theplasticsurgeon Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 Joining you with these, aiming to build both. For which I have these decals. This FA-18F can be built as the decals intend. Then VFA-106 had some FA-18E aircraft with the colour markings. I can get close enough side markings from spares, just as long as the GB decal police don't inspect the serial numbers. Parts, very similar for both kits. Single seater has a £7.95 price tag for ED Models. This a 1997 box, which is when I bought it. Two seater was gifted by an IPMS colleague. And, I had filed this F/A-18F cutaway diagram, in case I need to see where anything fits. I might not make a quick start on these. An Airfix Gnat just out of the paint shop, and a Matchbox Swordfish also starting this weekend. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 Nice, but remember to keep the non-existant speedbrake between the fins closed... Alex (spoiler: it does not exist on the real thing, not sure if they made the model out of a prototype) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted January 6, 2022 Author Share Posted January 6, 2022 5 minutes ago, alex said: Nice, but remember to keep the non-existant speedbrake between the fins closed... Alex (spoiler: it does not exist on the real thing, not sure if they made the model out of a prototype) Well I hadn't noticed that, but duly noted - thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 2 hours ago, alex said: speedbrake between the fins How odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anatol Pigwa Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 Great to see someone tackling the Italeri kit. Not the easisest of builds AFAIK. Then again, we grow with our challenges 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 Here a posting of my previous F/A18s. All legacy, and all 1/72. First Airfix, build around 1989, showing the folly of using enamel varnish as a gloss-coat for decals. Yellows over that time. Next a Hasegawa, built about 2000. By now I had discovered Klear (acrylic based) for decal treatment. This is water based and never yellows. Another Hasegawa, as a Canadian, F-18B. Had to be done, after watching Jetstream series about 410 Cougars training Canadian Hornet pilots. And my prototype, built for the previous Hornet GB. That first Airfix, now repainted as a Blue Angel. And removed that dog-tooth leading edge. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 Making a late start with the interior preparation. Twin-stick parts on the left, single on the right. Unsurprisingly - the same front cockpit on both. I've closed and sealed that airbrake on both. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 A day's modelling later, Intake trunks, and rear fuselages assembled - and the fit isn't great. Cockpits assembled - no decals for detail. Instrument panels nothing like photos of the real thing. Forward fuselage assembled. Later assembled into the full fuselages. Wings dryfitted onto single seater. A strange arrangement for the inner leading edge slat, which accounts for those rhombus gaps. I'm now considering dropping flaps and slats for one model. Some mixing of parts, one kit being lighter than the other. Softish Italeri plastic, all mating edges need light flas taking off for a better fit. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 That is rapid progress, they are coming together very nicely. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted January 17, 2022 Author Share Posted January 17, 2022 Fitted the wings and tails today. Fit isn't great. Large gaps. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wings unlevel Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 On 09/01/2022 at 19:03, theplasticsurgeon said: my prototype, built for the previous Hornet GB. Love this one in particular. And cracking pace on these Super builds. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 Ballasted nosecones added. All the imprecisions and gaps have compounded to a very weak joint for the Stdb wing. Cracked on both models, which I've been trying to reinforce. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted January 28, 2022 Author Share Posted January 28, 2022 Airbrushing today, undersides Humbrol 127. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted January 31, 2022 Author Share Posted January 31, 2022 Canopies fitted. Those frames under the glas were very fiddly. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted February 1, 2022 Author Share Posted February 1, 2022 Masked, ready to airbrush tomorrow. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 Man, that's a big relief tube! (bottom center of photo) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted February 2, 2022 Author Share Posted February 2, 2022 Airbrushed Humbrol 128 earlier today. The single seater is demasked. Two seater has black trim around the cockpit, so still being worked on. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted February 3, 2022 Author Share Posted February 3, 2022 Masked up two-seater, ready to airbrush black. And demasked afterwards. I like that. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted February 4, 2022 Share Posted February 4, 2022 My goodness, that was a pretty effective cloaking device! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 You are a brave soul, sir, to be building two of these Italeri kits. And they are looking very nice indeed! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted February 6, 2022 Author Share Posted February 6, 2022 Decals, well start of them. First the single seater, VFA-106. Then the twin, more colourful VFA-11 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted February 12, 2022 Author Share Posted February 12, 2022 Not looking hugely different, but I've completed the stencils. YeeeHaah! FA-18E single-seater. FA-18F twin-seater. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wings unlevel Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 Lovely! How good is the Red Rippers scheme! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted February 15, 2022 Author Share Posted February 15, 2022 Single seater first. Undercarriage, incredibly toe-out. Up onto her pins. Metal area for the gun muzzle. Then exhausts fitted. I've gone over the control surface gaps with a pencil. The same photos for the twin-seater. Finally both together. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 They look very good together, nice to see the hi-viz markings as well 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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