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Model Forum / General / Models / July 20051/32 Collect Aire T-38 talon.
I have been thinking about getting this kit but there is just something about the front fuselage that does not look correct. It looks like the fuselage is to tall just ahead of the intakes. The over-all front fuselage just looks odd. Any opinions on this? Steve >Steve Jahn wrote: > I have been thinking about getting this kit but there is just something > about the front fuselage that does not look correct. It looks like the > fuselage is to tall just ahead of the intakes. The over-all front fuselage > just looks odd. Any opinions on this? > Steve Kinda hard to tell from the photo's on the Collect Aire web site... But..yeah it appears the fuselage has a funny shape to it. The canopy a bit too tall...the fuselage a bit too deep. The front ejection seat should be lower than the rear one. But that could be from the way the kit was put together. What get's me are the wheels/tires....way to large. But overall for a 1/32 scale kit it's pretty neat looking. But for $200...sheesh. In my opinion the only accurate kit in any scale of the Talon was the Sword 1/48 kit. And while the Sword kit isn't perfect...its alot better than anything that came before it. Since it seems the Sword kit is not available any more....it could be possible to convert the Classic Airframes F-5B kit into a T-38 with a few modifications. Chris Ft. Worth, Tx >...it could be possible to convert the Classic Airframes F-5B kit into a T-38 with a few modifications. Not for the faint of heart! The T-38 has no wing LEXs, different intakes, different main l/g & tires, different cockpit details, and most importantly, a nice flat belly. Although superficially similar, T-38s are very different from F-5Bs.  SignatureAl Superczynski, MFE, IPMS/USA #3795, continuous since 1968 My "From" address is munged - click "Reply To" to respond via email. Check out my want lists and eBay listings at "Al's Place": http://www.network54.com/realm/modeleral/ "Build what YOU like, the way YOU want to, and the critics will flame you every time." > Not for the faint of heart! The T-38 has no wing LEXs Just sand them off. And of course leave the tip tanks off. >, different > intakes Just cut and sand to right shape >, different main l/g & tires The main wheels/tires on the Sword kit were too large anyway. >, different cockpit details Just the ejection seats, and thats just in the form of the drag chute case around the head rest. >, and > most importantly, a nice flat belly. Yes on the real thing but since the two kits come from the same mold I don't think the belly is a problem. I've compared the two of them side by side. >Although superficially similar, > T-38s are very different from F-5Bs. You also forgot the T-38 doesn't have a drag chute housing at the bottom of the rudder ( easily sanded away ) and there is sheet of metel across the afterburner cans on the T-38 ( easily added. ) I think the hardest part might be the airbrakes. The Classic Airframe kit is just the Sword T-38 kit with different resin parts. It wouldn't be all that hard of a conversion I think. But this is all kind of off topic anyway. The main thing is that the Sword and Classic airframes kit get the right shape of the fuselage on the T-38 / F-5B like I've never seen before. Chris >>...a nice flat belly. > > Yes on the real thing but since the two kits come from the same >mold I don't think the belly is a problem. I've compared the two of >them side by side. I'm not sure I understand. If the belly is the same on both kits one or the other is inaccurate. >>Although superficially similar, >> T-38s are very different from F-5Bs. > > You also forgot the T-38 doesn't have a drag chute housing at the >bottom of the rudder ( easily sanded away ) and there is sheet of metel >across the afterburner cans on the T-38 ( easily added. ) I didn't forget. I felt my point was made well enough with the differences I did list. >I think the hardest part might be the airbrakes. In the belly. Fancy that... >The Classic Airframe kit is just the Sword T-38 kit with different resin parts. Then as I said above, one of them has an inaccurate fuselage. >It wouldn't be all that hard of a conversion I think. Well, it's a real b*tch in 1/72. I would think it would be even more difficult in 1/48. >But this is all kind of off topic >anyway. The main thing is that the Sword and Classic airframes kit get >the right shape of the fuselage on the T-38 / F-5B like I've never seen >before. Not if both kits have the same fuselage parts... SignatureAl Superczynski, MFE, IPMS/USA #3795, continuous since 1968 My "From" address is munged - click "Reply To" to respond via email. Check out my want lists and eBay listings at "Al's Place": http://www.network54.com/realm/modeleral/ "Build what YOU like, the way YOU want to, and the critics will flame you every time." >Al Superczynski wrote: > I'm not sure I understand. If the belly is the same on both kits > one or the other is inaccurate. > >I think the hardest part might be the airbrakes. > > In the belly. Fancy that.. Al I'm just the messenger. I didn't realize the Classic Airframes kit and the Sword kit both originate out of The Czech Republic...until I saw the parts up close. Last time I was home I compared both kits quickly. I have one kit of each. I just compared the plastic forward fuselage...and it matched up perfectly...even the panel lines were exactly the same. Obviously they are using the same mold for many of the plastic parts. Maybe the resin belly parts for the F-5B ARE deeper. It's not a HUGE difference anyway. Just a slight bulge for the larger main gear. It's not a monumental task to separate the airbrakes since they are in the same location. > >The Classic Airframe kit is just the Sword T-38 kit with different resin parts. > > Then as I said above, one of them has an inaccurate fuselage. Here is a Sword T-38: http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal3/2601-2700/Gal2618_T-38_Quirk/gal2618.htm Here is an Classic Airframes F-5B: http://hsfeatures.com/features04/f5bjv_1.htm Are they innacurate ? On Kelly's T-38, it looks like he stuck two Monogram pilots in the seats. I think the nose wheel is just about right...but the main tires are too wide. Chris >...I'm just the messenger. I know that, and so am I. I'm not trying to tell