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F/A-18F Super Hornet, VFA-154 Black Knights CAG 1000, USS Nimitz 2012 *FINISHED!*


Alan P

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On 1/26/2022 at 4:12 AM, Alan P said:

 

 

Next made a start on the cockpit:

tn_Super Hornet (37)

The Eduard Zoom set for this kit, they didn't waste any time producing this! The kit's only been out for a few months. Once again their poor colour matches for the panels is ridiculous, somebody please get them a new set of colour chips :hmmm:

 

On the plus side, the two-part instrument panels are much better represented than their older sets, with lens/screen effects over the instrumentation. It's not obvious from the pics, but looks great apart from the weird colours.

 

 

That cockpit doe look nice, though I see Eduard struck again with the grey!!! I really don't know what these AM manufactures use for a cockpit colour guide, but it an't the actual cockpit!

 

All those wee knobs and switches look amazing, lots of work and an improvement on the Quinta ones which is a big say as theirs are amazing.

 

DSC!!! All talk on this subject must stop!!! :nono: I wasted years I reckon on the old Falcon 3 & 4 sim, plus CFS :D I even started to modify & create my own sim models. I'm bad enough now with Assassin's Creed and a couple of others...... I don't need temptation..... as my will power is poor/non-existent!! :doh:

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This is looking amazing, Alan.  
 

I have the E-version on the shelf of doom - I cracked my forward canopy and lost interest! How did you source your replacement?
 

I agree with your sentiments regarding this kit - it has its challenges but nothing insurmountable with a bit of forethought and careful planning. Certainly not Tamiya, but then it’s not Tamiya price. 


Loving your work!

Tom

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Thank you very much chaps!

8 hours ago, coneheadff said:

What type of drills did you use for the small holes into the PE parts?

 

3 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

Did you use the Anyz dial decals around the knobs and switches or just insert them directly into the etched consoles? 

I didn't drill or use the decals, I just cut as close as possible to the base of each part (they're tiny even in this scale) and stuck them directly on the Eduard panels.

3 hours ago, trickyrich said:

DCS!!! All talk on this subject must stop!!! :nono: I wasted years I reckon on the old Falcon 3 & 4 sim, plus CFS :D I even started to modify & create my own sim models. I'm bad enough now with Assassin's Creed and a couple of others...... I don't need temptation..... as my will power is poor/non-existent!! :doh:

Perhaps this will help... :devil:

2 hours ago, tomprobert said:

I agree with your sentiments regarding this kit - it has its challenges but nothing insurmountable with a bit of forethought and careful planning. Certainly not Tamiya, but then it’s not Tamiya price. 

Thanks Tom, agree with every word! I can only imagine what 'Tamiya price' would be for a kit like this 😱

 

I ordered the canopy through the retailer (Jumblies Models) and received a new one within a week. I also contacted Revell.de spare parts dept and it arrived within two weeks, so I ended up with a spare as well 😊

 

Thanks again everyone,

Alan

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3 hours ago, trickyrich said:

NOOOOOOOOOOooooooooo!!!!  :lalala:

 

I really have will power......... I'll just have to buy another Tomcat/Phantom!!!   Oh that's right, I've just bought another ZM F-4E!  :D 

 

DCS have the Tomcat.  And as a bonus they have also just announced the F-4E is in development.  :devil:

I need to get back at it...been long enough I'm going to be a bit rusty at the bits I did learn.  Sometime in my "free time".  :rofl2:

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Really looking forward to some more building on this today. Had a crappy week at work with a lot of stuff that wasn't my fault landing on my lap and taking heat from the powers that be. Need a day of modelling to get it off my mind on my now-customary one day weekend 😔

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On 1/31/2022 at 12:54 AM, Alan P said:

Thanks guys 👍

 

Bit of a late update, but this post is a homage to the amazing Anyz cockpit details and Eduard photoetch interior:

2022-01-30_11-36-15

I've completed the rear seat instrument panel (left in the picture) in the correct matching colour, and completed the Eduard panel fascias with Anyz switches and knobs.

PXL_20220130_182103652

The effect of both I can only say is completely satisfying 😊

PXL_20220130_182127597

The fidelity of the switches and selectors is way beyond any photoetch or resin cockpit representation I've used before.

PXL_20220130_182247511

The panels are all Eduard with a few Anyz bits added, but this just lifts the whole cockpit to another level entirely compared to the kit. I just need to paint over the silly blue background of the Eduard parts, neither them or Quinta can seem to replicate the correct colours with their fascias 🤔

 

Anyway - the buttons and switches are available from anyz.io and worth every penny. Plenty in each set for multiple models. 

 

Cheers,

Alan

 

looks brilliant alan, great job handling the anyz switches.

i recently bought their spark plug connectors and plumbing terminals for a radial engine build and they are amazing but incredibly fiddly.

