1:48 F-105 (F, G) Thunderchief pilots sitting in ejection seats for HobbyBoss kit (2 pcs)

The Thunderchief crew seated in 1:48 scale

This figure accessory captures a pair of airmen of the two-seat Republic F-105 settled in their ejection seats. The figure in the name speaks of two pieces, which matches the tandem layout of the F and G versions. The figures are shaped seated, that is with their legs and arms in the starting position for a cockpit. The accessory is intended for HobbyBoss kits.

What a crew does for a finished model

A slid-back canopy without people looks empty and the viewer loses any sense of the real size of the machine at once. Two seated figures fill the space, give it a comparative scale and at the same time draw attention away from an interior that would otherwise have to bear close inspection down to the last rivet. With two-seat machines this holds doubly true, because an empty rear seat is even more glaring than an empty front one.

The real subject: the two-seat F-105 versions

The Thunderchief was an American supersonic strike aircraft of the 1950s, built for a fast run-in close above the terrain. The F version came about as a two-seat trainer with full equipment, while the later G concentrated on locating ground radar stations and the second man in the rear operated the relevant equipment. Both seats were placed in tandem one behind the other, not side by side.

Recommendations for finishing

• Seat the figures dry first and check that the canopy closes.
• Choose as thin a ground as possible under the paint, otherwise the fine relief of the straps will disappear.
• Build the skin from a darker tone up to lighter peaks.
• Pick out the folds of the flight suit with a weak dark shade.
• A glossy helmet visor creates a welcome contrast to the matte surroundings.
• Finish the rear figure first; the front one will then block the brush.