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Revell 1:32 F/A-18E Super Hornet...........WIP


Starspell

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hi starspell, there is quite some things to watch out for. I made a Rhino of VFA-31 and  posted some stuff on the large scale planes site, for what that's worth. the most troublesome will be the 2 mm height that is missing in the fuselage to get all the inner workings squeezed into the outer shell. 

Even though hit is a challenging built, I had good fun! good luck with your build, I think I will follow how you get along. any idea which decals you will use?

hugogo

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@hugogo  I am moving along and I note your point on the 2mm height issue. Not quite at that stage yet so I have that joy to come. Even so, I am already battling fit issues with the intakes, (but maybe that I self induced?).

Not sure which scheme I'm going with yet, but will be one of the 2 kit options, leaning toward the Vampire scheme (as per box art) as it is more 'colorful' than the Gunslinger.

Have ordered the BigEd PE set (EBIG33101) and a resin bang seat (AIRE2173) which should be here in a day or so, so going kind of slowly until it gets here.

p.s. can you put up a link to your build?

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can do that. Not sure how the moderators feel about advertising another website but if that is a problem then pls know that I am doing so with gooed intentions to help your build, else I will drop you a PM. anyway, you can see my step-by-step build report here: https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/topic/80072-revell-super-hornet-with-lessons-learned/page/10/&tab=comments#comment-1197112

 

the kit has very good potential!

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So, over the past few days I have been tinkering with this. It's not the easiest kit to work with what with the flash and fit. Lots of clamps etc having to be used to get things to stay in the right place when fixing.........but still enjoying it and thats the main thing isn't it ?!?!?!  BigEd kit and bang seat have arrived so that's something else to get my teeth in to. All this BigEd PE is a first for me, never used it before and decided this was the time to try.

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The below 3 photos show some sort of intake, just to the rear of the wheel wells. The fit of the part is absolutely awful and I cannot find any photo of what it 'should' look like for real.

Anyone got a photo of what this should be like anywhere...............much appreciated if you do. Guessing that it should go flush with just a bit of the internal 'point bit' poking through??


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It’s looking good Steve. I also have just started this kit, having worked up the courage to finally give it a go, after reading lots of bad press about it. I followed hugogo’s build, wow what an effort!! I’ve got my build only to the stage of fitting the fuselage underside, but so far so good. Assembling and glueing the wheel bays was a bit fiddly but no great problem really. I can confirm about the cockpit floor being about 2mm too high to prevent the HUD display being fitted successfully and the seat possibly fouling the inside top of the canopy.  I’ve read a few threads about how to fix it but the fix I shall to use shave off 2mm from the underside of the   Cockpit side walls/seat support effectively dropping the floor height by 2mm. I’ve just dry assembled the complete front fuse/cockpit and windshield and there isn’t enough height to take the HUD screen. So you’ll need to do something to overcome it. I can’t help much with your “intake” question but if it’s the one in the centre and to the rear of the wheel bays I didn’t see a problem with mine so long as you position the part that fits underneath the fuselage bottom parallel the fuse bottom. 

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@Old timer  I am also now following Hugogo's build. Boy did he go the 'extra mile' or what!! (A lot more than I am able....or willing to do 🤪!!  Actually, the 'intake' question answer came from Hugos photos so all good now. I have just finished assy and glue of the top wing. Will give it a while and then start some minor seam filling. Have also just finished sanding/polishing the 2 canopy parts, there is a seam right through the middle of them! Just been dipped in clear and are now drying (done now so they will have many days to fully cure..........nowhere near fitting yet!!!

Edited by Starspell
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Thanks NAVY. Will you be putting your build on the site? 

I know the kit is a dog, but I’m sure it’ll look good when it’s complete. How are you planning to finish it? 

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Hi Starspell. Thanks for your comments about join lines on the clear parts

(windshield and canopy). I’ve got the same problem, they’re very faint but still need to be removed. The parts themselves are very, very clear. I never seem able to get back the same level of clarity. I’d be interested in the method you use to remove the lines if you’re able to let me know. 

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1 hour ago, Old timer said:

Thanks NAVY. Will you be putting your build on the site? 

I know the kit is a dog, but I’m sure it’ll look good when it’s complete. How are you planning to finish it? 

Bog standard out of the box,as I mentioned its a commision build.

I've got as far as putting the forward fuselage on, the gap between it and the wing extensions required the erecting of safety barriers to prevent small children falling in.

It will make a brief appearance in RFI when done but dont hold your breath.

