AREA 88 : "The Fang" (F-8E Crusader)

Greg Baker
I know I have a bunch of half-finished projects that need some love, but after taking a break from modelling over the Christmas break, I was itching to cut and glue some plastic. I also had such a great time with my 1/72 scale Crusader, I just couldn't resist giving this one a go.

Greg Baker
Ok... now what? This kit come with a choice of horizontal stabilizers. If I want to build an F-8E (or closest approximation), do I want the bigger ones or the smaller ones? The instructions call for the smaller ones (for an F8U-2) but I'm not sure which way to go... help!

Alec K
No clue, but this at least bumps it to the top... 😄

Greg Baker
A valiant effort Alec... unfortunately it got buried almost instantly by all the other great projects that are being showcased. Thanks though, it's much appreciated.

Spanjaard
easily resolved 🙂

Greg Baker
Now that is a handy diagram to have. Thanks Roland, you saved the day!

Spanjaard
i would like such a diagram for the Phantom! 🙂

Spanjaard
Hahaha probable 🙂

Nils Steyaert
i like what im seeing so far, i will most definatly follow this one.

Jeramy Boileau
looks great, love some Area 88 subjects!

bughunter
Greg - if people getting older the eyes getting more and more worse so they tend to go to bigger scale. But you move more and more to smaller scale, more and more in 144 ?!?
And damn, you are so fast building, painting and decaling - if I watch all that carefully (what I would really like), then no time to work on my projects is left over ... How do you do that?

Greg Baker
Thanks Jeramy. You can count on my for Area 88 subjects, that's for sure. And funny you should mention that Bugsy... I think my eyes are getting worse, but I think that's part of the reason I like building in 1/144... there's always time to move on to bigger subjects later. The two other reasons though are a) I'm starting to run out of display space in my apartment and b) I really like the idea of "in action" pseudo-dioramas. I don't have the patience for a ton of background detailing, but I like the idea of breathing some life into my builds. I'm probably not going to be able to do that in the same hyper-detailing way you're famous for... so I rely on a bit of electronics and poses. That's harder to arrange at larger scales.😉

Martin Oostrom
Explosions and crashes and flames on this one?

Greg Baker
Urm... not exactly. Why do I think I'm getting a bit of a reputation....

Greg Baker
Finally got the cockpit done. I stole an idea off another, Japanese, Area 88 Builder on twitter and used a bit of black wire to created the ejection seat handles. I have to say, I impressed myself at how good it looks.

Alec K
They look great indeed 👍

Greg Baker
I masked the canopies and then fought with the airbrush a bit... I'll need another pass with the white paint for sure. I very nearly forgot to mark which one was which, since they'll have different colour schemes! Luckily I could peek in through the canopy edges before they were fully painted!

Matthew A
Looks like you washed the Hasegawa kit at too high a temperature and shrunk it.

Greg Baker
More like the Academy kit... but yeah, you're right!

Lode Schildermans
Coming pretty nice along, Greg

Greg Baker
10 pts. If anyone can guess what my latest project is... 🙂

bughunter
Repair the fridge?

Greg Baker
Of course Bugsy would get it! Is there anything you can't do?😉

The little plastic tab broke off and the lower drawer came tumbling down. Luckily, it's made from polystyrene... first time I was ever requested to sit at my modeling bench. 😄

I'm thinking about scribing some panel lines...😉

Alec K
I am not comfortable with that drawer so close to those models...

Greg Baker
No models were harmed in the process. I actually just placed in on the bench to take the picture. It's drying on the floor... far away from causing any trouble. 🙂

Greg Baker
Everyone is safe. The l'il Crusaders had their big brothers watching out for them...😉

Nils Steyaert
so far it looks good, great paintjob on the F-20 in the background 👍

Matthew A
It's nice when our hobbies can help people in the "real" world. My grandfather asked me if I had paint in a certain shade he could have. He was surprised when I gave him a 15ml tin as he was expecting to paint the fence with it. Are you making your own decals for the fridge? Will you be weathering it? I expect to see a finished photo with the giant tamiya paint pot next to it.

Greg Baker
Most of the main masking and painting is done... but still have some detailing and touch ups to do. Given that we're getting down to it now, I decided to get started on the base. I copied this idea from a Japanese modeller I follow (wollcraft.com/f8-144-area88/), it's a form of "cat barrier" for pet owners. Works nicely as an anti-aircraft fence though...

bughunter
The task with the fridge was easy, but now you got me. I didn't understand about the grids, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see😉

Greg Baker
In the manga, the air-defence screen known as "The Fang" destroys all the low-level attacking fighters, except the two Crusaders. They only survive because of their ability to fly with their wings folded. So, I needed to build a Fang for the project...😉

Matthew A
Think I'll get some anti-aircraft fencing to stop cats pooping on newly weeded bedding. They popped my barage balloons. Does it work on Tomcats?

bughunter
Greg 👍 But I guess this duck is not able to fly in real with folded wings. But this is for sure possible in a comic 🙂

Matthew A
Nope it happened for real [img1]

Greg Baker
I leave that up to the experts to verify, but my understanding is that Crusaders could indeed fly with their wings folded... in real life. 🙂

Choppa Nutta
It is amazing what you can get away with aerodynamically, I never knew this about the F8's and I dare say they only found out it could do it by accidentally pressing the wrong switch in flight somehow but there was an F15 that had a collision and lost one wing but was still flyable.

