Introduction: Kit Bashing an ATF (All Terran Fighter)
Here is a kit bashed fighter I built some time ago before I began scratch building Star Trek space craft.
Supplies
Tamiya acrylic paints
Testor's enamel paints
Testor's liquid plastic cement
Cyanoacrylate glue
Monogram 1/32 scale F-14 Tomcat kit
ESCI 1/48 scale F-100 Super Sabre kit
X-acto fine saw blade
X-acto knife and #11 blades
Various Garnet sandpaper
Masking tape
Iwata airbrush and compressor
Base:
Cardboard
Clear blue tape
Magic markers
3/8" thk. plywood
Elmer's glue
compass
Step 1: Model Kits
Shown here are the 2 model kits used to make this craft. After examining the parts from both kits, I did a simple sketch of what the craft would look like.
Using the sketch for reference, the F100 fuselage was saw cut in half behind the cockpit. For the engine pods, the F14 aft fuselage was saw cut, then sawed into left and right components. The F100 aft fuselage was reversed and inserted into the front of the engine pods. Rocket fins and refueling probes were used to simulate the guns in front of the engine pods.
The F100 horizontals were used as the verticals on top of each engine pod. Both pods were attached using parts to make pylons from the F14 kit. The landing gear came from the F100 kit and modified. The cockpit was built almost from stock, with a few greeblies thrown in for extra detail. Painting was done with Testor's enamels during the build.
Step 2: Painting and Finishing
Once assembly was complete, minus the canopy, the cockpit was masked off and the fighter was air brushed with grey primer. After drying, small tabs of masking tape were applied over the entire craft. Tamiya light grey was misted on unevenly, to allow the primer to show through in some areas.
The tape tabs were removed and some areas had a light spray of light grey applied. When this coat dried, the fuselage nose and fins were masked and sprayed red. The engine nacelles were sprayed black then mist over sprayed with copper and aluminum. The canopy was painted black on the inside, with yellow and black stripes added on the exterior.
The base was a square piece of plywood with thin cardboard glued on with Elmer's and taped on the corners. Markings were drawn on with magic markers and a compass.
