Italeri | No. 808 | 1:48 | Lockheed U-2C
![Album image #1 Album image #1](/albums/img/1/9/5/1142195-49836-17-720.jpg)
I was going to sell this vintage 40+ year old kit, however on another whim decided to build instead. I'm going to build it in this more unusual 'Sabre' camouflage option. I have at least 3 more U2s in the stash, so plenty of time for black another day 😉
![Album image #2 Album image #2](/albums/img/6/6/3/1219663-49836-18-720.jpg)
A U-2C painted in a grey camouflage pattern called the “Sabre” scheme in 1975. The camouflage replaced the usual black finish to ease British concerns about “spy planes” operating from the UK. In Europe, this U-2 tested equipment to locate and suppress enemy surface-to-air missiles.
![Album image #3 Album image #3](/albums/img/1/9/6/1142196-49836-88-720.jpg)
Showing kit and wing building. seems to be in quite good shape for another ancient kit.
![Album image #4 Album image #4](/albums/img/1/9/7/1142197-49836-10-720.jpg)
Fuel pods don't fit great. Air intakes... We'll have to see...
![Album image #5 Album image #5](/albums/img/1/9/8/1142198-49836-47-720.jpg)
Air intake work.
![Album image #6 Album image #6](/albums/img/1/9/9/1142199-49836-45-720.jpg)
Getting better...
![Album image #7 Album image #7](/albums/img/2/0/0/1142200-49836-16-720.jpg)
I should have tried the yellow over pink trick I've seen others do on here. The yellow is Hataka - not impressed with their yellow! It's a very simple cockpit indeed on this one. I actually like the charming simplicity of it.
![Album image #8 Album image #8](/albums/img/2/0/1/1142201-49836-67-720.jpg)
Pinched tight!
![Album image #9 Album image #9](/albums/img/2/0/3/1142203-49836-59-720.jpg)
Beginning to look the part. It's bloody huge on my desk. The wingspan is over 500mm (20")!
![Album image #10 Album image #10](/albums/img/2/0/2/1142202-49836-81-720.jpg)
I'll re-shape this a bit.
![Album image #11 Album image #11](/albums/img/2/0/4/1142204-49836-41-720.jpg)
Had to clamp and squeeze to ensure a decent fit. So there's going to be work to bring it back to a cleaner finish.
![Album image #12 Album image #12](/albums/img/2/0/5/1142205-49836-47-720.jpg)
![Album image #13 Album image #13](/albums/img/2/0/6/1142206-49836-74-720.jpg)
Let a copious amount of Vallejo priming begin!
![Album image #14 Album image #14](/albums/img/2/0/7/1142207-49836-30-720.jpg)
Air intake work going on here - they didn't sit very well. In the end I worked it somewhere decent, but to be honest this definitely is a vintage kit and the tooling isn't the best.
![Album image #15 Album image #15](/albums/img/2/0/8/1142208-49836-53-720.jpg)
Seam/gap filling and general (disheartening) sanding away of the original raised panel lines to ensure a realistic joining of fuselage and wings.
![Album image #16 Album image #16](/albums/img/2/0/9/1142209-49836-87-720.jpg)
More gap filling on major areas. Vallejo plastic putty being used.
![Album image #17 Album image #17](/albums/img/2/1/0/1142210-49836-58-720.jpg)
Substantial blending works and we're beginning to get better surfaces... And I'm getting happier! 🙂 Unfortunately this means destroying the original raised panel lines.
![Album image #18 Album image #18](/albums/img/2/1/1/1142211-49836-30-720.jpg)
This is all completed with varying grades of wet & dry, eg: 1500 and 2000.
![Album image #19 Album image #19](/albums/img/3/7/0/1163370-49836-53-720.jpg)
Next step: Masking to (laboriously!) add back in the seam detail I had to destroy to ensure shape and fit. This takes time and I acknowledge that it's never perfect, but it does more-or-less return the kit to it's original manufactured style of raised panel lines.
![Album image #20 Album image #20](/albums/img/3/7/1/1163371-49836-36-720.jpg)
This is the result after prudent scalpel use also. Bit more to tidy up. But looking sharper.
![Album image #21 Album image #21](/albums/img/3/7/2/1163372-49836-47-720.jpg)
More raised panel line work. You can now see where I've completed this on the top of the main fuselage.
![Album image #22 Album image #22](/albums/img/2/0/0/1166200-49836-85-720.jpg)
Went a bit heavy on line pre-shading, but no problem I'll knock it back down with the camouflage paint scheme.
