EAGLE POWER
Article and Photos by David de Ryck
Recently, I along with two friends Cliff Armstrong and Stephen Thrum, formulated an idea to build differing versions of the same aircraft. This was all for fun and as a side diversion to our usual club activities. We all build in 1/48th scale and our first choice was the F-15 Eagle. You can see below the finished products.
The first aircraft, mine, is the
recently released Revell F-15E Strike Eagle. She was built, in the main,
straight from the box. Additions did include the replacement of the ejection
seat with a Verlinden Aces II seat, with slight modifications; a replacement HUD
from True Details; Ordnance from the Hasegawa Weapon Sets; and Bomb Graffiti
from a Verlinden Dry Transfer set. The model is finished using Model Master
paints in a standard all over Gunship Grey colour scheme, flying the markings of
the 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron ‘Chiefs’, in Desert Storm
February 1991; these being standard issue with the kit.
T
he
second aircraft is Cliff’s and has been converted from the Academy F-15D kit to
the MDD prototype F-15E, which was actually one of the original prototype
F-15B’s. Conversions included scratch-building the main undercarriage bays;
rebuilding the upper fuselage and air brakes to depict the earlier version;
scratch-building the engine actuator arms; and replacing the pylons, designator
pods and weapons from his spares box. The kit was finished in a European 1, or
Lizard scheme, utilising decals, again from his spares box.
Now the third aircraft,
obviously Stephen’s, has had major conversions done to it. It started life as
the Academy F-15E Strike Eagle kit and has been extensively converted to have it
represent the NASA F-15 ‘ACTIVE’ (Advanced Control Technology for Integrated
Vehicles). Detailing included Ejection Seat detailing and modifications;
Cockpit enhancement and changes; Plumbing and structural detail added to the
nose wheel well; the addition of the extra engine intake ramp to the lower
intake area; Flaps, 
Ailerons, and
Elevons cut out, rebuilt and repositioned; Modifications to the upper and lower
fuselage, including the airbrake assembly and removal of the rear fuselage
between the exhausts; addition of a nose mounted GPS Navigation unit; scratch-built
undercarriage bays, forward canard fore planes, and
Instrumentation boom; removal of the model’s cannon muzzle and associated area;
corrections to the vertical stabilizers; and the scratch-building of the
Asymmetric Thrust-Vectoring Exhaust Nozzles (Each of these has over 325 parts
per nozzle!). The model has been finished in the colourful markings from NASA
utilising custom home made decals.
We are already undertaking our next project a group or P-51 Mustangs, and that is to be followed by a group of B-58 Hustlers, so stay tuned for views of them in the future.