F/A-18 STGB Chat

[Ray_W]

This arrived today. 

 

 

It has been a while since I did a Hasegawa build and this should be fun. I have always loved the Hasegawa F/A-18A since building the 1/72 version in RAAF markings and then seeing the aircraft perform for the first time above Schofields Aerodrome (Sydney West) back in the early 80's. The airshow was memorable for three reasons, (1) the airshow favourite of a turning dogfight with a Mirage IIIO starting on the F/A-18's six and how quickly they swapped roles. The public announcer saying that the Mirage pilot will be trying very hard to prevent that happening, (2) the volume of "clouds" forming across the top of F/A-18 flying surfaces in the high-G turns, and (3) the F/A-18 having to pull out of the demonstration early due to a technical issue. 

 

Hopefully, I can secure this Ronin Decals sheet if and when released and in time for the build. Their website says "Coming Soon". Email sent, we'll see the COVID impact. If not it will have to be some alternative markings. Note to self, if you want a pretty RAAF scheme, buy an F/A-18B. It would be great to do a double build with my Kinetic F/A-18A+ using the same Century markings sheet.

 

 

 

Time to check out some aftermarket and go hunting for accuracy issues with the Hasegawa Growler.

 

Looking forward to this build.

 

Ray

[modelling minion]

4 hours ago, Ray_W said:

This arrived today.

And very nice it looks too Ray.

I really like the looks of the two seat versions of both the Hornet and Super Hornet and want to get one myself, the new decals by Syhart look very nice for them too.

 

 

 

[Ray_W]

On 10/27/2021 at 4:15 AM, modelling minion said:

I really like the looks of the two seat versions of both the Hornet and Super Hornet and want to get one myself, the new decals by Syhart look very nice for them too.

 

I also like the Syh@rt 6 Sqn 100th Anniversary decals. An Aussie Growler with some colour. Rich @trickyrich has that scheme locked away as he says it is his old squadron. I'll go for a dose of low-vis in RAAF Centennial schemes. Hopefully Ronin will have the set available before the January start. Steve from Ronin says they will be available soon.

 

I also ordered some AM for the EA-18G. Quinta Studio cockpit plus some resin seats, wheels and exhausts. Decided to give myself a break from my current self-improvement exercise on my Tamiya F-4B build. Crawling along doing things like building harnesses and details. Certainly not mandatory, the seat as is is lovely, but the work is satisfying. Still more to do, but it is getting there.

 

 

 

Ray

[modelling minion]

40 minutes ago, Ray_W said:

I'll go for a dose of low-vis in RAAF Centennial schemes.

A sound selection Ray, there are some nice ones out there, hopefully the Ronin sheet will cover what you are after and more importantly will arrive in time for you to use it.

 

The only word to describe the work you have done on the F-4 seat is wow! Your harnesses and straps look superb, you are a far more patient and competent modeller than I.

[trickyrich]

4 hours ago, Ray_W said:

 

I also like the Syh@rt 6 Sqn 100th Anniversary decals. An Aussie Growler with some colour. Rich @trickyrich has that scheme locked away as he says it is his old squadron. I'll go for a dose of low-vis in RAAF Centennial schemes. Hopefully Ronin will have the set available before the January start. Steve from Ronin says they will be available soon.

Thanks for that!    Depending on how things go I may have to buy the new Meng F/A-18F an do a normal 6 Sqn bird, I see Ronin has a nice set of Operation Okra decal set for this!

 

I agree those seats look lovely! 

 

I ended up trashing those HWG belts I was using on my Tamiya F-4B seats (these seats went in to the F-4EJ), well over a hour or more wasted on just 3 belts. Ended up using the leftover Quinta belts on these, so easy to use and look really good. 

[Ray_W]

6 hours ago, trickyrich said:

I ended up trashing those HWG belts

 

Hi Rich,

 

Never tried HGW before. Always thought they looked good. I did not know that HGW had made a foray into post-WW2 1/48 harnesses. After your post I researched their Phantom offerings. If I had known, I would of been very tempted. Thankfully, did not, as I was trying to have the Tamiya F-4B as a non-AM build. Stayed with my tried and true of some old Reheat buckles (wish they were still available) and Tamiya tape.  

 

As to the Growler, the Hasegawa, an oldie but a goodie. 2011 release based on 2005 tooling. My how time flies when you're having fun. Maybe worthwhile giving it a little TLC and investing in a little AM be it that it looks pretty good as is. Good raw material to work with. In this case, again, I could of saved some money yet keen to give Quinta a go. Looking forward to these arriving this week:

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/quinta-studio-qd48051-f-a-18f-late-and-ea-18g-interior-3d-decals--1336317

 

I am also using Reskit for the exhausts and wheels (never tried before) and Aires for the SJU-17 seats. 

 

The Meng kit is very tempting and great choice of markings with the Okra decals. 

 

11 hours ago, modelling minion said:

Your harnesses and straps look superb

 

We will see. Painting to come.

 

Ray

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Im torn Ive got 4-5 Hornet kits just not sure, really want to do a Growler but there are a couple of them already. Ive got Canadian decals so maybe that route. Would love to do an Aussie bird but no decals. If I could find the ATAR aftermarket nose that would be a definite candidate. Maybe a legacy USMC bug ? Oh so many choices  anyone wanna give me ideas ? 

Edited October 31, 2021 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[modelling minion]

3 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Maybe a legacy USMC bug ?

A good choice Dennis, especially if weathered heavily.

