Ray_W Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Great to start a new GB subject, Hasegawa's 1/48 EA-18G in RAAF Markings with a few extras - Aires seats, Quinta Studio cockpit and Reskit wheels and exhausts. Still waiting on the decals. I am heading back to Australia (at last) the end of the month and hope to pick up the subject decals from Ronin. That being a reprint of the RAAF Centennial markings in the usual grey scheme🤞. All the rest is ready to go and I will need to make a good start over the next couple of weeks as little modelling will get done when back home. Then it will be apply the decals on return and hope to finish in time make the gallery. Let's see. I'll start cutting plastic tomorrow. Ray 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Yay! Ray's here to show us how it should be done! Really glad that you are finally going to be able to get home mate, must be a great relief. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ale85 Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 I'll follow with interest! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Great choice Ray, I pretty much have the same kit and AM stuff, though I don't have those ResKit cans. I tried using them on my last SuperBug build but ran into trouble with them, they didn't fit! They were too long and interfered with the elevator setup......, thou my set wasn't for the Hasegawa model. Will be very interested to see how you go, as the kit cans and Aires ones I have are very basic! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 12 hours ago, modelling minion said: Really glad that you are finally going to be able to get home mate, must be a great relief. Sure is. Hope it happens. You can never have total confidence these days. My modelling will go back to a few less builds per year as other priorities take over. This hobby is a great tonic when isolated. 11 hours ago, Ale85 said: I'll follow with interest! Hope I can add some value. 8 hours ago, trickyrich said: They were too long and interfered with the elevator setup......, thou my set wasn't for the Hasegawa model. Thanks Rich for the heads up on the elevator issue. Still a problem on this kit but not a difficult fix. I expect the Reskit exhaust duct (dark grey) is a more realistic length from the turbine exit. Does someone have the actual length it should be? The cans do look much nicer and if you like you could just use these. I think it is not a difficult mod to get clearance on the Hasegawa elevator setup so long as you do this before you join the fuselage halves. My plan is to glue the elevator cross piece in place. Strengthen the underside gap with a gusset and then cut the interfering part out of the way so the duct will slide in to the required position. I expect I will need to shorten the polycap a fraction. The elevator engagement is relatively short so this should still be strong enough. We shall see. Ray 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 1 hour ago, Ray_W said: Hope it happens. You can never have total confidence these days. You'll be fine, just pack a tennis racket.😁 1 hour ago, Ray_W said: The cans do look much nicer They really do don't they, they have the correct "twist" of the exhaust petals and it looks like you have figured out how to fit the full exhaust already. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 26 minutes ago, modelling minion said: tennis racket Good idea, after all I am close to Serbia at the moment and also by then I will not need the cricket bat. 😁 I will need to charge the power tools and get ready for a string of projects and very little involving polystyrene, resin or brass, rather, 1:1 scale timber, bricks and mortar. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 No Tennis Racket packing persons allowed down here!! Arrr that new resin cans fit looks very familiar, and the fit issues with them looks the same...I remembered I only found this at the end! From memory I had to cut up the polycaps as well and a few other bits as well. It is interesting that the say it's for the Hasegawa model (mine was the Eduard release) but it doesn't actually fit without some issues! I'm back home tomorrow so may have to do some shopping for new end cans I've found! Can use the old kit bits with new resiny bits on the end....... plus some new resin wells, plus........ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 1 minute ago, trickyrich said: but it doesn't actually fit without some issues! Starting to find this. Plenty of dry fitting coming up. I'll post some images later in the week of my "discoveries". Any pointers along the way welcome. Ray 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 Being on a roll I just kept cutting plastic and taping it together. I am happy with the fit. I will probably add some additional tabs to ensure good joints in some locations, but the fit at this stage is not bad. Let's start painting and building or vice versa as the case may be. Cockpit and inlet trunking sounds a nice place to start. Ray 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 It certainly looks like she will go together without any major headaches Ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wings unlevel Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 On 11/01/2022 at 05:49, Ray_W said: hope to pick up the subject decals from Ronin Think there’s a few of us keeping a weather eye on the Ronin website! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted January 14, 2022 Author Share Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/12/2022 at 6:44 PM, Wings unlevel said: Think there’s a few of us keeping a weather eye on the Ronin website! I am sure this is the case. They have some interesting re-prints and new F/A-18 sheets promised for 2022 so worth checking the site regularly. I was going to hold off until they re-printed the RAAF Centenary markings. However, as I will be only home for a few weeks I thought better to lock in a scheme and ordered the Ronin decals that were in stock. I have decided on the 2018 6 Sqn Scheme. On 1/12/2022 at 12:31 AM, modelling minion said: It certainly looks like she will go together without any major headaches We will see. I am cheating a little having Rich's build @trickyrich running ahead of me. I note his comments on flaps. Ray 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 plus you might need to add tabs around the rear fuselage joins to help keep everything lined up, that area has a habit flexing in (or out) and makes tiding up a pain. Same goes for those bit right behind the intakes on the underside (the pieces with all those wee round holes, flare chutes??), they need some "guidance" to sit flush! My advise is to test fit till you become complete bored, then do some more, careful test fitting and adjusting with give you good tidy joins.....and use clamps if you have, especially when joining upper and lower fuselages, particularly with the LEX joins. Last time I didn't and it was a pain to correct/tidy. .well I did go shopping and got the correct exhausts for mine...again I ended up with Revell ones....but because I have used the replacement resin surrounds (sits just in front of the rear cans) it should all fit nicely.... plus I got some new wheel (don't like the kit ones)... plus some Mk.84's for my Tomcat. I would have got a nice new replacement IRPod (again the kit one is very basic, replaced it on my E model as well) from Wolfpack but no one seems to have them... will keep an eye out though. One question, does anyone know if the RAAF Growlers carry an AIM-120 on the RH fuselage pylon??? I know the Growlers still retain the options to fit them and AIM-9X's. I know they have start of the art ECM capabilities but would sort of make sense to some sort of A to A capability to shoot at Panda Bears! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted January 19, 2022 Author Share Posted January 19, 2022 21 minutes ago, trickyrich said: One question, does anyone know if the RAAF Growlers carry an AIM-120 on the RH fuselage pylon??? I know the Growlers still retain the options to fit them and AIM-9X's. I know they have start of the art ECM capabilities but would sort of make sense to some sort of A to A capability to shoot at Panda Bears! Hi Rich, Thanks for your tips. I like dry fitting because I loath any filling. Re. you question, does this help? I'd say yes. https://www.goodfon.com/download/boeing-ea-18g-growler-samolet-reb-vvs-avstralii-hesja-air-ar/1920x1080/ Ray 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted March 28, 2022 Author Share Posted March 28, 2022 Two month break from the modelling bench working on necessary house maintenance with the big East Coast wet back home in Australia. Now back at the bench and hoping to finish this within the time. At this stage mostly parts preparation, cockpit and nose assembly. I am using Quinta Studios 3D set so scraped off what was there and filled some ejection marks in the base of the cockpit tub. Sprayed the tub Gunze C317 FS 36231 Dark Gull Grey. There is quite a colour difference with the Quinta vinyl. I will be using a dark grey wash, after correctly positioning the sidewall panels, so hopefully I'll get a closer match. The kit would benefit from better location devices so it is a matter of adding these where you can and where needed. I still have not got a pleasing solution with this one ...... I avoid clamps and fillers so the front fuselage join to the lower wing half needs some more thought and adjustment. Ejection marks in the intake trunking filled with Gel CA and talc and sanded. Filling jobs on the nose and fuselage sides all with CA/talc. Some rescribing still to do. It took a couple of months but I did receive the Ronin Graphics decals that I had ordered. Very pleased with the product and looking forward to using them. Plenty of useful documentation included. Next we should see some nice progress and finishing of the cockpit. Ray 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 Good to see this back underway Ray. The cockpit looks very good, the Quinta set is very nice, though it would be nice if manufacturers of pre-coloured parts would go to the effort of getting the colours right. 