![Album image #23 Album image #23](/albums/img/1/6/1/1174161-49836-65-720.jpg)
More painting and cradle assembly also.
![Album image #24 Album image #24](/albums/img/1/6/2/1174162-49836-66-720.jpg)
Beginning to tone back down my rather overzealous shading!
![Album image #25 Album image #25](/albums/img/0/7/2/1189072-49836-73-720.jpg)
I lightly hand painted the camouflage edges first before...
![Album image #26 Album image #26](/albums/img/1/9/5/1200195-49836-89-720.jpg)
Airbrushing.
![Album image #27 Album image #27](/albums/img/1/9/6/1200196-49836-40-720.jpg)
I'm pretty happy with finish, I'm always completing these kits in a corner of my garage, so never the most dust free environment! You can clearly see the raised panel lines I've added back in...
![Album image #28 Album image #28](/albums/img/1/9/7/1200197-49836-96-720.jpg)
I needed to tidy everything up more. How to turn an easy process into a difficult one! I've decided to break out the putty!
![Album image #29 Album image #29](/albums/img/1/9/8/1200198-49836-35-720.jpg)
Still NOT keen on Hataka paint consistency. But I'll soldier on...
![Album image #30 Album image #30](/albums/img/1/9/9/1200199-49836-80-720.jpg)
I'm pretty happy with my 'added back in' raised panel lines. I know compared to a modern kit it all looks a bit childlike, however it does keep the original true-to-kit vintage feel.
![Album image #31 Album image #31](/albums/img/2/0/0/1200200-49836-50-720.jpg)
More blending, tweaking and post shading going on. I've decided I won't be using Hataka grey again in a hurry!
![Album image #32 Album image #32](/albums/img/2/0/1/1200201-49836-54-720.jpg)
Looking better.
![Album image #33 Album image #33](/albums/img/2/0/2/1200202-49836-59-720.jpg)
Lighting here makes it all look a bit yellow.
![Album image #34 Album image #34](/albums/img/8/8/5/1336885-49836-17-720.jpg)
I decided the grey needed to be a bit bluer! So thought I'd have a crack with some Vallejo wash effects...
![Album image #35 Album image #35](/albums/img/8/8/6/1336886-49836-37-720.jpg)
Before and after... Think I preferred before, but too late now!
![Album image #36 Album image #36](/albums/img/8/8/7/1336887-49836-80-720.jpg)
Happier.
![Album image #37 Album image #37](/albums/img/8/8/8/1336888-49836-68-720.jpg)
Working on external tanks - making it all line-up...
![Album image #38 Album image #38](/albums/img/8/8/9/1336889-49836-51-720.jpg)
Almost there with the wash effect. I also tried adding some household bleach to the grey and also the wash to lighten certain panels, it did work, but in my garage there is no natural light, so contrast is not seen so we'll here.
![Album image #39 Album image #39](/albums/img/8/9/0/1336890-49836-57-720.jpg)
Priming for undercarriage.
![Album image #40 Album image #40](/albums/img/8/9/1/1336891-49836-30-720.jpg)
Instructions say Zinc Chromate Green (seems a bit WWII to me) but what the heck green it is!
![Album image #41 Album image #41](/albums/img/8/9/2/1336892-49836-36-720.jpg)
Masking and painting airbrakes grey...
![Album image #42 Album image #42](/albums/img/9/4/4/1345944-49836-90-720.jpg)
Work on the dolly and external tanks
![Album image #43 Album image #43](/albums/img/9/4/5/1345945-49836-97-720.jpg)
A transfer is provided for the black panel - I painted.
![Album image #44 Album image #44](/albums/img/9/4/6/1345946-49836-93-720.jpg)
More paint work on dolly frame...
![Album image #45 Album image #45](/albums/img/9/4/7/1345947-49836-49-720.jpg)
Finished!
![Album image #46 Album image #46](/albums/img/9/4/8/1345948-49836-43-720.jpg)
Painting canopy.
![Album image #47 Album image #47](/albums/img/4/4/8/1352448-49836-97-720.jpg)
VINTAGE 44 YEAR OLD KIT - WORK IN PROGRESS. UPDATED: 8/3/22...
![Album image #48 Album image #48](/albums/img/4/4/9/1352449-49836-84-720.jpg)
![Album image #49 Album image #49](/albums/img/9/1/6/1356916-49836-92-720.jpg)
Obviously it's a raised panel line kit, so it's all going to look a bit skeletal. But it will add some contrast and define some panels - or at least that's the hope!