Apparently the pilot hadn't realised because his view of the missing wing was obscured by liquid venting out of the side, he said after he landed that he had land quicker than normal and that had he realised what was missing he would've ejected !!

If I remember rightly it was an Israeli pilot. the picture of the plane is unreal, right wing gone from the edge of engine nacelle. there's a video on youtube somewhere..

I've got a feeling that the F8 in this configuration might have more lift on its side than right way up 😄

Anyhow, back to Greg's build .....
another interesting project dude, coming along nicely 🙂
I wanted ask with regard to your bases, is that a printed sheet of paper you've glued on there or have made up a huge decal straight on to the wood ?

Greg Baker
The bases are made from one huge homemade decal. They's transparent, so only the black shows up. They can be a bit tricky to work with, both because of their size, and because it's sometimes hard to get them to sit down flat on the wood. I usually use some Future to both help with the adhesion as well as the durability.

Lode Schildermans
I keep amazed every time start an album. You've the gift to get people into your stories. It's wonderful (again)

Greg Baker
Thanks guys. I suppose, Lode, that it's handy that I usually base my projects on an existing story (i.e. Tintin or Area 88). So, I just try to do my best to bring the essence of the scene to (mostly still) life through my models. If the story's comes through, despite them not being actual dioramas, I'm happy.

I've been thinking about creating some 1/700(ish) scale dioramas to try to capture some of the bigger scenes and machines (like the underground drilling missile, the desert aircraft carrier, the regular aircraft carrier and the nuclear submarine). So I got a couple of cheap Academy 1/800 scale aircraft carriers to experiment on.😉

Greg Baker
This project sort of fell victim to my airbrush dilemma. I had to retouch the paint after my old, cheap airbrush decided to throw a tantrum. That pushed me over the edge to get a new one... and then I started wanting to re-do lots of bits. The retouching is starting to become counter-productive though, so I just decided to attach the engines and move forward on the project. There's always next time for improvements.😉

Alec K
👍

Jeramy Boileau
Keep up the great work Greg! will always be a fan of your AREA-88 projects

Greg Baker
Hah! Thanks Roland. I'm pretty sure no one would be interested in seeing my build projects on YouTube. 😉

You're right about the stash though... LOTS of time for improvements, and if you look at the projects I don't even have kits for yet... there's plenty after that.

That does make me think a bit about a philosophical question in regards to the end result of my modelling projects. Assuming I live long enough to "complete" Any of my main project lines (Tintin, Area 88, Studio Ghibli, or Voir et Savoir), I kind of wonder what will become of them.

Obviously they're not great works of art, and every modeller who died at the workbench left behind a stash that needs to be sold off, and a collection of models that meant something to him/her. It just seems a shame to think one day they will all just be thrown in a box and left out with the trash... or buried with me. 😉

I'm probably waxing a bit poetic given that I'm starting to plan a move back to Canada, and my wife took a look at my modelling shelf and said "are those coming with us?" 😉

bughunter
You can go back to Canada, as long you will have there a internet connection to report your projects here 🙂
And your philosophical question is valid, and will come up more often if you are getting older. Some (my?) models will hopefully end up in a museum and not in a trash, but one day the museums of this world will be full enough.
In the comic case may be a special book shop selling comics is interested? Seen once a lot of models in a shop window.

Matthew A
Reminds me Schopenhauer said when we buy a book we are really trying to buy the time to read it in. If it includes kits as well as books then with my stash I should live to 200.

bughunter
I thought you wouldn't die as long as you had unbuilt kits in stash?

Greg Baker
Oh don't worry, Bugs, my projects might be interrupted by move from Korea to Canada, but I'm trying to finish up what's on the bench before that happens. Moving out of my small-ish apartment in Seoul to my house in Canada will likely open up the door to some of my bigger-sized projects as well. I've got a 1/144 B-747 just waiting for me to get some more shelf-space.

I'm not yet 50 years old, so hopefully I have several more years of model building ahead of me yet... and it's always about the journey, not the destination. 😄

Alec K
Great conversation. You hear some sad stories about what happens to built models after the modeler passes. Like it or not, it's primarily up to us to take steps in preserving our works, if that is important. In Greg's case, I would think that there would be interest in seeing the collection on display.

Ok ok, back to the bench...

