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Ambush 07, F/A-18C Flanker, VFC-12 1/48th Hasegawa


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After the long weekend at Fairford I started painting the main scheme on a test piece last night only to discover the Xtracolor paints I got for the scheme don't match the decals or the real aircraft colours!!

I don't fancy mixing paints but can anyone suggest another paint brand that has the required blue shades?

This is a real set back!

Shaun :weep:

Edited by Shaun
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Finally started to paint the build, this one has fought a little to get to this stage. I tried Humbrol no1 primer on this one, what a mistake! :angry:

It sprayed O.K, but dried to a very course finish. Normal a quick rub with some cloth will buff up the surface, not this stuff! I had to wet and dry sand the whole model and then the residue dried to a hard paste which then needed sanding and washing again. :wall:

Anyway here is the model after all the hassle with the primer coat-

Primeraftersanding_zps3a9f7a2f.jpg

Last night got the preshade on, I used Revel No9 for preshade work.

Preshade_zps9cafc1b9.jpg

Now onto the the main painting and mixing the paint to match the decals and scheme, as the paints/brands I got don't match the tin lids :banghead:

Shaun.

Edited by Shaun
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Good work Shaun, I'm sure you'll get 'er done in time!

Dave

I'll try,been short of spare time lately.

I've started painting the main scheme now, hopefully post some WIP in progress pics soon (there on the camera)

Shaun.

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Time for a photo update-

After trying to match the FS numbers and failing miserably with a couple of paint brands :wall: , a trip to the local model shop provided a tin of Humbrol 40 Gloss light blue. This is the closest paint I've found so far for the main light blue. ;)

First areas to paint were the white bits on the nose and tail-

F-18whitebits_zpsa20df750.jpg

Then onto the light blue sections-

Paintedunderside_zps48bed0d1.jpg

lightbluetopside_zpsc17d2f3e.jpg

Next stage will be the grey patched, then to mix paint to match the impossible to find/match darker blue colour

Feeling happier with the build now, with some paint on the airframe :D

Shaun.

Edited by Shaun
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The bird is still in the paint barn.

I was planing a WIP progress of the painting but painting plan A, did not work as planned :fraidnot:

We are now on plan B, so probley no photo's until the model emerges from the spray booth :whistle:

I've had a real problem matching the decals to paint, so have had to compromise a little on this. Oh well, the joys of modelling.

Shaun.

Edited by Shaun
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Time for an update-

Main scheme now done,a few small detail bits to do and it's ready for the Klear coat and decals.

Ambushcamotopside_zpsa70f9c4f.jpg

Ambushundersidepainted_zps4d434e8d.jpg

Dead line time is approaching, just hope I make the finish line?

Anyone have any pics or know how the front cloth FOD covers are attached over the intakes?

Shaun.

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I don't have a non-copyrighted pic for you, but I can describe the attachment, or if my attempts at being understood are too muddled, send me your e-mail address and I'll send you a good pic showing how it looks.

The middle of the cover is held in place by a pin that pops into a retractable hole on the outside of the intake. That hole is at the back of the vee shape that the cover makes at the centre back; inside the intake danger decal, and a bit above centre (i.e. in the vee of the decal's lines, but above centre and forward of the apex of the vee).

From there, the covers stretch around the front of the intakes, and the top and bottom inside corners are held in place by bungee cords that are hooked into small holes in the airframe (one under the LEX about 2 feet aft of the intake, and the other under the intake forward of the wheel well, roughly halfway toward the wheel well from the intake).

Confused?

ALF

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I don't have a non-copyrighted pic for you, but I can describe the attachment, or if my attempts at being understood are too muddled, send me your e-mail address and I'll send you a good pic showing how it looks.

The middle of the cover is held in place by a pin that pops into a retractable hole on the outside of the intake. That hole is at the back of the vee shape that the cover makes at the centre back; inside the intake danger decal, and a bit above centre (i.e. in the vee of the decal's lines, but above centre and forward of the apex of the vee).