anybody how they should go about building a T-38 (see my sig file below!), I'm just pointing out the differences between the two airframes so builders can make intelligent and informed decisions for themselves. >I didn't realize the Classic Airframes >kit and the Sword kit both originate out of The Czech Republic...until [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >the plastic parts. Maybe the resin belly parts for the F-5B ARE >deeper. Aha! What other reason could they have had to cast the bellies in resin other than that they're different? ;) >It's not a HUGE difference anyway. Just a slight bulge for the larger >main gear. It's not a monumental task to separate the airbrakes since >they are in the same location. It's a pretty big difference to me but that's just my personal opinion. If it weren't a big deal to me I'd quit agitating for a 1/72 scale T-38 kit and be content to convert ESCI F-5Bs. That said, to each his own - I'd *never* belittle another modeler that was happy to paint an F-5B as a T-38. >Here is a Sword T-38: >http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal3/2601-2700/Gal2618_T-38_Quirk/gal2618.htm [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Are they innacurate ? Hard to tell from the pics in those articles as I can't see much of the bellies. >On Kelly's T-38, it looks like he stuck two >Monogram pilots in the seats. I think the nose wheel is just about >right...but the main tires are too wide. It looks like both kits have the same mainwheels in them. Strange if the manufacturer(s) went to the trouble of providing different resin bellies. Do you still have both kits to do a detailed comparison? SignatureAl Superczynski, MFE, IPMS/USA #3795, continuous since 1968 My "From" address is munged - click "Reply To" to respond via email. Check out my want lists and eBay listings at "Al's Place": http://www.network54.com/realm/modeleral/ "Build what YOU like, the way YOU want to, and the critics will flame you every time." > I know that, and so am I. I'm not trying to tell anybody how > they should go about building a T-38 (see my sig file below!), I'm > just pointing out the differences between the two airframes so > builders can make intelligent and informed decisions for themselves. I've actually been on your side of the debate many times. =] Hey by the way Al...I won the auction for that Sword T-38 on Ebay a few weeks back ! Got it for $29 bucks. > Aha! What other reason could they have had to cast the bellies > in resin other than that they're different? ;) Well...obviously the way they manufacture the kit is to sell different versions. > >It's not a HUGE difference anyway. Just a slight bulge for the larger > >main gear. It's not a monumental task to separate the airbrakes since > >they are in the same location. > > It's a pretty big difference to me but that's just my personal > opinion. Look at these comparison photo's Al: F-5B http://www.airliners.net/open.file/576043/L/ T-38 http://www.airliners.net/open.file/821051/L/ Obviously the F-5B is set for higher gross weights....hard points...different tires..intakes...etc...but is it that radically different ? >If it weren't a big deal to me I'd quit agitating for a 1/72 > scale T-38 kit and be content to convert ESCI F-5Bs. That said, to > each his own - I'd *never* belittle another modeler that was happy to > paint an F-5B as a T-38. I remember well reading Tom Black's article in Fine Scale modeler 10 years ( or so ) ago about how to convert a 1/72 scale F-5B into a T-38. I would never just paint an F-5B and call it a T-38. I would definatly cut and reshape many things. > It looks like both kits have the same mainwheels in them. > Strange if the manufacturer(s) went to the trouble of providing > different resin bellies. Yeah...otherwise they did a pretty good job. The nose wheel is just about perfect. > Do you still have both kits to do a detailed comparison? Yes....but my job takes me on the road allot. I just did a quick comparison last time I was home. Next time I will compare the resin belly as well and I will let you know the results. You know after the PMP and AUP upgrades...the now T-38 " C " version is going to fly up until about 2020. That's about 60 years of service ! You would think that since just about every fighter jock that comes down the pike in the USAF flies the T-38....some model kit manufacture would come out with a nice T-38 kit. ( since the Sword kit is history ). Hey...you know. Forget the F-5B conversion. How bout converting the Sword T-38 to the " C " version. Intakes, Afterburner, multifunction displays in the cockpit. Whew ! Chris Ft. Worth, TX >Look at these comparison photo's Al: > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >points...different tires..intakes...etc...but is it that radically >different ? Well, the F-5B's belly in the link above is pretty much hidden by the wing and drop tank. OTOH the T-38 pic shows just how flat its belly is. >...my job takes me on the road allot. I just did a quick >comparison last time I was home. Next time I will compare the resin >belly as well and I will let you know the results. Thanks. It's more for the newsgroup than me, though, since I don't build 1/48... ;) >You would think that since just about every fighter jock >that comes down the pike in the USAF flies the T-38....some model kit >manufacture would come out with a nice T-38 kit. One would think so but then again we don't have a good kit of the T-37 either, and converting an A-37 is even *more* of a job than converting an F-5B to a T-38. >How bout converting the Sword T-38 to the " C " version. Intakes, Afterburner, >multifunction displays in the cockpit. Whew ! Heh. You 1/48 builders are spoiled. I'd love to have an accurate 1/72 scale T-38, period. ;-p SignatureAl Superczynski, MFE, IPMS/USA #3795, continuous since 1968 My "From" address is munged - click "Reply To" to respond via email. Check out my want lists and eBay listings at "Al's Place": http://www.network54.com/realm/modeleral/ "Build what YOU like, the way YOU want to, and the critics will flame you every time." "Al Superczynski" <modeleral@deadspam.com> wrote in message > Heh. You 1/48 builders are spoiled. I'd love to have an > accurate 1/72 scale T-38, period. ;-p I'm beginning to think the same thing about the 1/32nd guys. WmB (1/48ther) |
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