1/72 F/A-18B NASA

[Lifeline]

Hi All,

I was actually searching on what kit I should build for the strike GB, when I saw this in my stash..

 

Upon inspection I found that the decals is starting to yellow. So it need to build immediately. 

Sprue shots;

 

I do realize @zebra already start with the 1/48 scale of the same subject. And mine will be rather quick build and surely without the QTEP apparatus.. So I hope it's okay to enter this GB with this build?

 

 

Cheers,

Mario

 

 

 

 

 

[zebra]

7 hours ago, Lifeline said:

Hi All,

I was actually searching on what kit I should build for the strike GB, when I saw this in my stash..

 

Upon inspection I found that the decals is starting to yellow. So it need to build immediately. 

Sprue shots;

 

I do realize @zebra already start with the 1/48 scale of the same subject. And mine will be rather quick build and surely without the QTEP apparatus.. So I hope it's okay to enter this GB with this build?

 

 

Cheers,

Mario

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice choice, but of course I'd say that! Nice to see another NASA Hornet in the GB.

[Lifeline]

I remember building hasegawa's Hornet a long time ago, and several things stuck in my mind was the problems around the middle section of the fuselage.

That's why I start with this area to address the problem right away. 

I cut off and sand this solid section away on the lower fuselage sidewall that will made the side of wheel well to make it more like the one in the real aircraft.

 

Added small plastic strip to help guide assembly. Hopefully this will helps with the sub assemblies later on.

 

And small experiment to deal with the non existent intake of hase 1/72 F-18 kit..

 

Using blank paper, and leftover from recast ing experiment.

 

Far from accurate, but better than staring at blank wall that Hasegawa originally intended...

 

As for the cockpit?

Another experiment in near future...

 

 

Cheers,

Mario

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lifeline]

I recast the instrument panel from Academy 1/72 kit and use it to replace the original ones. 

Need a sanding and fitting, but it's better than the flat instrument panel Hasegawa provide.

 

I personally think the wing tip pylon on Hasegawa's Hornet looks toyish,

 

so decided to experiment on it a bit using strip styrene to simulate a rails.

 

Also modified the HUD using wires and clear acetate

 

End result with wet paint all around it...

 

I planned to depict the aircraft like on the boxtop pictures. So it will be closed canopy with figures. 

I played around with the ejection seats (which I robbed from the Academy kit because it's slightly better than Hasegawa's) and the canopy when I realized the ejection seat will be seated too low in the canopy.

 

While in the real thing;

 

So I added 2 mm plasticards under the seat;

 

Not perfect at all, but that's the highest I can. Any millimeter higher and the canopy won't be closing. 

 

 

Cheers,

Mario

 

 

 

 

 

[Lifeline]

Primered and painted... 

A lot of gaps and other imperfections which addressed. Even when the white paint is on.

I made a cardboard guide for the tail fin angle.

 

 

Gosh I hate white, it's always hit and miss for me. And this one is definitely miss. Final result was uneven and thick. A factor I need to count to choose the weathering later on.

 

Cheers,

Mario

 

[Lifeline]

painting was done and followed by decals. Which was challenging, but done it all. 

 

Also a bit details on the Ejection seats.

 

Figures from PJ production finished..

 

And fitted into the cockpit, although need a few modification to get more natural poses.

 

Canopy shows no problem but need a bit touch up with the paint.

 

Not shown here but I fitted small parts such as landing gears and the doors, antenna. Then followed by semi gloss coat left overnight to dry followed by enamel wash.

 

When I peeled the masking on the canopy.

 

Tuned out the masking liquid was not fully covered the clear parts. Nothing I can do except scrape the paint and lacquer clear coat using sharpened sprue, then coat the clear parts with Alclad aqua gloss.

 

The results after few hours, with no more required parts left on the sprue

 

Cheers,

Mario

 

 

 

 

 

[Alan P]

That's a beauty! 👍