CAF/RCAF CF-18 history in 1/72

[Peter W]

That looks really smart and convincing weathering, looking forward to seeing the rest now.

Pete

[ALF18]

Great detail job in this tiny scale - it's clear you're way younger than I am!

FYI, here is some explanation of the types of wingtip store you might see on a CF-18:

AIM-9M (live) - these are the grey ones with yellow and burnt orange bands identifying the explosives in the warhead and rocket motor sections

CATM-9M - Captive Air Training Missile (AIM-9M). This is a blue tube with a real seeker head installed at the front. Blue for inert rear section. Canada always used blue tubes for these; USAF and other air forces might use a grey tube with blue bands showing that it is inert. Canadian AIM-9 CATMs were like yours in this build at first; grey tail fins, and dark-coloured forward (guidance) fins. In later years, we took to flying with the tail fins removed, and eventually the guidance fins were removed as well, resulting in a blue tube with a dark seeker head on the front, and no fins. So one tiny critique on the CATM-9s you have installed: the forward fins should be a gunmetal colour, not a light grey.

DATM-9M - Dummy Air Training Missile (AIM-9M). This is a blue tube with a blue warhead, and fins may be installed as per the CATM. The seeker head is not active (this is the Dummy part). Why carry it? Usually only on a 2-seat CF-18, and especially when it is configured with a centreline tank only for underwing/fuselage stores. The dual (but not the single) CF-18 has some Angle of Attack (AOA) restrictions when loaded with asymmetric wingtip stores, because the bigger canopy reduces longitudinal stability and renders it more vulnerable to departure from controlled flight at high AOA. So when you fly a dual with a CATM, you would likely have a DATM installed on the opposite wingtip to remove those AOA restrictions when air fighting.

ACMI or ACMR/I pod - (Air Combat Manouevring Instrumentation or Range Instrumentation). The older versions were grey tubes with a pitot tube at the front (long, skinny and metal coloured), and no fins. Older versions were dependent on ground receiver and recording stations to gather the flight data for debrief; Canada only had one instrumented range and it was in Cold Lake. We would sometimes deploy to Florida or elsewhere where the USAF had a range, and we would borrow USAF pods for use down there. Nowadays, we have "untethered" pods that use GPS data for positioning and have on-board recording ability, which is then synchronised with the precise GPS-based timing on the recordings, and replayed at a portable ground debrief station. These pods are different in that they have large metal antennae (loops) near the front, but still have the pointing pitot tube out front.

BLOS comms - Beyond Line Of Sight communications pod. This is brand new, looks a lot like an ACMI pod, but incorporates a satellite communications receiver that retransmits on a radio-frequency band so that the pilot can talk via his on-board radios and a satellite link with controllers many miles away. I saw one of these in a kiosk at the airshow in Bagotville this summer, and was fooled into thinking it was ACMI at first glance. I don't know the official name; BLOS comms was the name of the project to acquire this capability eons ago when I flew the aircraft.

I love the weathering job. For the era, at 410, the aircraft were never this dirty, but the effect is very typical of a modern CF-18's appearance.

ALF

[-Neu-]

Thanks guys! I'm noticing that the enddate for the gb is fast approaching so I'm going to need to push a little to get #3 and #4 done. Unfortunately I don't think #5 will happen so I'll have to decide if I'll do a 409 squadron bird for my friend or an OP Kinetic/Echo aircraft. I installed the last of the flap covers last night on #3 and almost finished decalling #2. Unfortunately I leave for vacation next week so its going to be really tight. Tonight will be a big night if I can get all of #2's decals done and sealed... and #3 completed and painted.

Alf: thanks for this. Myself selfish reason for getting you on here was for all of this great information and insight. I thought was being restrained with the weathering! I guess my plans for other aircraft is going to be scaled back. I wonder if the lights make it a little more stark. For the CATM DATMs I copied the colours from the images you sent to me. The guidance fins are metallic... its like a bronzish titanium rather than gunmetal. I was actually more worried about the tail fins... I made them the same colour as the undersides and the AIM-7s and I'm not sure if that is correct from the photo. However I was just in the mood to get it done so I didn't ask.

[ALF18]

Neu

I decided not be shy, given that your ulterior motive for getting me to participate in this GB (lurking or building, machts nichts) was to garner information.

