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Monogram F-18A


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Let me tell you a story,

 

It was December 1991 and the postie delivered large cardboard box postmarked from the USA addressed just to me.  Eight year old me was excited, I never got packages!  Inside was the most recent issue of Air & Space Magazine (I still have that magazine somewhere) and these two plastic model kits:  

 

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There was also a handwritten note from my grandfather (I have that too somewhere), himself a pre-war USAAC and later USAF veteran, thought that building models might be a good therapy for my Cerebral Palsy. He thought I would want to build a plane similar to aircraft he flew when he was young, together with the most modern jet he could find.  

 

Both these models ended up as broken glue-y messes on my shelf, and I was not happy at all with how they turned out, but I was hooked.  I enjoyed having something tangible afterwards spending all that time on it.  Being plane crazy also helped.  So, off I went down the toy shop for my next kit and the rest is history.   

 

So, for this build I will building these models again to finally make eight-year old me proud.  The F-18 should be easy, the SE5 will be more of a challenge to do well. Grandads of Britmodeller take note that WW1 biplanes are not necessarily the best kits to give your offspring to start on as an introduction to the hobby.  Oh well two-six..

 

[Edit: In accordance with GB rules, I'll be moving the build of the SE5 to a new thread]

Edited by BlackAck
I can't spell, my memory is failing me, and lastly because I can't type
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What a wonderful story. 🤗

This is such a special touching build I will enjoy watching it progress.

Welcome onboard and enjoy the builds!

 

ps

I like your Super-Grandad he sounds brilliant. 

Edited by Dansk
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Thanks for the note about the fit.  It's been a lifetime since I built the SE5, so I don't remember the fit.  The model is probably a product of its time.  Looking at the box art, I notice that it's painted in a scheme that isn't even included.  It's also not rigged.  Fun times ahead..

 

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After some diligent searching in my mini aviation library this afternoon, I found the magazine the accompanied the two original kits.  Very fitting for this forum that a British two-winged jobby is on the front cover.  I am sure that rigging sadists - cough I mean enthusiasts will be able to identify it.

 

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Edited by BlackAck
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Today's progress:

 

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Since the Hornet is a Snap Tite kit, it feels a bit like cheating, but it's taken all afternoon to get to this point.

Edited by BlackAck
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Thanks for the support.  Here's today's progress:

 

49823227191_bcd2cf470d_c.jpg

 

With a better view of the red hydraulic warning edges, super fast progress considering.  It's starting to look like an F-18, at least from a distance.  The area around the exhausts needs touching up but the blue paint is wet, so I'm leaving it alone for the mo.  For a Snap Tite kit, to paint the FSD blue scheme as seen on the demonstrator aircraft, it's surprisingly complex.  Thank goodness for masking tape.  

 

 

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How's this for an update?  

 

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The only real change I made was not using the '3' numeral stickers.  The background blue is completely the wrong shade. So, I scrounged regular decals from my spares instead.  I'd like to think my eight-year old self would be proud of this.  It's actually a good little kit for someone starting out.  A child could snap it together in a few minutes, slap the stickers on, and be ready to fly, while an older child, or returning modeller could embrace the challenge of painting it.  

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Thank you for the kind words.  However, I have to confess that in the cold light of day, I found my efforts at pinstriping were not nearly as good as I had hoped.  I was struck by inspiration on a work conference call with lawyers.. so after work today I set about fixing the hornet using strips of tamiya tape cut into 2mm wide sections and painted white.  I am much happier with the result.

 

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Edited by BlackAck
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