Daniel Klink
Boah Greg...fantastic job again. Love that way you transform picture stories into Scale art-
Wish you all the best for your return to your beautiful country...
Hope it will recover soon from this Virus that seems still to be very present there.
And close your Boarders to the south, means erect and secure one 🙂

Greg Baker
Thanks guys. I appreciate the positive comments. I think I would like to layout all my Area 88 and/or Tintin builds on a table at a show and chat about them with whoever wanders by. That would be fun.

At the moment, I'm wondering how I am going to pack them for an overseas shipment. I'm likely going to disassemble the planes from the presentation bases - which makes putting this one together somewhat ironic I guess... but it needs to be finished before it can be taken apart. 🙂

Nils Steyaert
very impressive fangs!

Erik De Smet
Good luck with the move, Greg. You next big project will be repairing all the models that have been damaged during transport. 🙁

Alec K
So I can't imagine packing build models for overseas shipment. Just the thought gives me anxiety! One thought I had is this: rigid container with model suspended in cotton balls (one per model, food containers with good lids work great). Then place containers within larger foam-lined box. Idea is to absorb any shaking and allow for handling (I.e. the models should withstand box rotation). I use cotton balls for model travel, works very well, but it's usually in a car. Just an idea.

Matthew A
Excellent work. Bet you will miss being able to get Chinese kits cheap.

Daniel Klink
Cant see greg using that much of them anyway🙂
So there is hopefully still a lot to come on this channel 👍

Greg Baker
Thanks Alec. I've been plotting something along those lines already... but great minds think alike or fools seldom differ, as my old boss used to say...😉 No matter what, I have a feeling Erik is going to be right and there will be a period of reassemble, repair and refurbish in my future.

Matt - there's really not that many cheap Chinese kits here, but I will miss the prices on Academy kits. I'm planning to stock up on few - including (gasp) maybe a couple of 1/48 ones... there's a KF-5E and a MiG-21 that look intriguing...

Greg Baker
BTW - I've updated my blog with this latest project. If anyone's interested in reading the sequence in the manga that this scene is based upon, you'll find it here - strobez.ca/wp/index...05/the-fang-area-88/

Slavo Hazucha
Seriously cool stuff again... 👍 I think I´ve heard a story about a F-8 taking off & quickly landing with wings up (no idea if it´s true...), but making it in flight... 😄 Great dio, stretching the envelope quite a bit & actually one of the probably better transportable layout with some natural protection for the tiny planes...

Regarding the philosophy & greater meaning of this all - in the one year & a few months time I´m back to this hobby, my wife pointed out several times why I could not be good at/interested in a past-time that produces something actually useful 😄 Provided that plastic, decals, CA & the paints employed are unlikely to last all the time until our sun finally turns into a red giant, I really focus on the "now" aspect of the hobby and the "the way is the goal" kind of satisfaction I´m getting out of it... Hopefully makes the inevitably approaching moment when a kid breaks something off from one of my recent builds more bearable... in theory... 😄

Chaz Gordon
Nice work Greg, I really like your decaled bases, really ties the theme together. Any chance you can be convinced to do a Judge Dredd build sometime?

Greg Baker
Thanks Slavo. I know an F-8 can fly with folded wings, that's been documented, but folding them mid-flight without tearing them off... that's likely just in the funny books. Still, I'm not complaining. Who needs real life, when imagination is so much fun. Your wife and mine sound like they'd get along quite well... I've heard those same questions.😉.

Greg Baker
Chaz... Judge Dredd you say... hmmmm... any suggestions? I was never a huge, 2000 A.D. fan, but I'm certainly familiar with subject. I'm glad you like the decals and the bases. Given that I'll soon be moving back to Canada, I've been trying to hoard enough supplies to ensure I can keep the ball rolling for a long time to come. I've been counting the wooden bases (also known as coasters, pencil boxes and chopstick rests) To make sure I have enough in the stash to complete all my current list of Tintin, Voir et Savoir and Area 88 projects - with a few to spare, in case I can figure out a few more. I also realized today that the 2mm clear tubes I've been using also need to be boarded, so I went and bought out the store.

I'm also taking a last look around at the cheap Academy kits on the shelf to make sure I didn't miss any... even to the point of thinking about 1/48 kits for a KF-5E, F-14, MiG-21 and maybe even that F-111... not sure about those just yet.😉

Chaz Gordon
At least if you are moving to Canada, you should have reasonable access to large Hobby Stores, and I would expect extensive lumber based products (I feel a Monty Python Sketch coming on)

As for Dredd, with 43 years of weekly comic strips, where do you start? The challenge is finding anything that's even remotely close to a model kit. Incidentally, You've inspired me to renew my subscription to 2000AD after 15 years break. I really miss the weekly installments. As I'm in the UK, it's nice and affordable too.

Spanjaard
moving back to Canada? good luck with that. and specially moving those models. i was really scared moving mine to a place that was not even a kilometre away. And i was moving the boxes myself... and still managed to break a few things. doing it inter-continentally is something that deserves admiration.

Daniel Klink
Just amazing effects 👍