![Album image #50 Album image #50](/albums/img/7/6/2/1421762-49836-56-720.jpg)
Wiping off excess
![Album image #51 Album image #51](/albums/img/7/6/3/1421763-49836-63-720.jpg)
Opmerkingen
67 30 November 2021, 14:28
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Hello Robert 🙂 HNY to you! Thanks very much for the comment, hope to do your interest justice 👍
6 January 2022, 20:25
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Hi Augie. Excellent! Glad to have your interest 😊 very kind of you to comment 👍
7 January 2022, 21:09
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Cheers James C and David H, hope you're both well 🙂 really appreciate your interest and comments mates 👍 I'm getting distracted by my other builds on the go at the moment. But I will get back to this one again soon. It's another oldie kit but what an iconic aircraft!
13 January 2022, 18:42
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Cheers @charlie 😉 kind of you to comment. I've also added some new imagery today 👍
4 February 2022, 12:05
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Looks to be coming along nicely mate 👍
You going to camouflage it per the box art or paint it black?
21 February 2022, 16:34
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Hiya @James C hope you're well 🙂 thanks for commenting mate. Yes. I'm going for the more unusual box-art camouflage scheme. I believe they called it a 'Sabre' scheme that was used when operating out of the UK in the 70s... A bit different to the usual black 👍
22 February 2022, 09:13
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Hi mates! 🙂 Thank you very much for stopping by and your kind words 👍 much appreciated.
15 March 2022, 10:38
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Following. Interresting method of recreating raised panel lines, great result so far!
16 March 2022, 21:38
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Hi Patryk 🙂 thanks for commenting and also for the likes guys. I'll get some new pictures up soon 👍
20 March 2022, 10:52
![](/profiles/img/65866-287-s.jpg)
Really nice job on that camo scheme. I've also never seen one in anything but black. Very cool! 👍
8 April 2022, 18:12
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Wow i built this old dog about 30 years ago and i think it was released about 30 years before that! (around 1962 from Hawk i think?) I did the NASA scheme back then.
8 April 2022, 21:40
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Thanks David 👍 Hi Glenn, yeah agreed, it's an old one for sure. I only really build up vintage stuff. I almost went for the NASA variant, but the condition of the kit decals dictated my choice really. 👍🙂
10 April 2022, 12:56
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It's funny that they camouflaged the top of the airplane. Who's going to be looking down on it? 🙂
18 September 2022, 01:05
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Looks very good Neil! Love the camouflage scheme! Is it finished already?
18 September 2022, 06:50
![](/profiles/img/49836-796-s.jpg)
Hi mates 🙂 I'm certainly no expert on this sort of stuff, I too wondered why the camouflage was an option on a U2... So did a bit of research before I began... The detail I found I added against this album's description for what was called the 'Sabre' scheme 👍 hope this helps.
Thanks for your interest, your comments and your likes also to all. Means a helluva lot mates 🙂🙂👍
18 September 2022, 13:19
![](/profiles/img/103074-299-s.jpg)
Erm, has to sorta land and park up somewhere. Wouldn't want to make it too easy when you're on the ground .. 😂
18 September 2022, 14:55
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Thanks Cuajete. Very kind of you 👍 🙂
Regarding the kit option and my chosen scheme (Robert & David - 🙂 haha!): apparently "The 2 tone grey colour scheme (Sabre Scheme) was insisted upon by the UK Government, concerned about the implications of "black" ops being carried out by American U-2s operating from a UK base. The TR1 was so designated for similar reasons... to dissociate the aircraft from its predecessors". If I have any of this wrong (which is highly likely!) Please feel free to correct me... 🙂 👍
21 September 2022, 10:39
![](/profiles/img/90311-414-s.jpg)
Wow, what a great result. Nice job!
Btw: I like the way you repair the raised panel lines on the kit. I must try that too.
11 March 2023, 20:10
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Thanks mates! You're all really kind to comment 🙂 and also to those who liked too 👍 I will get the final reveal images on here soon.
12 March 2023, 21:52
Album info
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is an American single-jet engine, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It provides day and night, high-altitude (70,000 feet, 21,300 meters), all-weather intelligence gathering.
The scheme I've chosen to (loosely) follow will be a U-2C painted in a gray camouflage pattern called the "Sabre" scheme in 1975. The camouflage replaced the usual black finish to ease British concerns about "spy planes" operating from the UK. In Europe, this U-2 tested equipment to locate and suppress enemy surface-to-air missiles.