1/48 Aeroclub Strikemaster

by Leslie Choy

--------------------

  Singapore National Day 2005 

 

January 1970, with the arrival of BAC 167 Strikemaster marked the start of local jet training for SADC, Singapore Air Defence Command forming 130 Sqn. This stubby looking aircraft was to be the main jet trainer till it was slowly replaced by SIAI Marchetti S211 between 1984 to 1988.

Click on images below to see larger images

The Aeroclub Jet Provost T5/ Strikemaster is a mixed media combination of injection moulded plastic and white metal parts. I build this kit for a friend few years back.

The kit comes with very lightly engraved panel lines which I've to rescribed some. The cockpit was very basic with lightly raised cockpit instruments. White metal ejection seat and gun sights. I've replaced the white metal air cooling ducts so that it can be hollow out which is easier than white metal ones. The flap actuating hinges were also replaced by plastic ones. There was a problem with the nose wheel and after checking with my kit, I realised that this problem may not be with one kit alone. This was easily solved by super gluing another plastic piece to the wheel and filing it to shape. The elevator trim tab actuating rod, on the port side only and the starboard side removed, was replaced as the original looks oversize. I also added a actuating rod to the rudder trim tab.

Before gluing the fuselage sides, a nose weight is a must. After mating the elevator assembly to the fuselage, some filling was required on the joints. All antennae were scratch built.

The model was sprayed with light gray to check for gaps. Thereafter white was sprayed on to the tip tanks and the rear fuselage followed by Mr. Color 173 fluorescent orange. This was left to dry over a few days. After masking out the fluorescent orange areas, I sprayed black over it. A 0.5mm border was masked out along the fluorescent orange, with that I proceed to spray camo over it with Mr Color FS 34079 and 34102 with white underside. At that time Tan was a little darker, wood brown was used, Mr. Color 43.

Click on images below to see larger images

The model was gloss over with Mr. Color for decalling.  Decals supplied were quite limited, I did not used all of them. The tail number and the letter "L" using dry transfer. The RSAF "Ying Yang" logo was purchased from my local hobby shop. Some surgery was performed on the rescue arrow. From photos, the rescue arrow points from front to back and the decal supplied was from back to front. There was no suitable decal from my spares box. The rescue word was squarely cut out from the arrow. The arrow was placed inverted to the correct position and the "RESCUE" was later placed over it. Raw Umber wash was used after another gloss coat followed by matt coat. The anti-collision light was made from a clear sprue with clear red painted.

Leslie

Click on images below to see larger images

Photos and text © by Leslie Choy