From there, the covers stretch around the front of the intakes, and the top and bottom inside corners are held in place by bungee cords that are hooked into small holes in the airframe (one under the LEX about 2 feet aft of the intake, and the other under the intake forward of the wheel well, roughly halfway toward the wheel well from the intake).

Confused?

ALF

No, that all makes sense. I have a few pics I have found just wanted to confirm how they are fitted.

Next question for you- What locations have pins and warning flags attached on a parked Hornet? Undercarriage, hook, pylons etc

Shaun.

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Thanks for the comments on the paint work, a lot of effort but I'm pleased with the results.

Here's another pic of the top side-

Topsidecamodone_zps704b10dd.jpg

This dead line is getting tight, not sure we will make the end date? Bank holiday coming up but I've got family thing to do.

Shaun.

Edited by Shaun
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No, that all makes sense. I have a few pics I have found just wanted to confirm how they are fitted.

Next question for you- What locations have pins and warning flags attached on a parked Hornet? Undercarriage, hook, pylons etc

Shaun.

Shaun

For an American Hornet, there may be some differences in procedure when it comes to which flags and pins are installed at various stages of "putting the aircraft to bed" or when parked on the flight line. What is the same, however, would be the locations and types of protective equipment.

When ours were parked ready for the pilot's walkaround, we left 4 pins installed on the airframe (tail hook, and one per gear), plus the two pins in the cockpit (canopy jettison and ejection handle). I have been told by USN pilots that they typically do not insert the seat pin, because this series of seats have a safe/arm handle on the right armrest that prevents inadvertent ejection.

The tail hook pin is around the attachment point mid-way along the hook itself. In this pic of my 1/32 Hornet build from a few years ago, you can see what it looks like (but the location is not precise - this one is too far forward).

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm175/danmcw/P1010300.jpg

The wheel strut pins (I hadn't finished twisting the copper wire yet):

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm175/danmcw/P1010303.jpg

The nosewheel pin is installed at the point where the "drag brace" (the part that goes up and aft from the wheels) meets the vertical strut.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm175/danmcw/P1010380.jpg

In the cockpit, there is a pin that goes into the base of the ejection handle, and has a long remove before flight (RBF) flag that ends in an elastic "noose" that drapes over the top of the control stick to help remind the pilot the pin is installed. The pin for the canopy jettison goes at the base of the yellow and black handle (handle shown here, but no pin installed).

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm175/danmcw/P1010285.jpg

For other protection, there are of course intake and exhaust covers, and pitot boom covers that are very typical (L-shaped red cloth). Often, the two pitot covers are linked together by a cream-coloured bungie cord that stretches between the two pitot booms and holds the two covers in place by tension.

If the wings are folded, there can be pins installed under the wing, near the fold itself, with RBF flags.

Missiles will have hard plastic magnetic covers (AIM-9 series only, not AMRAAM or AIM-7) on the seeker heads and a red sheath around the target detector section near the front fins (red, with RBF flag).

Other weapons may have other pins and flags, but fuel tanks don't have pins.

Finally, an F/A-18A will have this "beer can" (little orange tit that pops out when twisted, just forward of the electrical panel and aft of the ID light) that electrically safes the gun. On F/A-18Cs, this is also present, but there is also a second beer can for the chaff/flare dispenser electrical safety in the same area.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm175/danmcw/P1010291.jpg

Hope this helps.

ALF

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Unfortunately time has beaten me on this one, I'm half way though the decals so I reckon another week and it maybe done?

I rushed a few stages (Klear coat runs!!) and made a few mistakes so had to do a bit of back tracking which cost a few days/nights of progress and this weekend I've have friends staying so no time for the build. :(

Can admin move my WIP to the normal WIP section so I can continue to update my build progress. :thumbsup2:

Shaun.

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