5 hours ago, Ray_W said:

 

The Meng kit is very tempting

It is indeed but I am going to wait for the HobbyBoss F or G, and may well get the Syhart Aussie 1 Sqn set.

[Thom216]

I'm thinking of doing two. A Jolly Roger in an anniversary scheme and a Blue Angel bird with their new ride.

[Marklo]

Forgot about this. Need to make inroads on my WIP between now and then, so no new projects till the GB starts.

[Sierra Mike Sierra]

On 18/08/2021 at 15:40, Anatol Pigwa said:

They did not purchase the Hornet yet, it is election year after all, but they will be most likely purchased in 2022, right in time for the STGB. 

Right, while being a caretaker government only, they just outlined the arguments that speak in favor of a mix of Super Hornets and Growlers for the Luftwaffe. Yet, it remains to be seen what the new three party coalition govenment will do...

 

https://esut.de/2021/10/meldungen/30168/tornado-nachfolge-bundesregierung-nimmt-stellung-zu-beschaffungskriterien/

[Ray_W]

Some aftermarket arrived today for my Hasegawa Growler build. Here are some photos for your interest. Hopefully to assist you in your builds.

 

Quinta Studio QD48051

 

Always looks better in real life. I angled the photos to try and capture the 3D look. Pixilation in the base colour that I will subdue using a coloured wash equivalent to the main cockpit colours.

 

 

 

3 sets of harness 🤔 Generosity, packing error or do they fail? Nice anyway. 

 

 

Never used Reskit out of the Ukraine before. Parts do look nice.

 

Exhaust Nozzle assembly Reskit RSU48-30

 

 

 

 

Some wheels Reskit RS48-0126

 

 

Also the Aires SJU-17 Ejection Seats Aires Part No. 4281. At this stage I am not sure what the difference is with the SJU-17B fitted to RAAF Growlers.

 

 

Any thoughts and comments welcome.

 

Ray

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Alan P]

The BIG 'un has arrived, I'm all ready for this GB, not long now!

With any luck, Quinta will have released their cockpit set for it by January 🙏

[Sierra Mike Sierra]

Let me in! I like to join with a F/A-18D. OK, nothing special, but didn't see a "Delta" in the group yet (sorry if I overlooked somebody 😉).

 

Stefan

[RaceAddict]

If the Canadian GB doesn't go live I'll join this one with my 410 Squadron F/A-18. One way or the other, that bird is getting built in 2022.

[Bertie McBoatface]

On 9/11/2020 at 12:00 PM, Anatol Pigwa said:

and anyone else who wants to join!

 

Er, that would be me. I'm getting the Meng 'E' for Xmas and I'd like to build it right here with youz guyz. 

[Sierra Mike Sierra]

On 11/11/2021 at 12:10, Alan P said:

The BIG 'un has arrived

Oh dear, that one will be huge! I will watch with intertest...

[Evil_Toast_RSA]

If it's not too late, would like to potentially throw my hat in this ring. 

 

Planning on picking this one up hopefully month end, just hope the decals aren't shot, old box/stock:

[MagpieFNQ]

On 10/26/2021 at 10:52 PM, Ray_W said:

It has been a while since I did a Hasegawa build and this should be fun.

It's a great kit that one, I like that you get pilot figures espeically, including the JHMCS heads. 

 

I'm hoping to get my hands on the new Meng Rhino and give it the RAAF treatment as well 

[Pappy]

Count me in as well, 

 

Pappy

[Filler]

All being well, I'd love to join in. My entry would be another of Hasegawa's 1/48 Hornets, in this case as a CF-18A of one of the three 1CAG squadrons based at Baden-Sollingen. It'll be mid eighties with CANADA in capitals and no fences on the LERX. Really hoping I can make this a successful GB attempt.

[Evil_Toast_RSA]

To follow on from my previous post, count me in, decals good and all accounted for! 1 Aggressor F/A-18A incoming! Now to decide between brown or blue.... 

[Anatol Pigwa]

Welcome all and everyone who wants to join!

 

This one will be cracking!

 

I am currently looking at the ground rules. Here is my proposal:

 

Rule #1: Have fun.

 

Subject: The F/A-18 of all versions and its' derivates (Yf-17, RF-18, EA-18) in any scale, any technique and of course any additions to the model, be it AM or your own ingenuity.

 

What-ifs: Allowed in terms of schemes, national markings and loadouts, but noch changes to the actual airframe (sorry no swing-wing Hornets) What-if builds have to be marked as such.

 

25% rule: Waived. You can enter with a kit already under construction but you have to mark such a kit as "over 25%" I count on people being responsible enough to fairly judge their own work. As a ground rule if you are really unsure if you are over the 25% then you probably aren't (I'd count each of Assembly, painting, decaling and aging/finishing as roughly 25% if done independently).

 

Sales and trading: Not within the GB thread. There are threads groups and places tailored for that.

 

I ask everyone who finishes a build to post one photo of the build shot straight from the top, against a contrasting background, as I intend to create one large overview picture of the finished builds. 

 

That should do it.

If in doubt, I am judge, jury and (hopefully not) executioner - as long as the mods let me

[Anatol Pigwa]

On 25/11/2021 at 11:46, Evil_Toast_RSA said:

To follow on from my previous post, count me in, decals good and all accounted for! 1 Aggressor F/A-18A incoming! Now to decide between brown or blue.... 

Gray is such a nice colour... (Hint, hint ;))

[Evil_Toast_RSA]

1 minute ago, Anatol Pigwa said:

Gray is such a nice colour... (Hint, hint ;))

 

There is some FS 36375 involved on the brown splinter one...