiting for that DMOLD shop to re-open in August. I have several items I need from him.

Clifford Keesler
If I get another F-111, I will most surley get the intakes. But I had to promise the wife I would cut back on the model money,as she let me buy a new truck yesterday.

Nathan Dempsey
I paid off my truck so I could have more model money!

Clifford Keesler
I have been wanting one for awhile, as I gave my son my last one, when his van died. I got a good deal on this one so I jumped on it.

Clifford Keesler
I have 2 closets full of kits, and a stack in the corner of my model room to build, so it's not like I won't have any models to build, plus I will "sneak" one in every now and then. LOL.

Nathan Dempsey
I hear ya, I do the same thing.

Stephan Ryll
„Vark" mania again😉

Clifford Keesler
@Stephan, yes I could not resist. I got all my resin bits today, so will get it started tomorrow, after I get the first coat of paint on the Voodoo. @Nathan, so I'm not the only one. LOL.

Slavo Hazucha
Clifford, no pressure please, I have a feeling that my build is going to be so slow that you can take all the time in the world for this and still finish well before me😉

Maciej Bellos
Another one to observe.

Clifford Keesler
Got the cockpit started at least.

Augie
Ooo nice Clifford 🙂 very good start

Anthony Flanagan
Well done on the cockpit! Looking forward to seeing how the rest goes.

Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Augie and Anthony.

Stephan Ryll
Very nice cockpit Clifford 👍

Slavo Hazucha
Luckily the canopy panels seem to be large enough to keep all this eye-candy visible once put together... Are you going for open or closed? Thumbs up also for handling 2 different kits with steady progress at the sam time😉 👍

Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Stephan and Slavo. I will be going for the pen canopy, with crew figures aboard.

Tim Heimer
Looking good Clifford, keep it up!

Michael Hickey
Nice pit.👍

Clifford Keesler
Thank you Tim and Michael. Hopefully I will get the cockpit finished tomorrow and the forward fuselage closed up. Spent most of today decaling the F-101. I got one side of it all done.

Clifford Keesler
I got the cockpit finished and installed. And forward fuselage closed up.

Donald Dickson II
I am thinking this is the exact same thing as mine. Those ejection seats are the same as in mine. Does it have working swing wings?

Clifford Keesler
Yes it does. Your kit is just a re-box of the original Academy kit.

Slavo Hazucha
Moving along nicely! I'm still struggling with my cockpit and the Eduard PE's... Looks good coming all together.

Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much sir. Hope mine turns out half as good as I know yours will.

Donald Dickson II
The product time line needs to be fixed. It does not show that.

And looking great!

Clifford Keesler
Thanks Donald.

Stephan Ryll
The pit looks great Clifford 👍

Clifford Keesler
Thank you Stephan. I haven't got much further on it. Trying to get the F-101 finished.

Greg Baker
Since I just joined the Aardvark build, I'm now scoping out what everyone else is up to... your work is making me rethink my plan to leave the cockpit blank... Wow. Great!

Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much.

Clifford Keesler
Just call me "Tail end Charlie", I can't believe I am so far behind. And am still waiting on parts.

Augie
not that far behind 🙂

Kerry COX
I didn't realize just how detailed the Academy kit was. !
Looking good Clifford. 😉

Clifford Keesler
Thanks Augie and Kerry.

Slavo Hazucha
Wow, it's taking shape quickly! Great progress - and not much need for a re-scribe on this one I hope😉

Clifford Keesler
Actually I have been doing quite a bit of re-scribing. The panel lines are rather shallow, so have been making them a little deeper. Want to make sure it will take a wash. I got the drop tanks assembaled, sanded and primed along with the stabilators. Even with shims, nose to main body joint required a fair amount of filler, waiting for that to dry and my exhausht to arrive.

Clifford Keesler
I got all the filler sanded off and all the panel lines re-scribed. The vertical stab is installed along with the ventral strakes. Working on cleaning up the resin pylons and stinger. Still waiting on Nozzle P.E. set.

Bryn Crandell
watching

Clifford Keesler
I think I can start thinking about priming this beast.

Stephan Ryll
Comming along nicely Clifford 👍

Slavo Hazucha
Fills the table quite some bit more than the Viggen... 🙂 Are you already set on a loadout-config?