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A day of PE and a bit of seam filling/sanding........now got a headache! never used so much before and have found it 'fulfilling and frustrating' in equal measure!! BUT, the end result is a vast improvement so worth the headache. Still got a few more knobs and handles to go.....but that will be tomorrow!

 

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On 10/4/2020 at 10:44 PM, Old timer said:

I’d be interested in the method you use to remove the lines if you’re able to let me know. 

Micro-mesh...........started with 6,000, then to 8,000 then final polish with 12,000 (wet the Micromesh first)..........then dipped in Future twice (second time when dry/24hrs)

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Hi starspell, pls note that the box at the back of the hell hole (between the canopy hinges) might interfere with the inner structure of the canopy, depending whether you open/ close the cockpit. Good progress!

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So, a little more progress over the last couple of evenings, got the front fuse built up and mated to the main body, got all the seams filled and sanded. Then a coat of primer...then a bit more filling for bits I'd missed or was not happy about.

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Have just fitted the vertical stabs, boy....there are gaps big enough that you could drive a bus through them!!
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Will leave this the night to go off and then I guess tomorrow will be a bunch more filling and sanding to fill the massive gaps at the stab roots.

For such a 'new' 2019 kit this is massively bad...........but from other build reviews it was expected............and this is not the last of it either.

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Had little spare time over the past few days but have managed to get a little more done. Have got the wing front flaps on now. They were a little awkward to get on and involved some sanding of internal hinge parts to get stuff to line up properly, but a little perseverance paid off!

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Also made some progress on the undercarriage. Front one looks fine but think the 2 underwing ones are gonna be difficult to fit as parts don't seem to line up with where they are supposed to go. I'll have another look tomorrow in the clear light of day.


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It’s looking good. Excellent in fact! I’ve got mine up to fitting the tail fins stage. It’s not been as difficult as I thought so far, there are a few gaps that need filling, but nothing too problematic. The fins on mine are pretty much like yours, needing too much filler at the front of both fins. I’ve got the Eduard zoom cockpit set 33219 thinking the parts were all self adhesive but they don’t seem to be. It’s my first time with PE, my first impression is I’ll need a big magnifying glass! But I don’t know how I’m going to fix the parts to the styrene instrument panel. Hugogo’s build has some landing good landing gear photos that may help with installing yours. 

Keep the pics coming, they are very useful for us others building this kit.

 

cheers for now. 

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@Old timer personally, when attaching PE I just use superglue. File away the IP details until flat and then glue on the PE parts. Just put a small drop on a scrap piece of plastic and then use a sharp cocktail stick to dab spots of glue in the right place and then attach the PE. I bought the BigEd PE set for this model, first time I have really used much PE (usually just seat belts) and it's blowing my mind! Used all the cockpit stuff.....but the external stuff no so much/hardly any. To use it all for all the mesh covers on panels seems to require lots of the model to be cut away or filed away, and that scares the bejesus out of me.....so I'm not going to use most of it for that reason 🥴

Edited by Starspell
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Thanks Starspell. Info on attaching PE much appreciated. 

Just fitted both tail fins on mine. They attached without too much of a problem but need filler to neaten them. I made a cardboard template to give the 

20 degree angle which made the joint look better than I expected. 

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Finally got more or less the whole plane built and primed now. Also pre-shaded it, trying a mottled look this time. Have tried pre-shade before with (to my eye) good results so this time I thought I would try a mottling as I have seen others do..........we'll see how it goes over the weekend when I spray the top coats. Also going to try pre-shade some areas with white (reverse high lights?)................fingers crossed eh!

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Going to spend the evening building up the ordinance, once I have decided what the load-out is going to be 🤪

 

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So, the top side has been sprayed. Using a different paint for the first time time, Alclad Mil-Spec Enamel. Haven't quite figured it out yet as seems very prone to 'pebbling'............very unlike the MRP I have been using of late. Instructions on bottle say to spray @ 15-20 psi, I started with 20 then worked my way back to 15, had this problem all the time. sprayed from  2 to 3" and still there!  It seemed to work OK for the first 10/15 seconds then started going bad.........maybe I should add flow improver (if I had any 'cos I've never had issue before with MRP or Tamiya.  Any suggestions?

I would be interested to now anyone else used this Alclad paint with or without success??? I can't be the only one.

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Undecided if the black and white pre-shade worked. The black is fine though the white doesn't seem to show too much.

 

As for the pebble-dash effect.........hmmmm. Have found that a good rub with a soft cloth removes the pebble-dash so it's not a train wreck!
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Anyways, onward and upward as they say!

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