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted March 30, 2022 Author Share Posted March 30, 2022 More bench time and making some good progress. Finished the ducting and filled, sanded and painted the seams. CA/Talc then sanded and sprayed with a few wet coats of White Mr Finishing Surfacer. They'll do: I was unhappy with the fit of the nose/fuselage assembly to the wing halves. A noticeable step at the front: And another step and very wishy-washy location at the rear: Better seen in this image: I decided that if I carefully sanded the top edge of the fuselage component I could get a better fit and hopefully minimise, if not eliminate, post sanding and filling. Working carefully I ended up with a better result. However, the end joint is not very precise. With the Hasegawa build you have multiple joints all with the potential to go astray while you clamp the LEX between the top and bottom wing halves and try to ensure no gaps anyway. So, decision made, let's kill two birds with one stone. I made a small bulkhead, glued it into in the rear of the front fuselage section and screwed and tapped into it from the rear section. Much better. Now I can ensure all joints are good, adjust and/or pack as necessary and no glue needs to come near it until the end. Here it is, pulls up nicely. The front section looks much better. No glue yet. Ray 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 Yes, you definitely screwed up your model! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 Very nice work Ray, great prep work to eliminate filling and sanding later and nice to see a bit of proper engineering in a build too. 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted March 31, 2022 Author Share Posted March 31, 2022 (edited) 18 hours ago, modelling minion said: great prep work to eliminate filling and sanding later It's coming together nicely. Another enjoyable build even with a little "engineering". Nice to do this now, rather than later. I cut the spar that spans the rear fuselage and interferes with the longer Resikit jet exhaust replacement. You may recall from an earlier post: In the end not much of the polycap holders left, but enough. I glued them in place then strengthened them with CA/Talc. A nice robust joint. I plan to glue the jet exhausts (excluding nozzles) into place before the top fuselage half is glued in position. I can then further brace against these along the stabilator axis giving more rigidity. The toothpick is a another brace, not related to the stabilator mountings. I noted the top of this section pinches in so the toothpick (glued in place with CA/talc) is ensuring the correct position to marry up with the top fuselage half. Finished the ejection seats - Aires resin with Quinta harness. My process for the Quinta harness was to remove them from the backing sheet like the recommended decal process working with one piece at a time. Then wipe off the glue and glue in position using CA. The Quinta harness is supplied as a light grey. I changed the colour to a somewhat more green using a wash I made from Vallejo Model Color Green. This was done after the harness was glued in position. Ray Edited April 1, 2022 by Ray_W Replaced cockpit photos 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 Nice work Ray, the cockpit and seats look very good, the straps are very effective and better with the green wash you have given them. 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted April 1, 2022 Author Share Posted April 1, 2022 (edited) 14 hours ago, modelling minion said: Nice work Ray, the cockpit and seats look very good, the straps are very effective and better with the green wash you have given them. 🇺🇦 After posting the cockpit photos I was disappointed how brown the seat cushioning appeared and washed out was the harness colour. I went to bed thinking I'll repaint those in the morning. However, on the bench they certainly do not look that way. The lighting was a fraction too harsh. I replaced the photos in the previous post with something a little closer to reality. No need to repaint anything. Cockpit is not finished yet. but at least the ejection seats are out of the way. Finished the Reskit exhausts. I did use the supplied PE flame holder on the basis of the Ronin Graphics images. Not much to see shoved up that jet pipe, but I do like it: A little bit of adjustment possibly a little more weathering and these will do nicely. Ray Edited April 1, 2022 by Ray_W Added jet exhaust images 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted April 3, 2022 Author Share Posted April 3, 2022 Finally, starting to look like a hornet. Building into a very clean and robust model. Not too many vices in the assembly other than the lack of location devices does mean you do need to take a little care. I tend to work along one glue line at a time and hold until firm before moving to the next. I did thin the wing fences and that tip is broken off the port wing. Thankfully, I found it so no need to fabricate a replacement. I was able to splay the underside of the LERX a fraction and achieve a reasonably good joint. A small amount of CA/Talc was added on one side and sanded out. The rear section of the fuselage also came up nicely although removal of the joint seams (which do not fall on a panel line) and some rescribing was necessary. I think the paint shop is not too far away. Ray 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted April 4, 2022 Share Posted April 4, 2022 Very nice work Ray, your usual methodical approach and attention to detail and fit is really paying off with a very tidy build. 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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