Augie
Yeah outboard pylons were fixed 🙂 the others rotated.

Clifford Keesler
Yea, but I thought they were only canted inboard 10 degrees. OH well to late to fix now. It is primed. Thank you Stephan,Slavo and Roland. @Slavo, it is going to have either 4 drop tanks and 2 SHRAM's or since the outboard pylons are wrong, I may remove them and jload it with 2 drop tanks and 2 BRU's of practice MK 82's on the inboard pylons. I have seen many pictures of 380 and 509th BW FB-111's loaded with practice MK-82's.

Clifford Keesler
I may try and fix the outboard pylons also.

Slavo Hazucha
If you can fix them and do the 4-tank config that would IMO be a cool variant within the group-build... But plan B is also totally legitimate... In any case, a group-build, particularly with Hans on board is a great way to get an education boost about the aircraft 🙂

Clifford Keesler
Pylons fixed, everything primed and ready for paint. I won't get around to paint until Friday. Tommorow will be a day at the dentist office, joy. LOL.

Stephan Ryll
That's the things that can happen - but you overcome it 🙂 great work

Michael Hickey
This is going great Cliffy, keep up the good work, and have fun at the dentist.😢👍

Clifford Keesler
Thanks Stephan and Michael. @ Michael, yea the dentist was a blast. I am still sitting here with half of my face numb. LOL. My bird will start to get it's colors tomorrow.

Slavo Hazucha
Don't tell your Vark... it's better when it does not know you can't bite back...😉

Clifford Keesler
The paint job stinks. The clear coat is rough, for some reason. Hopefully it will be ok when I apply the matt coat.

Augie
wow clifford, that does not look bad at all!

Clifford Keesler
Yea, I think it will be ok, once I get the decals and matt coat on. You know we are always our own worst critic.

Nathan Dempsey
The dark scheme does look cool on the F-111 🙂 Don't worry about that gloss too much Clifford, the matt will level it out a bit.

Clifford Keesler
I'm sure it will, not feeling so bad about it anymore, I will start decals tomorrow.

Kerry COX
The 'orange peel' effect can be minimised Clifford. 👍
Thankfully, there is little in the way of 'raised' detail that would be impacted if you gave it an overall gentle sand. 😉
What you have achieved so far is a credit to your patience and skills mate. 👍 🙂

Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Kerry for your kind words and encouragement. The surface is more pebbley than orange peel, and that is what I was thing of doing, giving it a wee sanding, with a scotch bright pad.

Kerry COX
A scotch bright pad is exactly what I was thinking actually, as it will not damage the plastic at all and that is a bonus. 👍
It will be a whole lot better this way. For sure. 😉

Stephan Ryll
Comming along nicely Clifford 👍

Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Stephan. @ Kerry, I took a scotch bright pad to the bird. It took most of the orange peel away, but took some paint also. So from the cockpit back she got a total re-paint. I feel much better about it now. I am going to let the paint cure for a day before I even think about a gloss coat. This time I will use Alaclad Aqua Gloss.

Clifford Keesler
Glad to hear that, I will find out.

Kerry COX
If your talking about the gloss 'base', then go for it. !
It's a brilliant paint for all occasions where black is called for. 👍

Clifford Keesler
This is an Alclad clear coat. It is water based.

Kerry COX
My mistake mate. 😉

Slavo Hazucha
I am happy to see it's coming back on track! The camo looks great, I hope that now all will go according to plan...

Clifford Keesler
All my technical problems have been solved. It will get it's markings tomorrow. I tried to upload so new pictures last night, but my computer would not cooperate.

Clifford Keesler
Computer cooperated tonight.

Nathan Dempsey
I'm liking your dark Vark Clifford.

Treehugger
"Minicraft" with 1:48 scale kit, I had no idea. 🙂 I've always associated Minicraft with 1:144 somehow.

Michael Hickey
Looks goood Cliffy.👍

Slavo Hazucha
Solid progress, the sinister dark camo looks great with the varnish coat sorted, also like the wheels - a fair bit of flattening, but that just seems right for this slightly heavier lady😉

Dutch
Cliff, your Dark Vark is looking NICE!

Maciej Bellos
Never seen this Vark camo. Very interesting!

