F-15E Build Thread

[mwilson914]

What? Too soon? I can work on three models at once if I want to....or 12. Don't judge me.

[jeffpn]

http://www.knifeedge.com/forums/show...ect#post195462
http://www.knifeedge.com/forums/show...498#post189498

[Wingman57]

Hooray! I.m glad that you are going
To do this plane.

WM57

[fender1]

Ah finnally a F-15.

[mwilson914]

I'll post a screenshot of the little progress I've made. Today, there has and will be nothing I believe. I was out flying my real RC aircraft at our back-up field today for about 5 hours. Our normal field was taken over by Ford shooting a national commercial of their new trunks roaring through the rolling field. That sucks not to have our field, but at least it went to something other than the Seattle Dog Show people which I don't get along with very well. They don't like me either and that makes me happy.

I am once again missing my landing gear on my E-Flite SU-26m Sukhoi 480. Since our back-up field is just that (a back-up), and we are mostly heli flyers, the back-up field works fine when flying heli's and also gliders--Things don't don't require a rolling landing. However, my E-Flite Sukhoi requires a smooth runway. Gopher holes which cannot be seen in the grass tend to rip landing gears off of planes coming in for perfect landings. It actually was one of my better looking landings and I didn't know it ripped my wheel gear brace away from the fuselage until I picked it up.

My wife said to me when I showed her the damage; "Oooh Fun! You'll get to fix something." For those of you that don't know my wife, I can assure you this was said out of complete sincerity as my wife knows me well. The plane will cost me nothing to fix sinice I have EVERYTHING to fix it or even build many new planes if I wanted. I love fixing broken heli's and airplanes. I'm one of the younger men that fly, but I am more old school in the fact that I won't fly anything but built up covered fuselages, with the exception of ultra-micro aircraft. It's more of the hobby to me than actually flying to be honest. I guess that's why I spend more time making models for Realflight than I do flying in Realflight. LOL.

[mwilson914]

Tonight's progress.

I've worked on the fuselage for 40 minutes now. This is my 3rd attempt and I'm finally happy with the results. I tried two seperate new techniques the first two times and the results were ugly. I could have spent a LOT of work on the first attempt and could have made it look good, but it would have been time consuming. The 2nd attempt was creating individual rib sections and bridge each one together. I tried that yesterday and it was horrible.

[Maj. Numbskully]

Originally Posted by fender1

Ah finnally a F-15.

well actually there has always been one for sometime
that being said
I'm SURE this one will be an improvement

[mwilson914]

Originally Posted by Maj. Numbskully

well actually there has always been one for sometime
that being said
I'm SURE this one will be an improvement

There is the F-15 from the free Add-ons (Add-ons 3). It most resembles the F-15C Eagle from it's dimensions to the CS which is the paint sceme of the 27th fighter squadron. This same paint scheme may be on other F-15s located at other bases throughout the county, but I don't know that for sure.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned in the past that the F-15 is my favorite fighter or not. The E version is my favorite and there are many physical differences between the C and the E versions--the most visible is the enlarged fuel tanks on the sides. So, I am creating the first F-15E in Realflight. Don't be surprised if it takes a very long time to complete this model.

[Cowpig]

Originally Posted by mwilson914

There is the F-15 from the free Add-ons (Add-ons 3). It most resembles the F-15C Eagle from it's dimensions to the CS which is the paint sceme of the 27th fighter squadron. This same paint scheme may be on other F-15s located at other bases throughout the county, but I don't know that for sure.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned in the past that the F-15 is my favorite fighter or not. The E version is my favorite and there are many physical differences between the C and the E versions--the most visible is the enlarged fuel tanks on the sides. So, I am creating the first F-15E in Realflight. Don't be surprised if it takes a very long time to complete this model.

Don't forget tandem seats.

I believe the E model is called the Strike Eagle.

[mwilson914]

Here is today's progress. Don't worry about me and the details Cowpig. I've been doing research on the F-15E for over 10 years now. I've built a fine scale model which I spent approx 150 hours on detailing the cockpit and everything. I did a lot of airbrushing and precise weathering. Unfortunately thanks to moves and family, my F-15E is in many pieces piled in a box. At least this time around, I have a red reset button when my kids decide to kock it off it's display with a ball from the top shelf.

[Maj. Numbskully]

Originally Posted by mwilson914

when my kids decide to kock it off it's display with a ball from the top shelf.

Least I'm not the only one..............sometimes I know why lions eat their kids

[mwilson914]

Today's Progress...

[DEMON(SPb)]

Looks great, Matt.
Will you put some nav gadgets in your plane?

[mwilson914]

Originally Posted by DEMON(SPb)

Looks great, Matt.
Will you put some nav gadgets in your plane?

I'm not sure yet, but it's definitely a possibility. I'm going to hold off on any set plans as I have certain details I'm really excited about making. I'm just over 2,500 triangles, so I'm just focusing on keeping it very low poly until the modeling is further along. This model is taking a lot of time just moving individual vertexes around one by one. I really want to get the intricate curves of the aircraft correct as quickly as I can, so the best way is to work on it slowly.

The down side is I spent so much time getting the fuselage correct between the air intakes and the cockpit exterior and somehow managed to mangle the wireframe a little. It isn't in bad shape though and it is actually looking better than the Gripen did originally. That part of the Gripen was a total mess for a while and it took me a good long time to figure out how to fix it. I learned a lot though.

[Cowpig]

Originally Posted by DEMON(SPb)

Looks great, Matt.
Will you put some nav gadgets in your plane?

Also, are you going/considering to put that dual-fan blade thing like in your Gripen?