1/72 Airfix F-84F Thunderstreak Diavoli Rossi
1/72 Airfix F-84F Thunderstreak Diavoli Rossi
Started Feb. 2020
Finished April 2020
The box art on this kit got my attention right away with the super flashy Italian Airforce Red Devil (Diavoli Rossi) demonstration team livery. The decal sheet is the highlight of this kit. The molds are from the 70s so the kit has raised panel lines and a pretty horrible canopy. The fit is actually pretty decent except for the canopy which is too narrow for the fuselage. I added styrene strips to the outside edge of the canopy and faired the styrene in with Mr. Surfacer 500 to make it match the fuselage width better.
The wings fit very well so to simplify painting I painted the fuselage and wings while they were still apart.
To paint the Italian flag colours on the underside of the wings and stabilizers I first airbrushed decanted Tamiya white primer on the under surfaces of the wings and stabilizers. I masked off the white and red areas with Tamiya tape and then airbrushed Tamiya green X-28. More masking and I sprayed the red colour (decanted Tamiya bright red rattle can at the same time I painted the red areas on the fuselage.
I polished the fuselage seams with fine sanding sticks and then Novus plastic polish in preparation for painting. I skipped priming as I find primer adds roughness to a bare metal finish. I masked off the red areas and sprayed the Tamiya bright red at the same time I sprayed the bottom of the wings. Once dry I masked over the red areas and airbrushed very thin Humbrol Metalcote polished aluminum on the fuselage and the top of the wings. I didn’t want to risk masking over the Metalcote to paint the red fuselage areas. Metalcote can pull up when removing masking tape.
The decals went on very well using the Microscale system. The decals are slightly translucent so the many red areas didn’t match the Tamiya Bright Red perfectly. In retrospect I should have used a less intense red to match the decals better.
12 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Tom Cleaver said on July 26, 2020
Nice result from this old ghost of a kit.
Don Weixl said on July 26, 2020
Thanks Tom.
George Schembri said on July 26, 2020
Nice finish Don - I don't know how many times I have seen the Airfix or Italeri Kit for sale but hardly ever have I seen one completed with the Diavoli Rossi scheme.
Well done, and nice interior work.
Don Weixl said on July 27, 2020
Thanks George. The decals actually made this complicated looking scheme quite easy.
Robert Royes said on July 27, 2020
Looks great! It's nice that the decals held up for being that old.
Don Weixl said on July 27, 2020
Robert the decals were flawless. I was impressed.
Allan J Withers said on July 27, 2020
Looks good Don, well done.
Don Weixl said on July 27, 2020
Thanks Allan. Not a great kit but the decals almost make up for it...
John vd Biggelaar said on July 27, 2020
Nice and colorful little red devil, Don.
My compliments for this one.
Don Weixl said on July 27, 2020
Thanks John.
DE4EVER said on July 27, 2020
🙂 … Greetings … 🙂 :
A very different looking F-84 Don, nicely done.
Good work on the finish.
Don Weixl said on July 27, 2020
Thanks!
Spiros Pendedekas said on July 27, 2020
Beautiful result of a classic kit, Don @donweixl.
The scheme rendition really stands out.
Don Weixl said on July 27, 2020
Thanks Spiros. The Italians certainly have style when it comes to demo team paint schemes.
Greg Kittinger said on July 27, 2020
That is quite the scheme! Came out great - well done.
Don Weixl said on July 27, 2020
Thank Greg. Definitely not camouflage...LOL.
James Shepherd said on July 27, 2020
Fantastic colour scheme and shows how it is possible to make a fabulous model from the older material,which I am sure we all have adequate stocks of!
Could set you off on the theme of Aerobatic display teams!
My favourite is the old F86 in Golden Hawks scheme.
Don Weixl said on July 27, 2020
Thanks James. At one point I was planning on building a collection of 1/72 demo team aircraft. I did manage a French Alfa Jet and a Golden Hawks Sabre.
Allan J Withers said on July 28, 2020
There is a group for aerobatic !
Jeff Bailey said on July 31, 2020
Beautiful! Simply beautiful! @donweixl
Don Weixl said on August 3, 2020
Thanks Jeff.