F-15DJ Japanese Aggressor by Piero Di Santis (Hasegawa 1/48)

F-15DJ Aggressor

by Piero De Santis

F-15DJ Japanese Aggressor

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Introduction

When in the 1998 I bought a copy of "World Air Power Journal" n°9 featuring the "McDD F-15 Eagle", I opened the central folder page and I said "that will be my next kit!"

In common with many of my other projects, 4 years passed after that exclamation, and in the meantime "Twobobs" help me with their decal to start this "monster" in 1/48th scale.

The subject is the ex-McDD now Boeing F-15DJ "Eagle", used by the "Japan Air Self Defence Force" (JASDF), and in this case specifically in the "aggressor" role. The "JASDF" has both F-15J single-seat and F-15DJ double-seat, build under licence by "Mitsubishi". The F-15DJ was start to be used as "aggressor" in the 1990s, and 82-8065 was one of the first.

This particular machine received a black-camouflage pattern over the standard "light and medium ghost greys" camouflage. With his black camouflage it was nicknamed as "KURO", that in Japanese should mean "Black".

As for "Kuro", others F-15DJ received different camouflage pattern, and each one received a nickname: "92-8068" was "Midori" because it was painted in green ("midori" in Japanese)… and so on.

Those F-15DJs are based at Nyutabaru air-base in Japan, with the Hiko Kyodo-tai (Aggressor Squadron".

I don't want expend too many words to the real F-15 "Eagle", because information can be found everywhere in books, magazines, websites, movies.

Construction

There are many 1/48 scale modelling options from Hasegawa, Monogram, Revell, Academy… I don't remember if Fujimi make it. I used the original Hasegawa box dedicated to the D/DJ versions, that does not included the decals for the "aggressor" aircraft. Recently Hasegawa put on the marked a specific box of this kit with a decal sheet where is possible to find almost all the Japanese F-15DJs "aggressor".

The F-15 family from Hasegawa are moulded in the typical light grey plastic, not really soft, but with recessed panel lines and good details. Unfortunately, the overall fit of the kit parts are not so good. A lot of Tamiya bi-component filler was used along the fuselage and the wings joint. I decide to use "some" extra parts from the aftermarket: resin ACES II seat and exhaust nozzles: seats come from Pavla and nozzles come from Aires.

The only one "non-Hasegawa" plastic part is the AIM-9L "acquisition" missile that come from a Monogram AV-8B.

I also added 4 etched chaff&flare launchers under each jet intakes, beside the front AIM-7 rails.

Painting and Markings

As I said before, the F-15DJ has the "ghost greys": I sprayed an overall coat of "light ghost grey" FS36375/Humbrol 127, then I spayed thinned black along the panel lines for pre-shading. Again a coat of "light ghost grey" Humbrol 127.

Now I attached the transparent paper masks, already cut following the grey pattern, over the kit using "blue-tack". This time I sprayed the "medium ghost grey" FS36320/Humbrol 128. Again using the transparent paper mask I covered the greys areas and I sprayed the black Humbrol 33.

Panel lines were highlighted using black ink, and I used a scriber to pick-up the grey paint on the panel lines along the "mobile" surfaces previously over-painted black. Interior cockpit colour is grey FS36231 (Humbrol 140). Seats are black. Undercarriage legs and bays are white.

Now the kit is ready for the decal process: a coat of Future to "shiny" surface… take a long breath… and look at the decal sheet from "Twobobs"… AAAARGH!

I don't remember so many little-stencils on the previous kits I build… but this is one of the reason why I like so much this aircraft.

Fortunately, decals are well printed and ready to use soon after immersion in the water… just 5 seconds, no more.

At the end of this "job", another coat of "Future" and a final coat of "Matt Coat" from Humbrol.

I left open the speed-airbrake and the canopy, which needs a "delicate" work to remove the moulded plastic line along the centre.

As book-reference I used the "WAPJ" n°9, the "Aero Detail" n°3 dedicated to the F-15J/DJ and the special "Model Art - JASDF Camouflage & Markings", plus various "Koku Fan".

Conclusion

At the end I'm very happy to have this big-strange-aggressor in my collection.

Just a consideration: maybe, if I ever build another F-15DJ, I will opted for the Revell F-15E as stater kit, because it should be easy to convert in a DJ, and better than the Hasegawa for overall fit and fidelity to the real one.

CIAO!
Piero.

P.S.: A special thanks go to my friends Antonio and Marco for their invaluable support and information on this project. Grazie!