I want to make a Revell F-15E Strike Eagle of 1/48 scale this time. It used to be called the best kit, and I wanted to make one someday. In the meantime, other manufacturers released a few. I also have a couple of GWH F -15’s… I guess I have to try this level first.
The last time I built the Hornet, I started it first because it was troublesome to prepare the missile.
Assemble the jet engine by ignoring the order of instructions. The fine parts of the variable engine nozzle are installed. It looks good. It is easier to assemble than 1/72 F-15E of Hasegawa.
The cockpit mold is also good. I don’t usually make jets, so I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but I think this is very good.
(2020/01/22)
There are no decals, so all the small parts are painted with a brush.
The instruction said that the CRT panel is dark green. Was it too bright?
The back of the seat had a mold that looked like a seat belt. There was no belt around the waist, so I did some extra work.
This time, just in case, I added a fishing weight in the nose.
The right and left parts are attached tightly.
(2020/01/24)
The fuselage parts are significant. The top and bottom are joined together. It seems that the main wing assembly is also considered easy to assemble so that it won’t slip so much.
It’s getting pretty cool. The 1/48 scale is enormous. In my working environment, 1/72 would be just right. Strangely, I barely make 1/72 of models.
This time, I installed the landing gear before painting. I think I will mask it more appropriately than before.
Revell’s F-15E had only weapons of 4 Sidewinders, so at first, I was going to use 6 cluster bombs from the Hobby boss, A-4E Skyhawk. Since it still has some space, I install 1 GBU-10 Paveway precision-guided bomb in the center and six additional Mk-82 500 pounds bombs. This is also from Skyhawk. This kit seems to have a lot of unused parts, and there are a lot of bombs. I used it for the F/A -18C Hornet I made last time, which was quite helpful.
There is a parting line on the canopy, and it should be removed. I want to start painting as soon as I start working in this area.
(2020/01/26)
I arranged all the objects to be painted neatly before airbrush painting.
Start painting missiles and bombs. If I leave these in the end, it is always troublesome. In this model, I wanted to attach a lot of bombs and finish them first. Until now, I used to stick it in a cat’s claw and stand it until it dried. I started keeping a cat, and it’s used for its original purpose, so I just put it between paint bottles and let it dry. I don’t do much modeling with handles like this.
When it comes to engine painting, sometimes clear orange or clear red spray was used. This time, I dared to use gunmetal and silver only for a bit of gradation. It doesn’t look like it really baked. I may dry brush with silver a little later.
I installed all the landing gears, so I painted gloss white first.
Masking before painting the main body.
(2020/01/28)
The first color is black, gloss black.
This time, for F-15E, I’ll use Mr. Color 305 and FS36118 gray for a large part. I’m worried that the stock paint will be enough because the 1/48 scale is enormous.
I wondered if all the sidewinders are white, but the painting instruction says gray. When I put a fine decal on it, it became more precise.
As for bombs, I’m making progress by pasting decals and painting yellow bands.
(2020/01/30)
It’s hard to buy a mask in Japan because a new type of coronavirus is spreading. Luckily I got two boxes.
The F-15E Strike Eagle is completed. Marking is the335th Tactical Fighter Squadron “Chiefs” 4th Fighter Wing. It was during the Desert Storm mission in the Gulf War of February 1991. The manual says that the laser-guided missile shot down an Iraqi military helicopter.
You can equip quite a variety of weapons. Many people have heard of the F-15 Eagle other than those who like fighter planes. The F-15E Strike Eagle strengthens the ground attack capability of the F-15, which is said to be the strongest in the world.
I didn’t know what kind of weapon was realistic this time, but I loaded various bombs. If it looks cool, it’s OK. It may be a combination that is impossible in actual missions.
I only did the inking as a whole; I didn’t wash it so roughly.
The cockpit has two seats, a pilot in the front seat and a person in charge of military equipment in the rear seat. There are many monitors and switches on both seats.
After painting everything, I glued missiles and bombs to the body. I used a lot of glue because I didn’t want the parts to fall off when decorating. Transparent epoxy adhesive is used to prevent the painted surface from getting dirty. It’s sticky. As much as possible, I put it in place in the shade so that it doesn’t stand out, and at the end, I blew a half gloss clear to recover. You may be able to get enough adhesive power without using too much.
The F-15E is loaded with weapons and looks excellent.
I wonder if the AIM-9 Sidewinder has a seeker on the top. The paint instruction didn’t mention it, but I lightly painted the tip with clear smoke. There are two Sidewinders on each side of the large tank. It’s possible because it’s a large fighter. I can hardly see the inside Sidewinder.
At first, I painted the inside of the air intake white, but I painted it gray later. Maybe this is the correct answer.
There were a lot of decals, even for a low-visibility painted jet fighter.
The Revell F-15E that I have been curious about for a long time has become a shape. There may be some mistakes in the color specification, but for the time being, let’s say it’s OK because it’s finished without any big trouble. It was a little too big when I finished it. You need a certain amount of space to decorate it. There are new products from other companies, but I like them because it is easy to make, the parts fit well, and the mold is precise. If I haven’t many kit stocks in my drawer, I want to repurchase them.
(2020/02/02)
