AntPhillips

Lovely build, the Starfighter just looks so good in any of the Italian schemes. Reminder to myself, I must get one of these

Here's a screen grap from the Kinetic 1/48 F/A-18C kit instructions of the sprue containing the Sparrow and the pylon (the pylon isn't used in the Hornet kit just the Sparrow missile), you could resize the image using the Sparrow as a guide to give you some basic dimensions for scratchbuilding purposes. I've read somewhere that carrying the Sparrow lead to some longitudinal stability issues, particularly if carried assymetrically, to the point where in live firing exercises they would be fired as a pair. Hope this helps Ant

Lovely build, and an interesting scheme too

Welcome Don, as you've been a lurker for a few years you probably know your way around already, hope to see some of your builds too

It's Chinese New Year Holiday at the moment, traditionally we get the Trumpy / Hobby Boss catalogues just after.

I also seem to remember seeing a picture or artwork that showed them in a similar Lt Blue as that used on the Buccaneer but with a black outline. I can't seem to turn it up now though.

Your expectations are correct, the US Navy uses the -35C and the USMC the -35B, of course all USMC aircraft are financed from and come under the US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics budget.

Looking at the instructions on Scalemates they mysteriously have you fit the bow gun (part B17), but then it morphs into a blanking plate in the rest of the instructions, theres no indication of a part no. for the blanking plate though.

Fabulous build of one of Airfix's most under-rated kits. I remember building one years ago, a nice simple but lovely build if I remember correctly, and yes it did come in a massively oversized box with the sprues cowering in the corner.

Interesting to note in todays Airfix Workbench blog they mentioned that they also LIDAR scanned the AEW.3 at SWAM in St. Athan. Either @71chally kept that very quiet or they just didn't tell him knowing just how excited he'd be

If you take a look at the Kit Research pages on Modelling Madness website, you'll find a list of the Hasegawa kits with a list of the sprues contained in each kit, together with a cross reference of what parts are on each sprue. The British specific parts are mostly on sprues W, X & Y http://modelingmadness.com/splfeat/kr/has48e.htm

Wow, that's a whopping 0.2 mm in 1/350 scale, you'll have to seriously reconsider restarting from scratch Seriously though, this is a stunning project, so glad to see it back on the go

Beautiful pair of builds, I must say that JP is a real looker. I bought a starter kit JP for my daughter a few years ago when she expressed an interest in building a kit, unfortunately she never really caught the bug and the kit is still languishing there unbuilt. I dont normally build 1/72 any more but I think I might give it a go, quite fancy finishing it in 79 squadron markings, I'm off to look at what Xtradecals are about now.

Fabulous looking model, as others have said it's one of the best looking Lightnings I've seen, the natural metal finish is superb. I'll have to look out for the book

Hi Rich, I have some spare slipper tanks too, I've got the props boxed up but haven't sealed it yet, so I'll pop the slipper tanks in there with them Happy modelling Ant