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Did some work on the cockpit today:

tn_Super Hornet (38)

Seats and pilots - figures are still a bit rough but got most of the detail painting done. I used leftover Academy figures from the F-16CG/CJ kit, there's a generous selection of pilot and ground crew figures which luckily are in USN survival configuration rather than USAF.

tn_Super Hornet (41)

Seats are more or less done, just the decals and placards to go.

tn_Super Hornet (40)

Bit of an extreme closeup - Pilot's survival kit, fingerless gloves and yellow zip tags look interesting enough. The helmet/face in this pic are actually the WSO's (no JHMCS)

tn_Super Hornet (43)

Here's the WSO's figure and pilot's head to compensate! I remodelled the figures slightly so their hands were in more realistic positions.

tn_Super Hornet (39)

The finished pilot cockpit - throttles, gear lever, emer brake, hook lever and wingfold selector are all in the appropriate positions for approach/landing. The screens are incorrect (should show HUD left, FCS/checklist right and NAV/ILS center), but as they're pre-printed there's not a lot I can do about it!

tn_Super Hornet (42)

Both cockpits and Eduard panels have been painted the proper colour as well now. The flash is very unforgiving, they look okay from normal observation distance!

 

Really enjoying the build, it's a nice project to take my mind off the endless stream of blame and recrimination coming at me from work this weekend :sad: If you work a team in the corporate world, it's funny how your individual success, efforts, and initiative are claimed as a win for the whole team (especially for your boss :fuyou_2:), but any systemic or team failure finds you standing condemned alone. Really motivational :hmmm:

 

Alan

 

 

 

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I don't know how I missed this build from beginning but you made amazing progress so far Alan. I remember that there were many people who were complaining about the problems on intake assembly but it seems that you haven't got any significant issues during your build. I have a pair of Revell and Trumpeter Super Hornets still in box due to lack of enough place in the vitrine.

Serkan

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The driver‘s MFD‘s are not correctly set for approach 😅

 

Looking excellent, I‘m very much looking forward to the next steps of your build. 
 

When I got back to the hobby a year ago, I pondered what scale I should choose and stick to. For many reasons, I selected 1/48. Looking at your work of art makes me want to try that 1/32 myself….

 

 

 

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Thanks very much for the kind words, I assembled the front fuselage now (no pictures, forgot!) but I'm taking a bit of a break for a few days to just chill away from work. 

6 hours ago, Sam said:

The driver‘s MFD‘s are not correctly set for approach 😅

@Sam I already said that! 😉👍 re the scale I think it's worth trying 1/32 at least once just to see what you can do with it!

17 hours ago, Serkan Sen said:

I remember that there were many people who were complaining about the problems on intake assembly but it seems that you haven't got any significant issues during your build.

It helps that I built the E version before, but while it's not the best designed kit in the world, I think people have really made a meal of what isn't a particularly severe problem.

On 2/6/2022 at 11:28 AM, Wings unlevel said:

Looks to me you’ve done an excellent job channeling your work stress into some very impressive modelling!

Thanks very much, really 😊

23 hours ago, modelling minion said:

Thats really nice work Alan, both the pilots and cockpit look excellent.

Thanks a lot Craig, hopefully will measure up to the Tornado EF3 I did last year 🤞

 

Thanks very much again, when the weather warms up a bit I'll be back onto this!

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48 minutes ago, Alan P said:

 I already said that! 😉👍

Yes Alan I know! I was just amused by the fact that your cockpits are so highly sophisticated that you would need to point out such a detail very few would actually notice or find disturbing. Great work attitude, you‘re an example to follow I guess. 

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2 hours ago, Sam said:

Yes Alan I know! I was just amused by the fact that your cockpits are so highly sophisticated that you would need to point out such a detail very few would actually notice or find disturbing. Great work attitude, you‘re an example to follow I guess. 

Oh sorry 😂 

Cheers 🍻

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Hi Alan, for some time I have wandered around in the forums to find a build of this beast, it looks to me like you are the first one to attempt the F version!

I see that you are also making an in-flight model, Having built the E version from VF-31, I can say that it is a good alternative to having the heavy model stand on these flimsy legs. Have you given a thought how you are going to dispay it?

I drilled a 10 mm hole in the bottom to keep the model up, but with as far as you got I am wondering where you will attach it now?

All best of luck with this build!

hugo  

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25 minutes ago, hugogo said:

I see that you are also making an in-flight model, Having built the E version from VF-31, I can say that it is a good alternative to having the heavy model stand on these flimsy legs.

Thanks Hugo, I'm surprised to hear about the gear legs being flimsy, I built the E and thought the gear attachments were very sturdy. Mine's still sitting very happy on its original legs without any support or reinforcement nearly two years later!

 

I'm going to mount this on a 5mm carbon fibre rod, same as the much heavier Tornado EF3 I mentioned a bit earlier. It's stronger than acrylic and easier to work than metal, plus much thinner than acrylic for the same strength.

 

Thanks again 👍

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