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  • MIG killing Aardvark

    A model I was working on while doing the Viking boat.

    Any guesses before I post pictures?

  • #2
    And the answer is.

    On 6 May 1972, a F-4J, From VF-114 Aardvarks, flying off the USS Kitty Hawk shot down a MIG-21.

    Actually 2 F-4J Aardvarks shot down MIG-21s on that day.

    There is an excellent narrative of the mission in "And Kill MIGS" . Also in the Osprey book " US Navy F-4 Phantom II MIG Killers 1972-1973.

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    • #3
      For this build I used the Academy 1/72 USMC F-4J "VMFA-232 Red Devils" boxing

      Its one of the "Press fix" kits that Academy has been issuing the last few years. One of the reasons I didn't do a build log on it. Got it cheap at Hobby Lobby and figured if it was a kidddy snap together kit I would just throw it away.

      I also used the Afterburner/Sprue Brothers Models decal sheet "Yankee Station MIG Killers" which has markings for a VA-25 A-1H, VA-76 A-4C, VF-162 F-8E, VF-96 F-4B (not Cunningham's) VF-21 F-4B and the VF-114 F-4J

      It was also my first time using the Vallejo Metal Color line

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      • #4
        The model has good detail. Its not a kids snap fit kit at all.
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        Things i didn't like. Being "Press fit" there isn't really an opportunity to test fit parts. But except for 2 places no putty was required. Impressive

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        The other thing I wasn't happy about is the plastic that Academy used. And I ran into this years ago on their 1/350 OHP. Different from regular sprue, It has a shiny, almost oily feel to it. Like a toy. In fact it feels like the plastic that Bandi uses on their Gundam models. It caused some paint peeling issues. The Gull Grey and white wanted to pull up when I was masking all the way to bare plastic. Sprayed it over Vallejo Grey Primer, and let that cure for 4 days, First model I've had that issue with.

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        • #5
          On the other hand i ws really impressed with the Metal Color paint. They advertise that you can mask over it within minutes. And they were right. I didn't have any problems with it peeling. As an experiment I sprayed it on bare plastic and primed some parts with gloss black primer. No problems with either. I used Steel, Jet exhaust and aluminum. Had no problems shooting it through the airbrush, or brushing it on small parts. Both gave excellent results.

          That surprised me because it dries almost on contact when sprayed. Also did the tape test, and it didn't bulge. Sprayed it, waited 30 min then applied blue painters tape and Tamiya Tape. No problems.
          Then I sprayed some, and immediately applied the tape. It did lose a bit of sheen but thats all.

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          The scheme required me to paint the top of the tail Orange. The big stripe is a decal. Instead of spending $5 on a bottle of model paint I hit the craft section at Hobby lobby and got this for $0.99. The color matched the decals perfect

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          • #6
            That brought us up to what I did today.

            Its decal time. Missiles first

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            Then common decals from the kit.

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            Then for some crazy reason I decided to add the No Step/No Push and tie down points
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            And the Kill mark

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            • #7
              Final pics

              Academy 1/72 F-4J

              F-4J Buno 157249

              VF-114 Carrier Air Wing-11 USS Kitty Hawk

              Callsign Linfield 206

              Pilot Lt R.G. Hughes
              RIO Lt(JG) A.J. Cruz

              6 May 1972 MIG-21 with AIM-9G

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              So where is she now?

              The plane was converted/upgraded to F-4S standard in 1981 and served with the USMC for many years.

              Now she is at the Leatherneck Museum at MCAS Miramar dressed up with another Buno and markings from VMFA-134

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              • #8
                Nicely done, Gunny
                “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
                Mark Twain

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                • #9
                  Another nice plane build, Gunny! How do you get all those tiny 1:72 stencils in place?

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                  • #10
                    A different brand. But indispensable in 1/72 and 1/350

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