gianmarco sali

For this project, I used a CMK cockpit, an Aires bomb bay, and Resarm wheels; other details—such as the landing gear, FLIR and DLIR sensors, and gear doors—as well as the bomb bay correction, were produced using my 3D printer.

For the coloring, I used NATO Black as a base and then airbrushed various shades of gray to create gradients where necessary.

To create it, I drew inspiration from the photo I’ve attached; I built the shelter section using plasticard and stones, and painted it with acrylics in various shades.

I will build a small diorama representing the airbase in Saudi Arabia where F-117s were stationed during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

at this stage I glued the landing gear in their place and the landing gear bay doors, I glued the bomb rack beams with the bombs, glued the seat and the Hud

After painting, I applied the decals and sealed them with a coat of gloss varnish; subsequently, I applied a matte finish to everything and weathered the model. In the meantime, I painted the landing gear and their doors, as well as the bomb bay doors and bomb racks. In the next stage, I will assemble all the sub-assemblies and then focus on the diorama.

I started with a base of NATO Black, then worked on the highlights and shadows using black and various shades of gray... further effects will be added after applying all the decals.

Primer work is complete; I’ve fixed all the various imperfections, glued on the photo-etched grilles, and now I’m ready to paint.

I glued the two fuselage halves together, filled and sanded the model, and rebuilt parts of the flaps and exhausts using plasticard.

Hi everyone; in this update, I’ve painted the Aires bomb bay and modified the front profile of the bay itself—which is incorrectly shaped in the kit—using a custom 3D-printed part.

I 3D resin-printed the new FLIR/DLIR sensors, applied a base coat of Mr. Surfacer Black, painted them NATO Black, and performed a black wash and grey dry-brushing; I also applied a mesh pattern inside the clear part, just as it appears in photos of the aircraft.