Czech Model 1/32 scale F-80C Shooting Star

[Lee_K]

Hi Bill,

I'm here at the beach this week for a little R and R (with USMC F/A-18s and AV-8Bs flying overhead -- very cool) and I brought the F-80C with me to work on during the blistering hot noontime hours.  The model is painted and is awaiting decal application.  I'm fairly pleased with how it is progressing.  I haven't read the FSM article yet (although I brought it with me too to read) but can echo their comments.  Fit of the air intakes is quite rough.  But I expect this from limited production run kits from the Czech Republic.  Ever seam needs to be filled with CA glue and sanded.  It's fitting better than the wings of the PCM Spitfire IXc that I built last year.  There are a few accuracy errors.  One close to unfixable is that the whole air intake area should be slightly recessed into the fuselage.  That would be extremely difficult to correct, but in reality it's not that noticeable.  The second problem, as mentioned in other posts, is that the exhaust should extend slightly out the rear of the fuselage.  Instead, the kit piece is buried within.  If I had known that before gluing the fuselage halves together I could have fixed it, but instead I've purchased the AMS Resin replacement piece and modified it to slip in from the rear.  Third, the cockpit is a little sparse (although the color instrument panel is beautiful) and the seat is from a T-33.  To be honest, only the most dedicated F-80 fan would notice.  I made some changes to the seat to make it look better and reshaped the crude control stick.  Lastly, the nose gear landing strut has the fork on the wrong side of the airplane.  The solution is to turn it 180 degrees around before gluing it in.  Another minor issue is the framing for the bubble canopy is incorrect in the rear.  I sanded off the frames, polished the canopy back to clarity, and painted the framing in the proper arrangement.

I had to add a lot of weight to the nose to prevent it from tail sitting, and the wheel attachments lugs are very flimsy.  I'll probably have to pin them.  I'm looking forward to applying the decals as they are quite colorful and will make for a very impressive model of a subject that you don't see very often.  I should have it all ready for show 'n' tell at the October meeting.

Lee K

[Bill L2]

Hey Lee. Just wanted to see how the F-80 was moving along. I just received my FSM for the month and they have a mini review of the kit you are building. They say the kit has some fit issues with the intakes and wings. What are your thoughts so far? They say the decals are nice though.

[ClydeM]

Lee, I know the drill. it seems as though the older I get and the more I model, the more ways I find to screw things up. good luck with the tailpipe. Clyde

[Bill L.]

Any 'raw' in-progress pic's would be cool. 

Bill L.

[Lee_K]

Clyde,

I have been slowed by the realization that the kit's exhaust pipe should extend out the back of the fuselage by a good 1/4 inch.  The kit's piece is buried inside the fuselage, which is wrong.  I discovered this after the model was all glued together, seams filled, and model polished in preparation for the natural metal finish.  I just got a replacement exhaust from AMS resin and figured a way to get it inside the model without splitting it open.  So my two month delay is just about coming to an end as I start the painting stage.  I do indeed plan on using the same techniques you used on your Sabre Dog.

Lee K

[ClydeM]

Lee, are you still planning to paint using floquil over tamyia gloss? are you finished? Clyde

[Bill L2]

That is very nice Lee. The detail is outstanding.

[Lee_K]

The color photo-etch instrument panel came with the kit, a characteristic that is seen more often with 1/32 scale kits from the Czech Republic manufacturers (MPM, Sword, Czech Model, Eduard).

The kit decal sheet has three natural metal finish airplanes to choose from, all Korean war vintage.  Since the cover art airplane "Snaggin Dragon" is the one that most modelers will choose, I will probably do one of the other two, which have colorful stripes on the tail and tip tanks.

Lee K

[Anthony Leger]

Wow that instrument panel looks eye catching. Is it aftermarket or came with the kit ? What paint scheme are you planning is this another bare metal baby ?

regards,
Tony

[Lee_K]

Here's the cockpit.  The seat is actually a T-33 seat and therefore not correct for the F-80.  The rumor is that Czech Model is going to release a T-33 later this year.  I sanded of two of the four (?) shoulder harnesses and did a little bit of modification to make the seat look more like the one from an F-80.  The control stick is just terrible.  I reshaped it a bit to at least put it in the ball park of believeability.  The color photoetch instrument panel is gorgeous.

Lee K