I fancied doing something a little bigger than the fighter bombers for the US, so I chose the F-111.  This will cover the painting and modelling of the first pair of 429th TFS aircraft.

Research

429th TFS arrived in SEA on 1 October 1972.  They went to Tahkli airbase in Thailand. 

Airframe details are good from a number of sources so we could have any of the following (prefixed with 67-)

The Squadron tailcode on deployment was NB and the aircraft also had a yellow strip on the fin which would provide a splash of colour on an otherwise camouflaged aircraft.  Undersides will be black (which will speed up the painting).  Serial numbers will be using I-94 Enterprises white turret numbers which means I only have to position two decals (one pair and one single) as opposed to three singles.

Armed with this information off I went to Dom's Decals for a single pack (if I didn't like the model there wasn't much point in having loads just yet).  My aim was/is to have upto 8 aircraft which would be enough for one of the Downtown scenarios where they operate as singles against two airfields at Kep and Hoa Lac.  For Thud Ridge 4 aircraft would be enough if I wanted to game just one/some of the raids.  Okay nothing goes as planned I also added a pair of B-52s to the order and will detail those after these F-111s

While waiting for the postman for both the models and some new flight stands from Litko Aero http://www.litkoaero.com/page/LAI/CTGY/AFS , I started thinking about the stands themselves.  I will have a mix of both the acrylic clear ones with acrylic rod as well as all my older brass rod tubes.  So it is probably time to retire the brass ones. But, it means I will have to go back and look at some rare earth magnets.  I have used a couple on the "larger" models such as the RA-5 Vigilante so have plenty for this project. But will then wonder about updating the rest.  Ah the curse of wargaming, you are never finished.

Anyway, 23rd April and in the post 2 F-111 and a pair of B-52s.  Quick shot straight from the packet flash and all.

Cleaned up with file and knife ready for undercoat (Yes I have put the B-52 together as well, just waiting for some miliput to cover the wing joints and this can join in the undercoat session as well).

Undercoating and block painting were relatively easy.  I used Vallejo reflective green as the base and then built up from there.

I have a PDF version of the USAF painting and marking instructions which includes a page for the F-111 in the SEA scheme which give me the detail of what it looks like.  Air War Hanoi has a view of an F-111 from above which follows the same scheme in the guide so I was onto a winner.  After  the green I added the sand and then tidied it up with the dark green.  I use GW acrylics (because I have loads and they cover well) for both these colours.

Final Inking of the panel lines, then re-blacked any over painted areas and finally, added the cockpit colours.  Now just waiting for the decals and fin stripes to go.

Now finished the second of the 'varks.  Haven't added the decals but will do that tomorrow in my lunch hour.  Have a B-52 which is 90% done.  It needs to be reblacked and decals applied.

In a moment of madness I thought I would finish the decals at work from memory.  Why did I decide that USAF serial numbers were 4 digits.  Doh!

Hot water and a scalpel saved the day, just, but now a little untidy.  I will learn for the next ones.  Also did the B-52 to find a couple of minor problems.  Dom doesn't do a 50" national insignia the largest is 48" so I am looking for a substitute method (right for scale but doesnt "look right").  The same applies to the USAF on the right wing, which again is too small (largest from Dom is 48" and it should be 60".  Need to have a look at the 1/300 ranges and halve down otherwise it might need a trip to I-94 Enterprises (which I will need for red numbering on the B-52 tail) or make my own up again (I need U.S. AIRFORCE for the KC-135 that I am doing).

67-0059 and 67-0083 in formation.

Just waiting for the next steps.  With the work I have been doing on home made decals for my USN aircraft I have finally got around to adding the last details for the F-111s 

The last bit that now needs doing is just a tidy up where the decals meet from both sides, but overall I am quite pleased with these.  They have been given a once over with varnish and then a dusting of Dullcote.