Custom painted 1:18 Aircraft TKO UPDATED 1/02 F-14 Vandy 1

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:12 am

Cool Zach you may have stepped on to a nice little money making niche for you.

Light.Inf.Scout · Post by **Light.Inf.Scout** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:19 am

No kidding...you can go into business for yourself.

tko211 · Post by **tko211** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:29 am

LOL you guys kill me! If anyone is interested in my vinyl stencils though just give me a shout. I think we can set something up that would allow those that want to do this kind of work has vinyl to do so. My sister would obviously need to make sure that she makes some kind of money to cover the cost of the vinyl and the time to cut it all, but it's all very minor. Vinyl is pretty cheap and the stencils typically take up very little room on a sheet.

If anyone is seriously considering this, just PM me and I will start to set up something!

Dauntless · Post by **Dauntless** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 4:00 pm

I am definitely interested TKO.

Love to see the process. That would be choice, thanks.

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:49 pm

Zach just four words "feed your junkie monkey"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aviatornut.com · Post by **Aviatornut.com** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:09 am

TKO your Israeli Air Force F-16C/D 105 Scorpions Squadron is AMAZING!! That has to be one of my favorite customs I have seen.

I did see the custom F18 that Merrit did and it looks cool but it was not that impressive. I hope your turns out better.

tko211 · Post by **tko211** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:43 pm

Here is the F-18! Once again I was down right sick of grey schemes on these modern birds so I went with an Aggressor. Specifically the Navy fighter Composite 12 group, the "Fighting Omars" the following is taken from the VFC-12 website.

The unique challenge of VFC-12's mission has made the Fighting Omars one of the most if not the most sought after aviation duty assignments in the Navy. Because of this distinction, only the best of the best fly as adversary instructor pilots in VFC-12. The squadron is made up of all "Cruise Veteran" F-14 or F/A-18 pilots hand picked for their tactical aerial acumen and are graduates of the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN). Highly skilled and qualified in the art of aerial combat.

Some cool features of this scheme is that the F-18's have unique markings on the tails, wings, and upper and lower engine areas designed to make the Hornet appear more like a MiG-29 or even a Flanker. The low vis grey on the leading edge and on the downward angle on the tails achieve this nicely. The top side engine vent markings and the underside black painted areas simulate a more forward engine position. The extended white painted nose completes this effective disguise.

As usual, I masked off the windows, marker lights, and other various markings that I felt I could reuse from the Golden Dragons Scheme. Then the camo paint was applied using Model Master paint run through an airbrush. The light color is Russian Top Side Blue and the darker color is a custom mix of Flanker Blue / Grey, some blue and some white. once dried the aircraft was weathered slightly and then the markings are my usual painted on method using the vinyl masks.

This one is my new favorite with the F-16 and Russian Spit tied for second. The Fighting Omars also run other single seat and two seat aggressor F-18's in the same design and pattern but using a light tan and brown scheme. Another being run in shades of light grey and dark Grey. This plane looks so good in person. My lame photo capability just does not do this one justice I afraid. -Enjoy the pics... I need to get back to some more projects now!

tko211 · Post by **tko211** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:59 pm

Here are some in action photos of the actual plane. Note that depending on the time of the photo the stars have sometimes appeared in Black, Grey, or the opposite shade of contrast camo... I went with Black on my model.

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 6:34 pm

Not bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

STUKA · Post by **STUKA** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:25 pm

amazing - now I really want an F-18

Sabrefan · Post by **Sabrefan** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:22 pm

Beautiful work TKO......wow!

pokeyjtc · Post by **pokeyjtc** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:24 pm

Your customs just keep getting better. Great work, that Hornet is gorgeous!

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 7:49 am

Just keep them coming

Killerf6 · Post by **Killerf6** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 9:51 am

Beautiful work tko.

popeye357 · Post by **popeye357** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 5:17 pm

Thats much prettier than BBI's upcoming aggressor scheme!! Great job!!

normandy · Post by **normandy** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 6:28 pm

TKO, That's just outstanding! I really like the camo scheme of the Fighting Omars F-18's. It does give the illusion of looking like a Mig and your custom painting looks like the real deal! Oh and there's nothing wrong with your photography skills.
Keep up the Great work, Normandy.

Aviatornut.com · Post by **Aviatornut.com** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 7:02 pm

looks great! !! keep it up!

olifant · Post by **olifant** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 7:57 pm

(chanting)

MORE!MORE!MORE!MORE!MORE!MORE!MORE!MORE!MORE!MORE!MORE!

(pretty please)

Coreyeagle48 · Post by **Coreyeagle48** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 12:25 am

TKO

That F-18 looks great! From that front view you took and the color scheme, I thought it was a Flanker! That was the first picture that loaded for me and I was even fooled.

That's really great!

Corey

flyboy_fx · Post by **flyboy_fx** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 4:07 pm

WOW

TKO what type of paint do you use and what brand

AlloySkull · Post by **AlloySkull** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 4:19 pm

TKO That is really slick. That is simply amazing. Hats off to you.

supersonicfifi · Post by **supersonicfifi** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:49 am

waow ! nice F 18 ! really hope BBI will go for the sand/brown agressor scheme ! but the blue one you did s AWESOME !
I wish to see a picture of all your customs side by side : what a flight line !
GREAT work

tko211 · Post by **tko211** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:16 am

flyboy_fx wrote:WOW TKO what type of paint do you use and what brand

I use Tamiya Surface Primer as the first step in the painting process.

I use Tamiya spray paint for a base color. (whatever scheme I do depends on the color that I use as a base)

I use Testors Model Master paints (enamel) through a badger airbrush. (camo & weathering)

I use Tamiya spray paints for the masked off markings (final step)

I use Tamiya Flat clear or Semi-Gloss clear or Gloss Clear as a final sealer to the paint... Except for metallic planes (silver) and such.... I don't like how the sealers work on the metallic paints.

tko211 · Post by **tko211** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:20 am

Coreyeagle48 wrote:TKO

That F-18 looks great! From that front view you took and the color scheme, I thought it was a Flanker! That was the first picture that loaded for me and I was even fooled.

That's really great!

Corey

Yeah, I totally know what you mean. Interesting how when you place some paint in specific locations how much it can change the appearance of a plane. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try this out for myself.

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 8:36 pm

WE need more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Feed the monkey's junkie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Small Scale Military Headquarters

Custom painted 1:18 Aircraft TKO UPDATED 1/02 F-14 Vandy 1

GREAT !