ODS: Tamiya 1/48 F-117

So I'm going to try 2 ODS builds, this being the 2nd but one I'm keen to build first. It's actually the first Tamiya kit I have built so it will be cool to see what all the fuss is about re their build quality. First up the box, which arrived today, is a lot bigger than I expected. I've never thought of the "wobblin goblin" as a big plane but I was wrong. Tamiya cement added for scale.

And opening it up proved it. The full upper fuselage takes the full width of the box, and most of the length, with some sprue parts protecting the 4 pitot type sensors and the rear. I did not expect it to be this big. It also sits on a piece of card to separate it from the rest of the box contents.

Not a huge number of parts underneath. The bottom fuselage piece is protected like the top, and there's a sprue for the moving surfaces and bomb bay doors, along with the internal features. Really nice detail on the cockpit tub too. I'm wondering why I needed to buy the colour photoetch???

There's another black sprue with the smaller parts, and then 2 duplicate white sprues with the wheels, GBUs and mechanics for the bomb release arms. Tamiya also included a mask set, making me hit myself for buying masks, but then I read you need to cut these masks yourself, I'm guessing a tedious job. What I can do is use these to mask the inside of the glass which will be useful considering I'll build it cockpit open.

There's only 1 decal option as far as I can tell, but it's the 37th TFW , of which 22 jets from the 415th Tactical Fighter Squadron were deployed to the gulf in 1990 for Operation Desert Shield initially. I'll be finishing up my Vanship first, but as soon as that's done, I'll start on this. If anyone has done an F-117 and can recommend methods of painting or paint colours to use, fell free to share your wisdom. I think it will be a good challenge.

Wow your first Tamiya kit? Hopefully it goes together well for ya man! I know some Tamiya kits can be a pain, so if this one doesn't go very smoothly, don't loose faith!

This apparrantly builds into a nice kit... Check out Phil Flory's Vid build...some good tips on the painting there...helped me out a lot with my 1/72 build.
Look forward to watching it come together!

Cheers guys. I'll download those videos when I get home nos. Thanks for the heads up

Cheers G2. Good tip on the guard. Was thinking how I would handle that.

This one is a really nice kit and I was tempted to do it myself for the ODS build. Kind of wish I had now.
The size really caught me out as well as never having seen one for real, I was surprised at just how big it was.
I'd always assumed it was roughly the same size as an F-18 but it's more comparable to an F-15!
Should look awesome once built and hope you don't have any probs with it.

Cheers VD. I've wanted to get this kit for a while. I think it will be great painting challenge.
I would love to find a trolley to hold one of the GBUs for a bit of a dio.

That's what I'm after. Great find G2. Now I just need to find one

Yes please. That would be great if you find one. Cheers mate

Yeah watching this for sure Kane...Phils build was a pretty informative watch I would agree...

Dave

I had some time to kill waiting for some paint to dry

The little tractor seems to be called an MJ1-B.

There's a company in Italy doing resin kits if you have no luck finding the Italeri set.
www.videoaviation.com/ground-support/148...loader-late-version/

Also the Italeri set is a reissue of an ESCI kit, so if you're doing an ebay hunt check for ESCI kits too.

Cheers powder. I have seen a couple of them around. I thought I hit the jackpot and found a Belgian retailer who has one for 10 euro. Then shipping was $65 euro.

If you're looking that far afield then you might have seen this already - but just in case you haven't, I spotted this earlier:
www.kingkit.co.uk/plastic-model-kit-ital...port-group-7330.html

Also - not the same - but still might be of interest to you is something from the Skunkmodels range:
www.trademe.co.nz/toys-models/models/air...ction-1070219285.htm
I think they make various sets.

Thanks Powder. I was looking for the tractor set on trademe on Saturday and couldn't find it. I had seen it around before. Admittedly I was searching using my phone. Good find on the 2nd hand kit too. Unfortunately I'm now broke till next month. Wifey's birthday shoes cost more than I planned for..... and I hadn't planned to buy this kit either

No worries. Thanks G2, it was a long shot I know.

So I got cracking on this this afternoon, starting with removing the details from the tub and IP in preparation for the colour photoetch.

I also put pat of the seat together. I will paint these parts individually and put them together later, but the chair will go in after the body has been painted, especially as the big struts coming off the chair are to hold open the canopy.

I took a tip from another build log and used the included masks for the inside of the canopy glass. They are not precut but it was easy enough to do it by hand.

While I was at it I added the glass for the FLIR pod in the nose.

I used the Eduard masks on the outside. Not something I find easy, putting on a mask precisely, but I'm relatively happy.

Nice start

Last F-117 I built wouldve been DMLs 1/144 kit

Masking looks pretty good to me. I know what you mean about getting it right on the right spot though... not easy

Thanks guys.
Just looked at the next things I want to do. I'll be painting the internal parts before assembly, but that means taking care of the ejector pin marks that are all over the place, both raised and recessed. I really wish I had one of those Trumpeter chisel tools as some of the areas are tight and the marks are small.

I know it's not going to be seen, but I can't see the point of not trying to do my best each new kit I try.

This will be interesting. The doors of the bomb bay have a texture to them that will be hard to replicate after cleaning or filling the ejector pin marks.

Looking around it looks like I will have to buy in a chisel or two from overseas, so not until next month. Does anyone know a local supplier or does anyone have a chisel I could borrow for a week to let me take care of these ejector pin marks?

grover wrote:

I can't help with the chisel, sorry - there's so many circles in the above photo - are some of them actually detail?
At least the ones on the cover panels might be?

nope, they are all ejector pin marks

Kane, the circles on the cover panels are areas of detail, or more to the point areas where detail is missing. I cannot vouch that they're all in the correct location but there is a variety of fluid/hydraulic connection plates on these panels. I think the remaining bigger circles are likely ejector pin marks.




More pix here:
daytonipms.com/Walks/F-117/F-117A.htm

I was thinking those are odd places to have all ejector pin marks, some being close together, and smaller etc.. Good luck scratch building all that detail K1!! haha

Cheers Terry. Phew, that saves a ton of work. I don't know why they have added them. They just look out of place.