DaveJL Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Hello all, Having been bitten by the Hornet bug (no pun intended) i'm going to crack on with a build I started briefly for a Group Build a year or so ago - 1/48 Hasegawa F/A-18E in the markings of VFA-31 'Tomcatters.' The squadron seen action over the skies of Iraq and Syria in 2014 and has just deployed in February 2017, so that's the time period i'll be going for. Will be using Fightertown decals, Steel Beach FOD covers, Wolfpack cockpit and Steel Beach ECS pipes. Dave 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Yum yum yum! Get building my good man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted October 6, 2016 Author Share Posted October 6, 2016 1 hour ago, Parabat said: Yum yum yum! Get building my good man! Hopefully get a start in the next week or so! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Nice one Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christer A Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 VF-31 Superbug This is going to be good, I can feel it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted October 7, 2016 Author Share Posted October 7, 2016 Fingers crossed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim T Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 Looking forward to this one. Where do you get the Steel Beach and Wolfpack AM from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted October 7, 2016 Author Share Posted October 7, 2016 3 minutes ago, Tim T said: Looking forward to this one. Where do you get the Steel Beach and Wolfpack AM from? Cheers. I use Spruebrothers for most aftermarket stuff that isn't readily available in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleAviation Posted October 8, 2016 Share Posted October 8, 2016 Great subject! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted February 19, 2017 Author Share Posted February 19, 2017 This one has been sitting at the side of the bench so I aim to get this started soon. My original plan of doing the Hi-viz 'CAG' jet has now changed since i've been able to get my hands on some 'low viz' markings. I've also just found out that the squadron has deployed this month for a further cruise for 'Inherent Resolve' so i'll maybe use a bit of poetic licence to mark this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SallysDad Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Eagerly awaiting more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Felix rules! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted March 20, 2017 Author Share Posted March 20, 2017 2 hours ago, Bendinggrass said: Eagerly awaiting more. Will hopefully have some progress by the end of the month... 1 hour ago, exdraken said: Felix rules! True, but not as much as the F-14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 19 minutes ago, DaveJL said: True, but not as much as the F-14 Hard to top the Tomcat with a Tomcat painted on.... The Bug should have at least been the 2seater.... Has there ever been a black nosed SH? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted March 20, 2017 Author Share Posted March 20, 2017 15 minutes ago, exdraken said: Has there ever been a black nosed SH? Not that i'm aware of, a few with shark mouths though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 Finally made a start on this one. Cockpit built up and painted: Fitted to fuselage (note the ECS pipes have been attached): Wings, tail fins and pylons built up: As for ordnance, i've been to-ing and fro-ing. I had a good look on navy.mil (great for reference pictures). There are a few pictures from the current cruise showing the F/A-18E/Fs loaded with 6 x GBU-32s or 4 x GBU-31s. As I don't have any of the former, and to fit 6 would cost about £25 in aftermarket, i'm plumping for the 4 x GBU-31s. As seen in the below picture (you can just make out the 4 JDAMs under the wings of the VFA-213 jet: Better shot: Both images from Navy.mil. So here's the ordnance. I'll dig out another GBU-31, these 3 are from an Academy F-15E (the best detailed JDAMS in my opinion) the AIM-9x, targeting pod and fuel tank are from the kit: Finally for now, the fuselage closed up: The nose area does need a good bit of persuasion especially if an aftermarket cockpit is fitted. As stated in an earlier post, I'm going for a low viz jet. I was kindly donated some decals from Afterburners' VFA-31 sheet from a member over on ARC. More soon. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted April 11, 2017 Author Share Posted April 11, 2017 More done over the last few days and the model is just about ready for the painting process. Just need to mask off the cockpit and wheel wells then give some areas a final wet 'n dry. As with all Hasegawa Super Hornets in this scale, the join of the LEX and forward fuselage is not the best and requires some work. The black lines are permanent marker - i sometimes use this to determine if a join is smooth after some filling. Also, the boarding ladder cover requires a lot of thinning to sit flush. Photo from navy.mil showing a heavily weathered VFA-31 jet just last month: More soon. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 Some progress over the weekend. Airframe painted, glossed, decal-ed and sealed with a top coat of gloss, ready for a panel line wash: Tail fins and fuel tank: Still a good bit to do, but next up will be the panel line wash followed by the painting of some of the details. More soon. Dave 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim T Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Nice work Dave. Glad to see this one coming together Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 1 hour ago, Tim T said: Nice work Dave. Glad to see this one coming together Cheers Tim. Will look better once the wash is on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share Posted April 18, 2017 More done. Wash on: Left for about 30 minutes then the excess cleaned off. Once that was done, I added some drops with a touch of varnish to give the blotchy look seen so often on USN jets. Once dry, I added the fuel tank, arrestor hook, fins and AIM-9x: Starting to come together nicely. Next up is the landing gear. Dave 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Looks really good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share Posted April 18, 2017 Thanks mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christer A Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Coming along just fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyingdutchman Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Nice looking Hornet sir! What kind of wash did you apply, self made or? Evert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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