1/48th Academy T-33A
I just completed this 1/48th model of a T-33A that was assigned to the 157th TFS of the SC ANG. They were based at McEntire ANGB, SC. At the time that unit was equipped with the F-102 Delta Dagger.
The model is an Academy T-33A which was a fun build with no serious problems encountered while working with it. The kit cockpit is a bit sparse as are the wheel wells but there's enough there to work with. The finish is all Model Master paints and the decals were out of ye ole decal stash box with the exception of the tail markings. Using my photo of the real T-33 as a guide I took the Draw decal 1/72nd sheet for the F-102A in SC ANG markings and pieced it together to replicate the markings seen on the tail of the T-33A. A bit tedious but it achieved the goal. The serial number was pieced together from the 1/48th F-102A Draw decal sheet which gave a nice set of black numbers so a particular aircraft serial number could be produced. I'm considering my next build to be a 1/48th F-102A in SC ANG markings to go along with the T-33A seen here. Academy produced a nice kit that with a little TLC can be made into a nice model addition to your collection.
7 additional images. Click to enlarge.
That's a pretty nice looking T-33 Jim. Well done I say and nice job on piecing together those tail numbers.
Thanks Tom, it was a fun build but it did take a bit of patience to get those tail markings right.
Love the venerable T-bird! You did a great job with this.
Thanks Greg, it was a good kit to work with.
Nice and clean looking Shooting Star, Jim.
Well done.
Thank you very much John.
Looks amazing Jim, and great job with the decals!
Thanks George. it took a bit of patience to get thru those tail markings.
Amazing job, Jim!
Kudos to your fin decal job!
Thank you Spiros.
I'll add to the echos, nice work piecing all these markings together, looks perfect.
Thanks John K. and it took a while to put those tail markings on the bird. Draw decals were a pleasure to work with.
Nice work, Jim. I love ANG planes.
Thanks John H. and I share your appreciation for ANG planes
My god, man! Don't you know the Academy T-33 is an unbuildable mess? 🙂
Pretty nice result with said "unbuildable mess." I like it a lot.
Hello Tom and thanks for your comments. I didn't realize that kit had a reputation of being an 'unbuildable mess'. I must have missed that kit review. Actually it went together quite smoothly. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the canopy fit well either open or closed. That's a rare quality among models.
It's considered such over at the Central Office of Those Who Will Never Be Satisfied, i.e., "The other place."
All in all it turned out very well, just shows what you can do with a little perseverance, definitely liked.
Thank you George, much appreciated.
Jim, what a fine replica of a real bird as shown with the accompanying photo of the real bird. The Hobbycraft/Academy family of kits are indeed nice models when tweaked a bit by us builders. The decal work is certainly impressive so additional high fives for that and the paintwork. We're gonna miss Model Master down the road. Looking forward to seeing the completed F-102.
Best, Clark
Thanks Clark, glad you liked it. I'm a bit partial to USN/USMC aircraft, especially in GSB, but that T-33 fired my rocket enough to want to do another USAF bird, the F-102A from the SC ANG as a companion to it. I haven't built a Monogram F-102 since my earlier years of modeling so I'm looking forward to a bit of nostalgia working with it.
Very Nice! Belgium also had some T-33 in the early jet days!
Thank you Michel.