Estes Strike-Fighter - from what it was to something cool

[RobertH3]

I got this kit from More Rockets along with an original Atlantis (yay, teen favorite!) and a Super Scorpius.
All of these kits are well done.
The strike-fighter just hurts my eyes. I was a plastic modeler before rockets and it's easy to recognize a P-51 canopy.
The canopy and ramjet nose cone don't fit the space-fighter thing. The wings do, if you're Buck Rogers.

So I reimagined it as a corvette with oversized guns.
Canopy, ramjet nose cone, and radar probe gone. Made both guns the same.
PNC-55AC replaced the ramjet.
Added some small diameter half rounds to break up the tube a bit.
It still needs some sanding stick work on the fine parts.

Pics are attached so they aren't in the way.
What I am looking for is a paint and decal scheme.
Cockpit/Windscreen will be like an Orbital Transport.

Ideas? My cat had none.
I was thinking UN Blue with UN Logos on the vertical stabilizers, and then some tech-o decals, numbers, etc.
That's the fallback, I'd love something better.
I gave some thought to a Der Red Max theme, but I could imagine the screaming haha. Motorverkens.

Cheers / Robert

 

[les]

Nice. But to each there own. To me it looks like something is missing without the cockpit.....

 

[neil_w]

Looks very nice. But not the sort of thing that would be associated with the UN.

 

[RobertH3]

With the UN, it depends. Remember it was supposed to be a world peace-keeper with it's own military, ruled by international law. At times, looking at the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar (Burma), and North Korea, time for an ellipsis...

 

[Capt. Eric]

It screams Battlestar Galactica to me.

 

[Back_at_it]

I like the changes you've made to it but my eyes tell me the cockpit is missing.

 

[lakeroadster]

Unmanned drones don't need cockpits. Well played.​

Don't paint it powder blue... ugh.​

​

 

[RobertH3]

There's always a folded cardstock cockpit like interceptor scratch built upgrades. I'll think about it. Light machinery gray and red stripes are sci-fi traditional. Maybe some alternate Starfleet logos with the dagger through Earth for the wings

 

[RobertH3]

Camouflage did her proud. Next step is clear gloss, decals, and then satin. I have a pile o' decals from Sirius I think.

 

[neil_w]

That is looking amazing. Nice work!

 

[RobertH3]

It's now bearable - fairly cool. I just couldn't take the "Earth" decals, cockpit, and ramjet nose cone. I love the fins though.
I think it actually presents better as a larger vehicle. Light Attack Craft, Strikeboat, Corvette...something like that anyway.
Now dressed with some of the nice sci-fi Sirius decals. In dry mode for the satin clear coat.

Strikefighter almost seems like one of those kits Estes did to clear the parts bin. Based on the wings and pods, the designer had something good going on.

Airbrushes have a great secret - if you clean them, they are EASY! Get one, get a piece of posterboard and some paint you don't like, and go to town. Try a tip and needle - adjust air pressure and paint flow until it is good. Try a different one. Etc.
Even the latex will work provided you use the bottled thinner. It will thin with water but won't paint well.
If there was a dang way to make primer lightweight, you could use an airbrush to paint a boost glider. The camo is literally 2-3 teaspoons of paint. The lightest primer I have found so far is Watco clear lacquer - apply, sand, apply, sand, etc. It is work and it's honestly hard to pass up Duplicolor High Build.

Have to wait for a nice day at WSR Rip Rap in Dayton and have a Sci-Fi fly day. GRASS LANDINGS ONLY. Asphalt and gravel need not apply.

1. Semroc Andromeda
2. Sirius Atlantis Refit (nice but a tough build)
3. Converted Estes Strikefighter
4. Estes Interceptor E (wish Aerotech still had the E15W - perfect.
5. Apogee Firefox
6. NewWay Estes Odyssey Retro - when finished.

Cheers / Robert

 

[Cape Byron]

Stunning work.