Admittedly, in some lighting, the forward fins can look a bit lighter, like in this pic (Canadian Forces Combat Camera photos in this post):

This one, further back, shows that the front fins are significantly darker than the rear ones. The rear fins are very close to FS 36375 (the light grey lower colour of the CF-18). In fact the missiles tend to be a lot cleaner than the aircraft skin, because live ones are rarely flown - except in this Libyan operation of course.

I quite understand your wish to "get it done" - been there, felt that way. Great job, and good luck getting the others done in time.

ALF

[-Neu-]

Hey, quick question.... I'm building the Op Mobile kit and winter's decals have the wing leading edge dark strip... is that applicable for my aircraft? I can't tell from the photos you posted.

Edited August 17, 2013 by -Neu-

[DavidWinter]

The wing leading edge tape has been applied to all aircraft since about the late 1980's. (I do have photos of early aircraft without that applied).

[-Neu-]

Alright... I've decaled that part. Thanks David!

Neu

With a pilot inside, the flaps could conceivably be fully up on the ground. At some point in the pre-taxi checks, we selected all 3 modes of the FCS to make sure the control surfaces went to the right positions. Selecting flaps Auto on the ground (essentially means flaps up, but they are automatically scheduled with AOA in flight in the Auto position) would raise all flaps to the zero position, leading and trailing edge. So you could pose the wing flush, rudders at zero, and stabilators at any position (but 12 degrees nose up would be the normal position for FCS checks).

Another distinguishing point would be the two engines operating at idle. The nozzles would then be fully open, providing the closest to zero thrust possible. Even with the nozzles full open, residual thrust is enough while taxiing to push the aircraft along at a brisk clip (25 to 30 knots in the summer, almost 60 knots in the winter when the air is more dense). Both engines would be running in this state, because you don't check FCS until both hydraulic systems are pressurised.

Nice to see a kindred spirit; I get lazy too when I don't feel like hacking and chopping just to make things look a certain way.

ALF

Quick question... would it be plausible that the canopy is up with the flaps up?

Edited August 18, 2013 by -Neu-

[ALF18]

Definitely plausible that the canopy could be up with any flap setting. Unlike some aircraft (Tutor from 2 CFFTS, not Snowbirds, for example), there is no restriction on the canopy being open with engines running on the Hornet. So the canopy could be full open or full closed, with any flap setting, engines running or engines shut down.

ALF

[emvar]

Neu,

Very Nice bird for the first finish..... Been lurking and taking notes as I do have some 1/72nd Bugs in my stash.

Looking forward to more pictures..... ALF you just have to write a book.....

Emil

[-Neu-]

Hey thanks emvar. Its good to see you here... though I don't know if I have many tips for you. I'm really trying to try a few new things.

I'm worried that I won't get more than three completed, even two. I leave in a few days for a week so I'm finding all the time I can to complete it.

A quick couple of photos.

I tried getting a couple of the pilot though it was a bit dark.... I wrecked some of the decals so I'll need to replace them.

Edited August 19, 2013 by -Neu-

[-Neu-]

Oh, does anybody know how the Sniper pod fits onto the CF-18? does it go directly onto the aircraft or is there a special fairing that fits over the sparrow rail?

[ALF18]

The Sniper fits onto Station 4 (only that station, because it is the only one that has ECS air to cool the pod), with the same kind of "skirt" part that the Nighthawk B pod used. Most, if not all, kits should have that attachment skirt to go with a FLIR pod from the kit. If you want pics, let me know and I can beam you some by e-mail (not mine to post).

ALF

[-Neu-]

Hey guys

I'm really sorry its been awhile... I've been on the great enemy of model building (family vacation) and haven't been able to do anything. I basically undertook a crash effort to finish #2... which is unfortunate because I rushed on some things and it didn't come out nearly as nice as I hoped. C'est la vie.... anyway I need about an hour to get it fully done with touchups, wheel bay doors and markings on the winders... unfortunately I'm off for a day to a nearby lake. But here she is regardless.

I'll try to have more photos tomorrow night with her completed. I'll continue to post progress on some of these kits in the coming weeks, #3 is nearly done (base coat down) and #4 is getting there. I feel kinda down for not finishing more... life definitely got in the way, as did some of the extra work like on the flap covers and the intakes. But it was definately a rewarding experience nonetheless.

Edited September 1, 2013 by -Neu-

[-Neu-]

Got some better photos.... and did some more work on #2.

More later.