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Royal Navy Hornet


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I havent built anything in a few months, but the bug started biting this week, so I cracked into theRevellogram Blue Angels F-18 I got this week to start a long-planned project; a Royal Navy Hornet.

I've been thinking about the backstory for ages, and should have a pretty detailed version to go with the finished product, but obvioiusly it involves the RN staying in the flat-top game post 1976. It's probably going to go along the lines of trouble with the Tornado ADV in the early 80s combined with a need for the RN to replace Phantoms and Buccs with a more economical single type leads to a situation where the US offers a large batch of F-18s to Britain, to give the RN a multi-role carrier strike fighter, and to give the RAF a capable interceptor (two seaters) to replace the foundering Tornado F.2. In return the USAF places a large order for Tornado strike aircraft to replace their F-4G 'Wild Weasel' aircraft.

With the RN jumping on the Hornet bandwagon, France follows with an order for Hornets to equip their carriers, abandoning plans to leave the fledgling FEFA program to pursue an indigenous carrier-capable fighter.

Anyway, that's the condensed version of the backstory. What I still have to decide is whether to build this Hornet as a mid-80s EDSG machine, or a 2000+ lighter gray version. I alos need to decide a weapons loadout. At the moment I'm thinking if I go with a 1980s machine I'll do either 2 X Sea Eagles, go retro with a bunch of Matra rocket pods, or spread a little sunshine with a single WE.177. If I go with a more current version I'm leaning towards either ALARMs, Paveway IVs, or Storm Shadow.

I got the fuselage together last night, so this morning I masked off the seams to preserve as much of the raised detail as possible and started the PSR marathon that comes with any Monogram kit. To be honest this one isn't that bad, with the worst areas being the join under the LERX. The engineering of the kit leaves it with only a few visible seams really. For some reason every Monogram F-18 seems to have a bad mold mark that runs diagonally from the leading tip of the LERX to the nose, roughly parallel to the seam. I managed to remove most of this just by shaving it a way with a new blade, so it shouldnt give too much trouble.

Here is a quick pic of the 'pit. I'm pretty pleased with it for a quick effort. One area where Monogram really stand out is cockpit detail, and this will likely be an open canopy model, so I wanted some detail, but then again it is an RM kit, so it wont be perfect so I wasnt going to spend endless hours on the office! The kit seat is nice, but I have a Verlinden resin F-18 seat that I may use instead. At first glance it looks like it should fit nicely.

Hornet1.jpg

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:yahoo: The Whiffers are out in force today :worthy: But, I notice you all wait til Im stuck in ruddy great Vulcan that has to be beyond perfect, thats not Cricket you know Chaps :yikes:

Well seeing as Im not really keen on Bugs, but as this going to be RN it could prove rather interesting :thumbsup2:

Bexy

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  • 4 weeks later...

Well this one has gone slow for me as I usually finish a kit in less than 2 weeks. Lots of other stuff got in the way though and it sat on the bench for almost a month. Made some progress this weekend though. The paint is on and with a coat of Future put on this morning it is ready for decaling.

It will be a Hornet FA.2, but I havent made the final decision on markings yet. I'm trying to decide between a display aircraft in full 3-color roundels, an operational one with dark roundels, or operational with low-viz roundels. More pics when the decision is made and the decals go on.

IMG_1131.jpg

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Can't wait to see more! :)

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For what my opinion is worth, I think it would look really interesting in the EDSG over White. I have a couple of "what if" ideas in the back of my mind (I blame bexwh773), but they are still off on the horizon. I'll look forward to seeing this one when it's finished.

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Great stuff I love alternative history, and this fits in well.

Cheers

Den

I very nearly went with EDSG/White for an early 80s model. In this alt history the Falklands would not have happened, or at least not developed into full conflict because of the continued presence of two RN carriers with full Phantom/Bucc airwings. That would have lead to the EDSG/white scheme staying around much later.

The decals are almost complete, so I'll try to post some more pics shortly.

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Well, most of the decals are on and some detail painting is underway. Hopefully I'll get it finished tomorrow before having to go back to work on Tuesday.

A couple of pics tonight showing progress. I went with dark roundels and 890 NAS markings from Xtradecal's superb 1/72 Sea Vixen sheet. Since sqn. markings have become smaller over the years they work ok in 1/48 on the Hornet. I'm probably going to go with a "Q" tail code for HMS Queen Elizabeth. Depending on how the backstory develops this HMS QE will either be CVA 01 or a late 70s class to replace Ark & Eagle.

IMG_1139.jpg

IMG_1141.jpg

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I have a couple of "what if" ideas in the back of my mind (I blame bexwh773)

Glad to see Im a bad influence :evil_laugh:

Coming along nicely and looking very believable too :thumbsup2:

Bex

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Quick update for tonight. I ended up getting busy with other stuff today, so it's not finished as hoped, but it is getting closer. I did a little weathering with a thin wash. Even though most of the panel lines are raised I still like hte way a dark wash gives it some depth. It's got a coat of Tamiya flat clear on too. Next is the gear and weapons fit. After I post this I'll do a wash on the gear and finish painting the AMRAAMs.

I'm going with a fit of centerline tank (in RAF gray/green as an example of how closely RAF and RN Hornets operate), wingtip ASRAAMs and AMRAAMs on the intakes. Still undecided about the rest of the fit, but the ASRAAMs will put it post-98, so maybe a Kosovo campaign fit of ALARM, LGBs, or maybe even AGM-65s, giving the UK a slightly earlier Maverick capability. Making it a '99 Kosovo machine also makes it plausible for some RAF tanks to still be in camo instead of allover gray.

Anyhoo...on to tonights pics:

IMG_1145.jpg

IMG_1144.jpg

IMG_1143.jpg

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This does of course beg the question of what the RN would use for carrier-based tanking... ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...
Buddy pack on the Hornet of course!! :D

But of course!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Well I must admit I don't normally go with Whiffery,but this one has much more than a grain of truth in it.

I'm absolutely certain that I've read that if the CVA-01 class had ever come to fruition,the Navy had their eye firmly on some new American machinery,i.e,Tomcat and/or Hornet, to replace the Phantoms and Buccs when the time came.

At worst they'd have put up with a "Sea Tornado"(bet they'd like a Sea Typhoon),so this "Sea Hornet" is very,very plausible.

I like it.

Mark

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  • 9 years later...
3 minutes ago, Thom216 said:

Interesting topic. Can't see any pics because the third hosting has been disabled. Any updates?

Pics look fine to me but, as the thread dates back to 2008, I don't know if you will get a reply.

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