Trumpeter 1/72 F-105D - done despite ALL my bungling

This model is an argument against rushing to get a model done for a contest; Richmond's Old Dominion Open is tomorrow and I wanted to get this done. So, in my careless rush, I made a bunch of screw ups that actually increased the time it took to finish this thing. If you want a laugh or empathize read the list at the end of the pics.

The kit itself is ok, but it's nothing special. No real fit issues. Detail, is simplified in areas, especially in the cockpit. If you already have the Revell/Monogram 1/72nd 105, don't get this one and think you're upgrading. The only advantage this kit has is recessed panel lines, but I think the rivets are a bit overdone. I don't whine about shape problems but if I did I think the nose may be on the narrow side. That's not to say I "know" that is; it just looks like it to me. But I like the finished kit andit does look like a Thud. Decals are MicroScale, paints are Model Master










1. I got the angle wrong on one of the main struts, so I pulled the parts out before the CA gell set and then tried to clean the CA out of the locating holes before it dried but wasn't fast enough to clean out 2 of them. In redrilling the holes, I drilled through the top wing....twice...but only because I thought the top of the gear well was part of the lower wing. I was wrong....twice.

2. Broke off the nose cone while half done spraying the camouflage. It's only a butt fit, so to improve the strength and prevent a re-pop, I fitted it with a piece of brass rod and drilled a hole in the front of the fuselage to take the brass. It gave the nose cone more strength, but also introduced plastic shavings into the cockpit, which already had the canopy glued in place. The vacuum cleaner and a Bounce anti cling sheet took care of most of it. Had to clean up the seam too, which meant I had to do some respraying.

3. Painted the nose cone with an old jar of flat black paint. It was still tacky after 3 days. I masked over it anyway. Why? Because I was in a hurry. The tape screwed up the paint so I had to respray the nose cone, which meant masking off the front of the fuselage because the camouflage painting was done. The spraying went fine, but removing the low-tack Kibuki tape removed several large patches of camouflage pattern on the right side. Sand, clean, respray the fuselage.

4. Broke off the pitot tube....twice. Finally reinforced it with a piece of wire.