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F/A-18D Hornet // Hobby Boss // 1:48


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Have just started new model, after a long, long time.
This time it will be legacy Hornet, with camouflage as below:

 

<Photo removed.  Airliners.net don't permit linking of photos.  Please only use links in future>

 

This is a commisional build, so I didn't choice the kit - Hobby Boss one, so I am not so happy about it. Obviously I have no choice and must use that HB.
I am going to add some Eduard's PEs, ejection seats and Aires nozzles. There will be also resin ordnance.
I have bought set of proper Two Bobs decals.
 

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First are the ejection seats.
I know those are for F-14D Tomcat, but also those seats are very similar to newer Hornets seats, so I hope it is not so big mistake.
Anyway, painted that and are ready to use.

 

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Then the cockpit. I am not the biggest fan of colored Eduard PE, but this time I decided to use it. To avoid really ugly MFDs, I added few decals with screens and clocks. Hope it looks not so bad.

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Edited by Mike
removing Airliners.net photo
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Next step is wheel bays. Hobby Boss delivered nicely detailed ones, but I always try to improve it a little bit. Nose bay I have just painted, because I mus glue it before assembing into fuselage. The main wheel bays will be painted at the end, just after camouflage painting.

 

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Have just installed cockpit and nose wheel bay into fuselage halves. I added also GPS antenna on the spine and some metal details just at the far end of cockpit. I think I can now close the fuselage.

 

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The fuselage is ready for primer. I have also cut off rudders and made them a little bit leaned, as in real vertical fins.
Both exhaust nozzles plus engine tubes are painted and ready to asseblem. Hope there will be painting process soon.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Small steps ahead.
I cracked up first canopy, so I had to buy new kit and work over new canopy.
This time without any accidents. 🙂
 

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First I used very nice and handy scriber to remove the canopy seam.

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Next I used my Micro Mesh polishing pads, last 5 gradations.

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Then I polished using abrasive cloths 8000 and 12000.

 

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So after that there was no need to use Tamiya coarse compound. First used Fine one.

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And then for the final stage: Final compound. The canopy is now ready and shining.

 

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  • 4 months later...

I have designed and cut out set of masks for canopy and few other things.

 

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Hobby Boss kit has not chaff annd flare dispensers. There is not a shape on the fuselage bottoms nor PE's, or even decals.
So I have no choice and designed and printed my own decals. Think it looks not so bad.

 

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Next there is canopy frame. Very poor and simplified. I added some wires and other stuff. It was very difficult to find good pictures of that places, so I hope I did it well.

 

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There was also needed to add some small adds-on, like vertical stabiliser reinforcement plates, GPS antenna and AOA sensors, not available in HB version of that kit.

 

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Now my plane is almost ready for surfacer.

 

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And one more thing. I decided to cut off kits stabiliser pins and added new ones, drawn out of brass wire.

 

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And Maverick exhaust nozzle as well.

 

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Generally the fit is not so bad, but I had some serious problem with air intakes fit. Mayby I made some mistake, but I needed to use some putty to make it looking good.
There werse also some issues with bottom parts of LEXes which didin't want to cooperate with upper ones. But that was all.
And one more thing, I know I will have some small issues to fit glass of canopy with frame, probably will need to use some putty as well there.

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  • 11 months later...

So there are few updates of my work.
I have just finished all weapon loadout.
Also there is ready all that stuff you can find just after rear ejection seat.
I think there are redy both engine nozzles.
Lot of work but I think it is good enought.

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