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Best 1/72 F-18C?


modelglue

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Hello ladies and gentlemen,

I am wondering in your experience which is the best F-18C on the market (current or upcoming).

I have been out of the loop for a little while and I am not sure what has changed in the World of 1/72.

Cheers!

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Academy has the title for sure -but the main landing gear legs build up at a strange angle. The good news is that it is fixable; if you run a search on most any of the major forums you'll get a few helpful solutions.

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I've built the Italeri, Hasegawa and Academy and the Academy is by far the best IMHO. Got 3 or 4 more in my stash plus Leading Edge Decals waiting for them!!

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If you don't mind the thread hijack, I guess it's the same for F/A-18A?

I've got a RAAF 2005 anniversary decal sheet with some rather intricate markings on it (http://modelingmadness.com/scott/decals/ma/mas729015.htm)%C2'> it's designed for the Hasegawa kit which I don't have yet. But if the Academy kit is far superior, I might gamble on that instead.

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If you don't mind the thread hijack, I guess it's the same for F/A-18A?

I've got a RAAF 2005 anniversary decal sheet with some rather intricate markings on it ( it's designed for the Hasegawa kit which I don't have yet. But if the Academy kit is far superior, I might gamble on that instead.

Until the "F/A-18A" came along, there never was an F/A designation for U.S. aircraft. It is a total misnomer. If they had wanted to show a dual mission in the designation, then the proper designation would have been AF-18A. However since fighter aircraft have been flying ground attack missions starting with the "War to end all wars", it would have been fine and proper just to leave it as F-18A. Don't even get me started on game playing with the designation system! (F-35 my derriere, F-24!!!!!)

Later,

Dave

Edited by e8n2
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If you don't mind the thread hijack, I guess it's the same for F/A-18A?

I've got a RAAF 2005 anniversary decal sheet with some rather intricate markings on it ( it's designed for the Hasegawa kit which I don't have yet. But if the Academy kit is far superior, I might gamble on that instead.

Yes, the same applies for the A variant, the Academy kit is better than the others. Better check the content of each box though, IIRC Academy had some different parts in the various boxes covering the variants, depending on what updates your subject had at that moment, one box may be better than the other.

Interestingly, the latest F/A-18+ box released by Academy comes with some very nice Australian decals but unfortunately only in Australia ! Guess it was the local distributor who added the markings to this box

http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/aca/kit_aca_12520.shtml

I'll try and get the box from the stash and take a picture of the Aussie scheme

Edited by Giorgio N
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BEWARE that AFAIK Academy had also an A (via Minicraft) which is basically an ancient Sunny/Entex mould, and which may be contained in older boxings before the Academy/Minicraft split, and I think is still being sold by Minicraft. Current boxings should contain pure Academy plastic, though.

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Don't even get me started on game playing with the designation system! (F-35 my derriere, F-24!!!!!)

Later,

Dave

Until today I had vaguely assumed that the missing numbers in the F series were due to various proposals and stillborn designs being given designations but never coming to fruition. I also had an impression that unusual aircraft, such as the US MiG 29s used for air combat training were also given F series numbers. However a quick look at Wikipedia's X series page suggests that the F-35 has been given that number simply because it is derived from the X-35 demonstrator.

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Yes, the same applies for the A variant, the Academy kit is better than the others. Better check the content of each box though, IIRC Academy had some different parts in the various boxes covering the variants, depending on what updates your subject had at that moment, one box may be better than the other.

Interestingly, the latest F/A-18+ box released by Academy comes with some very nice Australian decals but unfortunately only in Australia ! Guess it was the local distributor who added the markings to this box

http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/aca/kit_aca_12520.shtml

I'll try and get the box from the stash and take a picture of the Aussie scheme

Thank you. Is the A and A+ similar enough that an A subject can be built from a A+ boxing?

I see I failed in my first post, I was trying to link a review of the actual sheet I have: http://modelingmadness.com/scott/decals/ma/mas729015.htm

I've always loved the scheme but haven't gotten around to build it yet.

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Until today I had vaguely assumed that the missing numbers in the F series were due to various proposals and stillborn designs being given designations but never coming to fruition. I also had an impression that unusual aircraft, such as the US MiG 29s used for air combat training were also given F series numbers. However a quick look at Wikipedia's X series page suggests that the F-35 has been given that number simply because it is derived from the X-35 demonstrator.

That is what really bugs me about the whole thing. Check out the following link for more information: http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/nonstandard-mds.html#_MDS_F35

Later,

Dave

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Don't even get me started on game playing with the designation system! (F-35 my derriere, F-24!!!!!)

*cough* Sea Harrier F/A.2*cough*

Alright, I'll get the next round... :)

Cheers,

Andre

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As everyone else has said, Academy is the only game in town for a -18A/C/D.

Keep an eye out for the nose assembly as it comes in four parts and can be tricky to get right since fit is also not great by Academy standards. My suggestion is to create makeshift tabs in the nose parts (by gluing plasticard on the inside of the narrower bits) so that they align because some don't.

It's a gorgeous kit once finished though.

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Thank you. Is the A and A+ similar enough that an A subject can be built from a A+ boxing?

I see I failed in my first post, I was trying to link a review of the actual sheet I have: http://modelingmadness.com/scott/decals/ma/mas729015.htm

I've always loved the scheme but haven't gotten around to build it yet.

​Yes, for the most part.

​A really early A can't be built easily or a very late A+, but most operational A's can be built from the kit.

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Hello,

one question about Academy's main landing gear issue: Does Scale Aircraft Conversions Set 72066 "F/A-18A-D Hornet Landing Gear (Aca)" correct the above mentioned issue with the main landing gear struts or is it just a metal replacement of the plastic parts?

Thanks for any info.

Martin

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... Does Scale Aircraft Conversions Set 72066 "F/A-18A-D Hornet Landing Gear (Aca)" correct the above mentioned issue with the main landing gear struts or is it just a metal replacement of the plastic parts?

Great question Martin and one I'd love to answer definitively, but I don't have that set myself. My strong suspicion is that the main gear legs as provided by SAC are just copies in metal of the kit parts - a very disappointing outcome.

Andrew.

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