F-22A Airshow Display A/C
![Album image #1 Album image #1](/albums/img/9/7/2/1358972-31781-60-720.jpg)
The canopy color has been subject of many discussions online; I studied quite a few and decided to apply a mix of 4 parts AV poly gloss varnish/1 part AV gold/1 part AV transparent yellow/ 1 part AV transparent smoke.
![Album image #2 Album image #2](/albums/img/9/7/3/1358973-31781-85-720.jpg)
Plenty of ballast to both halves.
![Album image #3 Album image #3](/albums/img/9/7/4/1358974-31781-77-720.jpg)
Main weapons bays are not bad, but comparing with pics of actual a/c I realised the intake ducts were missing.
![Album image #4 Album image #4](/albums/img/9/7/5/1358975-31781-13-720.jpg)
Blu Tac to the rescue!
![Album image #5 Album image #5](/albums/img/9/7/6/1358976-31781-92-720.jpg)
Added some ducting as well.
![Album image #6 Album image #6](/albums/img/9/7/7/1358977-31781-76-720.jpg)
After painting, the bays will look more accurate - even if they won't be noticeable after the AIM-120's are fitted.
![Album image #7 Album image #7](/albums/img/9/7/8/1358978-31781-18-720.jpg)
Nice engine details, again virtually invisible after the fuselage halves are joined. Base coat of AV gunmetal 71-072 followed by various AV Metal Colors.
![Album image #8 Album image #8](/albums/img/9/7/9/1358979-31781-92-720.jpg)
You get the idea.
![Album image #9 Album image #9](/albums/img/9/8/0/1358980-31781-97-720.jpg)
Generally I drill a hole through the exhaust to hold my models for spraying, but this wasn't really an option with this build. Fortunately, Trumpeter provides 2 seta of weapons bay doors (for open or closed options) so I used the "closed"doors and cut a section out so one of my trusty Wolfcraft clamps could hold the fuselage.
![Album image #10 Album image #10](/albums/img/9/8/4/1358984-31781-75-720.jpg)
Here we are, canopy masked and opens covered off ready for spraying. By now we were into July and I decided to hold off on spraying until the apartment cooled back down after the summer.
![Album image #11 Album image #11](/albums/img/9/8/5/1358985-31781-20-720.jpg)
With a bit of time now available, I decided to spend some extra time on finishing the missiles, starting by cleaning up the mould lines then drilling them all to simplify holding for painting.
![Album image #12 Album image #12](/albums/img/9/8/6/1358986-31781-33-720.jpg)
Ready for the copper wire.
![Album image #13 Album image #13](/albums/img/0/0/4/1359004-31781-70-720.jpg)
Missile, anyone?
![Album image #14 Album image #14](/albums/img/9/8/7/1358987-31781-46-720.jpg)
By October the apartment had cooled down enough that I was ready to recommence spraying - In the meantime I also had been building the Tu-22M2, B-2A and Vickers Viscount kits up to the stage of spraying.
Here the F-22 has been primed with AV 71-615 then sprayed 71-275 medium gray overall. Leading/trailing edged were painted 71-046 pale blue-grey then 71-051 neutral gray applied to the leading edges.
A lot of trial and error with the gray/greys as the in-service aircraft have received lots of panel replacements/touch-ups.
Here the F-22 has been primed with AV 71-615 then sprayed 71-275 medium gray overall. Leading/trailing edged were painted 71-046 pale blue-grey then 71-051 neutral gray applied to the leading edges.
A lot of trial and error with the gray/greys as the in-service aircraft have received lots of panel replacements/touch-ups.
![Album image #15 Album image #15](/albums/img/9/8/8/1358988-31781-57-720.jpg)
The upper surface is ready for the camo panels and I thought to spray using masks.
![Album image #16 Album image #16](/albums/img/9/8/9/1358989-31781-34-720.jpg)
Not too difficult to fabricate a reasonable mask, but I after trying on a cardboard template I wasn't confident of achieving the optimum paint viscosity/nozzle pressure.
After looking at the airshow pics of 09-4189 I had found online and seeing how the camo looks faded in many of them, I decided to try freehand.
After looking at the airshow pics of 09-4189 I had found online and seeing how the camo looks faded in many of them, I decided to try freehand.
![Album image #17 Album image #17](/albums/img/9/9/0/1358990-31781-55-720.jpg)
I was satisfied with the result!
For this build, particularly because of the camo panels and for ease of spraying, I left final assembly of the vertical stabilisers and horizontal tails until after the decals were applied.
For this build, particularly because of the camo panels and for ease of spraying, I left final assembly of the vertical stabilisers and horizontal tails until after the decals were applied.
![Album image #18 Album image #18](/albums/img/9/9/6/1358996-31781-95-720.jpg)
View showing the 4 grays I ended up using.
Apart from the overall color, the rest were applied by hand.
Apart from the overall color, the rest were applied by hand.
![Album image #19 Album image #19](/albums/img/9/9/7/1358997-31781-12-720.jpg)
For the markings, I used a combination of the kit decals plus custom for the unit and a/c decals.
I wasn't able to match the grays as accurately as I had hoped but they were close enough for my display cabinet.
I wasn't able to match the grays as accurately as I had hoped but they were close enough for my display cabinet.
![Album image #20 Album image #20](/albums/img/9/9/8/1358998-31781-70-720.jpg)
Here's the underside after final pledge clearcoat to seal the decals followed by AV satin acrylic varnish.
![Album image #21 Album image #21](/albums/img/9/9/9/1358999-31781-44-720.jpg)
After removing the canopy masking I cleaned up with alcohol followed by a polish with Tamiya polishing compound (fine).
![Album image #22 Album image #22](/albums/img/0/0/0/1359000-31781-55-720.jpg)
The undercarriage will benefit from some detailing in the future.
![Album image #23 Album image #23](/albums/img/0/0/1/1359001-31781-12-720.jpg)
![Album image #24 Album image #24](/albums/img/0/0/2/1359002-31781-81-720.jpg)
![Album image #25 Album image #25](/albums/img/0/0/3/1359003-31781-40-720.jpg)
Kommentarer
3 11 December 2022, 13:30
Album info
Builds up to a pretty nice representation of an in-service F-22A.
Nicely detailed weapons bays which benefited from some added features.
Just need that yet-to-be released F-35 in this scale.