Thanks Allan (@kalamazoo) & Tom (@tcinla)
I'm afraid to put this down because I'll probably not go back to it - just like the original build.
Looking at the decals though, I guess there are noticeable difference between an F-5B and a T-38A.
The 'back spine' decal doesn't line up well. Issue is that if the front portion is lined up with he front canopy, then there is a big gap behind the rear canopy which actually gets bigger when the canopy is in place. If I line up the 'spine decal' with the trailing rear canopy I would need trimming in the front and then it would not reach far back enough. UGH --- or it could just be the decals? I don't know.
Does the T-38 have more similarities with a F-5F than an F-5B - or is the T-38 just a completely different aircraft?
But things are moving along.
I wasn't sure just how thick the Decal Film can be applied, but now I guess I wasn't applying enough and some serious cracking indicated the decals were still fragmenting when dipped in water, so I applied multiple coats; however, I later found that even with thicker applications the decal film dried up and was barely noticeable. One thing I did observe was that trimming of the Decal Film was required or else excess clear decal film tailings were experienced.
I am thinking of making a stand and showing the model 'in flight' so the colourful bottom is visible. I am tying to hunt down some thin acrylic rods to extend out of the rear exhaust. I think I have a nice wooden base that will look okay.
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
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1.
2. Lining up at the front means larger gap behind rear canopy.
3. Trailing portion should extend past the start of Red Tail colours but looks like it sits too far back
