{"id":642,"date":"2010-11-05T23:39:30","date_gmt":"2010-11-05T21:39:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/modeltalking.hobbyart.sk\/?p=642"},"modified":"2014-12-30T13:37:15","modified_gmt":"2014-12-30T11:37:15","slug":"yf-22-testorsitaleri-172","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/modeltalking.hobbyart.sk\/?p=642","title":{"rendered":"YF-22 Testors\/Italeri 1\/72"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\n<\/a>Starting with the kit
\nI thought it would be easy and quick to build this kit when I opened the packaging – I\u00a0wanted to build it straight out of the box, only with the pilot’s seat replacement.
\nThe original seat looked too simple to me. It is well visible also when the canopy is closed. I did not want to leave the canopy open, having only little relevant information how the inside of the cockpit looks like. I also like this nice plane with its canopy in the closed position, its smooth and elegant lines are enhanced this way. <\/span><\/span><\/strong>So I threw away the original seat and replaced it with the Quickboost<\/a> resin No. 72022<\/a> adding some minor details according to the photographs.\"YF-22<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Fixes and replacements<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"YF-22<\/p>\n

One of the kit inaccuracies\u00a0I was not able to live with is the thickness of the front edge of the main wheel well.\u00a0But it was really simple to fix – I had to cut off the\u00a0zig–zag-shaped panel, covering the front edge\u00a0and sand it smoothly. Then\u00a0I added a new plate made of\u00a0a thin metal sheet (You can use a soda can or a very thin Styrene sheet too).<\/p>\n

Very similar design, helping to make the airplane to be stealthy, is on the canopy edges too – front and back. This “teeth” are a bit too thick on the kit’s front canopy edge and you will probably want to make them more subtle by paper-sanding.<\/p>\n

\"YF-22<\/a><\/p>\n

\"YF-22<\/p>\n

The kit has no air intake ducts \u2013 only two large openings going nowhere. I put a Styrene sheet inside the intakes to simulate the intake covers. I had airbrushed both covers red and the inner air intake walls Lt. gray before placement (it would be quite difficult to do this after completion).<\/p>\n

Geometry
\n<\/span><\/strong>The real test of a modeler\u2019s skill and patience is mounting the vertical stabilizers onto the fuselage. There is no slot or anything to hold the stabilizers in proper position and to keep the geometry.<\/p>\n

The stabilizers are to be glued onto fuselage top using these surfaces\u00a0(see below):<\/p>\n

\"YF-22<\/p>\n

I particularly did not know the angle in which to glue them down. I tried to do it according to this photograph:<\/p>\n

\"Aerofax<\/a>Picture Source: <\/span><\/strong>Aerofax Lockheed Martin F\/A 22 Raptor stealth fighter, page 21,\u00a0\u00a9 2005 Jay Miller, published by Midland Publishing, photo via Lockheed Martin.<\/p>\n

\"YF-22<\/a><\/p>\n

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Camouflage, decalling and weathering<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I used Gunze MrColor 1000 base first and then the Testors ModelMaster colors, adding drops of white. Knowing the YF-22 was a test platform and not a war bird, I used very low weathering – on the undercarriage and some outlets only.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I started with applying the lightest color and finished with applying the darkest one.
\nIn order to achieve the uneven look of the color fields, particularly the darkest gray,
\nI airbrushed the surface this way:<\/p>\n

I begun airbrushing along the panel lines at first. Then I added several very faint spots on random and finally I continued to apply the camo color over it.<\/p>\n

The Testors ModelMaster Metallizers were used on the exhaust surfaces. I started with testing the effect on the abundant spare parts…<\/p>\n