dakota196
Well-Known Member
Way back, I ordered an Interceptor kit from Estes and it came with an option I didn’t order. A crushed BT. So I contacted Estes and they shipped me a new kit without the option. So I built the kit as original. Fast forward 10 yrs, and now I found its cousin, the Vindicator. So I decided to kit bash the first Interceptor into a Vindicator. But I didn’t want to use the decals as issued. I am a Navy guy, not an Air Force or Space Force guy. So…….I always try to to build something different when I clone. I am going to build as directed but I am adding a set of turkey feathers. You military jet guys knows what they are! I am in love with the F14D Tomcat, and VF2, the squadron in my avatar. Though I was an A6 Intruder guy, i did do a couple of cruises in the same CAG. 1976 -1979. So I am making my own decals to supplement the kit decals. removing USAF and adding NAVY at various points.
The fins/wings are bass wood. With the sweep of the fins, fear of breakage had me concerned. They may get dinged up a bit, but I am building and painting with that in mind. The turkey feathers are photo copied from a single feather from photo etched set for my plastic models. I arranged them in paint.net to get them to fit a bt60. This will also help in protecting the balsa pieces at the back end. I’m not glueing it on, because it fits very tightly around the balsa pieces. I can change it out if it gets badly damaged on a landing, and I don’t have to tear the complete back end apart to repair. Also acts like a lower launch lug! Added will be Kevlar / black elastic shock cord (replaceable). The build is the easy part. The details and the paint will be the hard part. Flat grey overall, they call this TPS, tactical paint scheme. Went from gull grey over white to TPS back in the 90s. First coat of primer coming in the next couple of days.
The fins/wings are bass wood. With the sweep of the fins, fear of breakage had me concerned. They may get dinged up a bit, but I am building and painting with that in mind. The turkey feathers are photo copied from a single feather from photo etched set for my plastic models. I arranged them in paint.net to get them to fit a bt60. This will also help in protecting the balsa pieces at the back end. I’m not glueing it on, because it fits very tightly around the balsa pieces. I can change it out if it gets badly damaged on a landing, and I don’t have to tear the complete back end apart to repair. Also acts like a lower launch lug! Added will be Kevlar / black elastic shock cord (replaceable). The build is the easy part. The details and the paint will be the hard part. Flat grey overall, they call this TPS, tactical paint scheme. Went from gull grey over white to TPS back in the 90s. First coat of primer coming in the next couple of days.
