"Whiffers" (for fun!)

[sharkman]

So, way back for "In Another World", I had bought a started Tamiya Kyofu for my P-40 conversion to floats (don't worry, that is still on the shelf), but had an extra body left over and had a neat idea for it of a possible experimental fighter or specialized Kamikaze aircraft.

I got some inspiration from this picture I found online

So, I moved the cockpit to the rear of the fuselage by the tail, filled in the old cockpit hole and some others and painted it up. Also made a take-off trolley for it out of spare parts.

And am making a little display base as well.

Just put some decals on tonight so should have an update soon.

 

[sharkman]

And another on the go, The F-16B.

I did write Hasegawa but did not receive a reply from them regarding a new canopy so I decided to go a different route after seeing a few drone conversions online and the Hasegawa Thunderbolt UAV.

Since I didn't pay much for it, I deleted the cockpit and began filling in the hole.

Taped it to prevent sanding some of the detail

And after lots of putty and sanding, I have this!

 

[jeaton01]

Weird!
Hi, Warren.

 

[moon puppy]

Neat, might be before your time Warren, wonder if in 10-15 years they won't be doing this.

 

[RichB]

Many years ago (mid to late 1980's), there was an academic paper written by a USAF Academy student on converting F-16A's that would become surplus as the F-16C's entered service to UCAV's. It proposed replacing the current F-16A wing with an enlarged and strengthened wing and optimizing the avionics to make it a better bomb truck.

Cheers,
Rich

 

[razordws]

Neat stuff Warren! You always do things differently.

 

[Rhino]

So, I moved the cockpit to the rear of the fuselage by the tail, filled in the old cockpit hole and some others and painted it up.

Nothing to it, right? Honey Hush!
Some people take a look at a model and they don't like what they see. Some guys can see what could be, then alter the model to fit their vision.
The Wheels of Creativity are whirring merrily in NS!

 

[Sharkmouth]

Neat, might be before your time Warren, wonder if in 10-15 years they won't be doing this.

Already being done. This video is from nine years ago. The QF-16 is a drone used as an aerial target but can take a pilot too:

 

[sharkman]

Thanks all!

Found some decals to use from the spare pile.

 

[moon puppy]

Almost looks like what the Gee Bee would have evolved into.

 

[sharkman]

Almost looks like what the Gee Bee would have evolved into.

It certainly has a long snout!

 

[sharkman]

A little more work on the F-16B

 

[moon puppy]

Smooth!

 

[sharkman]

I unfortunately haven't finished anything recently. My bench time has been limited, life just seems to be extremely busy with work, family and kids. I find myself filling a day, then getting an hour or so at the bench around 10 pm but then not having enough steam to do things like masking and painting.

I have been picking at a few I have on the go, but also started a couple others as trimming and gluing don't require as much energy.

I pulled out Tamiya's old A-10, I really thought this kit would be fun to do as a whiffer. The fit is good but the details are showing their age!

Also, I had bought a couple old Tamiya Rufe kits. The Rufe was an interim modification and while very good, it lacked range. I thought an idea to overcome that might be to twin the Rufe, extending the range and allowing it to carry a bigger bomb load. Anyway, playing with that idea too and since these kits are cheap, and seem to be more 1/50 scale (they are smaller than the Hasegawa and new Eduard Rufes) than 1/48. I'm going to try and finish something this year!!

 

[Rhino]

"I made a take-off trolley..." Sure. Just womped up a complex mechanism from bits lying about. You. You're good, you.
It caused me wonderment that no savvy Nakajima engineer added a sizeable fuel tank to the Rufe in her pontoon.
Zuiun Rufe-san looks promising indeed! 23mm gun pack and a pair of 550 bombs?

 

[moon puppy]

Thanks for sharing Warren, yeah we all get busy, I'm trying some priority shifts myself.

 

[sharkman]

Got some more work done on this one. Body sanded, fuselage attached, rear tail plane fabricated from sheet styrene and the remainder of the old ones. Port cokpit filled in and I took the 2 beaching trollies and fashioned them into 1 large one.

 

[moon puppy]

Pretty sweet build Warren!

 

[Rhino]

Seinaro Tawagoto!
I don't speak very much Japanese.

 

[sharkman]

Finally finished this whiffer. First time I tried Tamiya panel liner, think I need more practice on it.