This is my
second version of this kit. I built it to represent an aircraft that I
flew while undergoing Basic Fighter Pilot training in Cold Lake from 1985
to 1987. I used Leading Edge wraparound green camo decals for this kit;
everything else was OOB. As you can see from the photos below, there
are some incredible faults in this kit (such as the missing drag chute
door - there is a gaping hole in the fuselage above the tailpipes that
requires filler). The air refuelling probe came from the LE decal
sheet.
I have posed
my little F-5 next to its big brother Hornet (which was the plane that quickly
replaced the F-5 in my heart).
Click on
images below to see larger images
I did a light
weathering job; some of these jets were kept pretty clean. I also
had trouble with the instruction sheet for the camo from LE. The
colour coding for camouflage changed from top to side view, and caused me
to omit some of the green just ahead of the windscreen on top of the
fuselage. Luckily, there is a 1:1 scale example here at the
Bagotville Air Defence Museum, from which I could get the colours better
(but not perfect). Having said that, the LE decals are excellent,
and add a lot to the kit. I used a technique from ARC for the tip
tank lights (which are solid plastic on the kit). I painted some
white where the lights go, then used green and red magic markers to create
the illusion of a transparent light.
I am happy to have
an example of this aircraft in this scale for my collection. Now whenever
I look at it, it takes me back to my first solo in a fighter. Next project - trying to make a CF-5D in
natural metal.
Dan
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