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Juan Jaramillo Fantastic Tornado GR1

I just want to share my entry to the "Desert Storm GB". This is the 1/48 Italeri Tornado IDS.
First of all, this was mainly an OOB build with a few minor additions of aftermarket stuff.
Things used:
- Italeri kit (of course)
- Paints: -Vallejo Model Air Sand 075
              -Vallejo Model Air Tan 079
              -Vallejo Model Air Black         
              -Vallejo Model Air White
              -Tamiya Sky Gray X-19
               -Alclad Duralluminum
               -Alclad Stainless Steel.
               -PM Dark wash
The rest of the stuff is the regular materials involved in a build (putty, CA glue, etc.)
Aftermarket: -Eduard PE thrust reversers mechanism (between the 2 engine cones)
                    -Neomega MK-10A ejection seats
                    - I had to buy an Airfix kit in order to get the 2 large fuel tanks
                    - Metal pitot probe from ZED Models (Australia)
Ok, enough of crying. Let's go to the point (I'll be brief cause there's too much to say and not enough time before I get on my way to work

First, the model

                 


The simple cockpit from the kit



The pitiful seats from the kit


I tried my best and ended up with this





Not happy enough with the results, I ordered the Neomega seats (I love them), painted them, and got this



Now the cockpit -I'm still crying for not having ordered the whole Neomega pit


Pit with original seats (the Neomega ones were ordered at the end, so, no pics )





Pit inside fuselage halves



This assembly is a little flimsy imho, and it broke off when working with the wash, so I replaced it with a piece of aluminum tube (not pictured, though)



Basic construction steps





A step a wasn't happy about



Wings assembly



This is the only part that I found stupid in this kit. Why those 2 wing pockets had to be split in two parts? what a pain, I hated working'em out



We all know about the 2 nasty gaps here when building this kit with open wings. I scratched built the covers from styrene



This was frustrating for me. I tried Art pen, magnifying glasses and steady hand, nothing gave me a straight looking line for that canopy detonator, so I cut a piece of lead wire, gave it the shape and glued it in the 3 frame spots shown with Gator glue, and...I think it works, what do you think? A little off scale but better than the previous attempts



Canopy masked and put in place



Pre painted



Primer on with Tamiya X-19 Sky gray



Pre-shading





Desert paint (I combined Vallejo Sand and Vallejo Tan at a ratio of 4:1)



White on wheel wells and so forth



Getting there





Hardware



Some belly weathering



Decals on





Boot camp time!!!



A shower after the mud and some "smoke" in the butt



AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.....My baby, the Tornado IDS Desert Storm










 














Well, I hope you enjoy it Promodellers as much as I did. Despite many comments (and I respect them) about this kit being a pain and lots of putty and sanding being used, I have to say that neither one was my case. I know I take my time with my models but I enjoy every piece of progress. I'm not bragging nor stating that I'm a pro (I'm far from it) but this build was pure fun, so much so, that I got another one ready with all the after market stuff available for it ready to go (I'm looking at something like Jelly's Tornado. Btw Jelly, sorry I didn't take your advice to go for the dropped flaps and slats but I chickened out when I had the blade on the wings after it was already painted and almost done, but that's reserved for the next one, you'll see)