Stephan Ryll
Very nice progress Clifford 👍 I like it

Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Nathan, Treehugger, Michael, Slavo, Hans, Dutch, Maciej and Stephan. @Maciej I had never seen it either until I found the decal sheet. I must say it is my favorite F-111 color scheme.

Clifford Keesler
Finally to the decal stage.

Slavo Hazucha
Good pace in the final turns before the finish line! The Caracal decals & Dark Vark scheme look rather nice, really good choice! 👍

Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Slavo, That means a lot coming from you.

Nathan Dempsey
Nice work Clifford. The nose art looks cool too 🙂

Augie
Love that dark vark 😄

Stephan Ryll
Very nice work on the decals Clifford 👍

Michael Phillips
This is really coming along nicely Clifford!

Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Nathan, Augie, Stephan, and Michael. Your kind words mean a lot. The decals are all done, I am now applying a pin wash. I will not do a lot of weathering, as these birds seem to have been kept pretty clean. @ Augie, I like it so much I started another one. LOL.

Clifford Keesler
P.S. this one will be done in 509BW markings. so will have one of each.

Dutch
Cliff, I really like the way that you painted and weathered the exhaust nozzles. They truly look authentic. R/ Dutch

Michael Hickey
decals look good Cliffy.👍

Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Dutch and Michael, your kind words are most appreciated. @Dutch, I am glad you like the exhaust nozzles. I was afraid I might of overdone them. I am building another FB-111 in 509th markings. Another Dark Vark, so there will be one in 509th just for you. LOL.

Clifford Keesler
Getting near the end finally.

Slavo Hazucha
Looking good on the final meters, I really like the tail, the contrast colors on the decals work very well with the dark camo. 👍 I hope I get the "neck" seam as well (= invisible) as you & Hans did lately!

Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much James and Slavo. Your kind words are much appericated.

Clifford Keesler
The "PIG" is finally finished. FB-111A 380th BW. SAC.

Donald Dickson II
Excellent!!!!!

Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Donald. Your kind words are much appreciated.

Stephan Ryll
Very nice final Vark progress Clifford 🙂 I like it a lot 👍

Augie
ooo I see SRAM

Nathan Dempsey
Looking nice! That dark scheme looks great on the F-111.

Clifford Keesler
Thank you James, Stephan and Augie, your kind words are much appreciated. @James, no my pylons and wings are fixed, I used the OZ Mods resin pylons and they did not fit the Academy pylon swing mechanism, so they are fixed in place. @ Augie, yes 2 buckets of instant sunshine courtesy of my B-1B, robbed 2 from it. LOL.

Clifford Keesler
Now I am trying to figure out what to build for the Aggressor GB. A F-18, F-5E or F-5B, T-38, or F-15 or F-14 or F-16 or all of the above. LOL.

Maciej Bellos
Well done Clifford!

As for the Aggressors, well my favorite is the Viper, but a T-38 would be unique. All of the above would be ideal!!!

Augie
Lol clifford, thats were mine were from too! 😄

Tim Heimer
Nice work Cliff!

Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Nathan, Maciej and Tim. Your kind words mean a lot. @Hans, Maciej and Augie. I was leaning toward the T-38, a Mig 28 maybe?.

Michael Hickey
Awesome job Cliffy, on a job well done.👍

Slavo Hazucha
Great finish with the dark Vark Clifford! I really like the camo, the surface is flawless without any visible seams, and the idea with one open - one closed canopy sides 👍 In this finish, the F-111 really looks almost as a contemporary plane than a Vietnam-era bird, that's what I really like on it, an ageless design... You really paid it full credit, a job well done sir! 👍

As for the Aggressors, a MiG-28 would be really welcome I think, but since it's a half-lunch-break paint-job, surely cannot go alone...?😉

Clifford Keesler
Thank you Michael and Slavo, you guys make me blush. I am very humbeled that you like it. It was a struggle at times, but I must agree I think it is the best of the F-11 color schemes. I have another one on the bench, this one will also be a Dark Vark, but in the markings of the 509th BW. @ Slavo, the mig-28 won't be my only entry into the Aggressor GB., I have a stack of F-18's, a couple of F-16's some more F-5's and T-38's plus a couple of Tomcats piled in the corner of my workroom. I even found a srt of F-16 Viper aggressor decals that I had forgotten I had. "OH the choices of it all". LOL.