2006 F/A-18 Super Hornet GB

While I'm not participating in the GB, here's some pics of a couple SH's I finished off this year.

 Both of these were gifts to some VFA-103 air crew.

FINALLY finished - sorry for falling so far off the pace!

 

 

Well I know I'm way behind the power curve for this GB, and it's hard to believe it's been since January that I posted any progress but this one was on the back burner while I finished up a Tomcat for a friend getting out of the Navy.  But, it's painted:

Currently getting decals. 

Still cranking away.  The work has been slow, with lots of fill-sand-fill-sand owing in part to the Italeri kit and in part to my additions.  Almost done with all that though.

Here's the underwing/landing gear subassemblies I've done in the meantime:

Also got an ACS instrument panel for the aft cockpit from Darren Roberts so I'm painting that up now.  It will drop right in where the old one was so it won't be a problem adding it even though I've already closed up the fuselage. 

Hi All

Don't worry, haven't forgotten about this build or my commitment to it.

Just been a hectic last 3 months, changed jobs, moved into a new house and my wedding is in 8 weeks time.

Admittedly the "armor" bug has bitten me badly but I have unpacked the hornet again and I'm hoping to finish it soon. First have to find a dedicated area in the new house for modelling. (Could take awhile)

Glad to see the rest of you are going strong.

 

progress report for my F - I glued the wheels on the landing gear and am preparing to seal the decals with future so that I can add a bit of light weathering.

Matt

ok guys i have manged to save one of the hornets, all i need is my paint to get here from spruce brothers. i ran out of the fs36375 light ghost gray. at least i will have one for the gb. i will paint the tails this week and go ahead and decal them. and as soon as the paint gets here i will paint the rest of the plane.

Well folks, moving on to the more or less "major" assembly. While the shape is accurate and the engraved panel detail nicely done, there are a couple fit issues.  Italeri engineered the wings rather oddly - when you join them to the fuselage, there's a square shaped void that's filled with another two-piece assembly - which of course doesn't fit so hot.  So there's been some filling and sanding going on at the wing roots:




And just a little more on the underside - getting the front fuselage, intakes and main landing gear wells to play together nicely:



Meanwhile, some add-ons to make the F/A-18F an EA-18G.  No insider information here -  Boeing and navy PR photos.

The saddle-looking SATCOM antenna - just sheet styrene cut to shape working from the photos:


The wing fences Gregg mentioned - thin strip styrene rough-cut to shape, sanded for wing camber (the top still need to be sanded a bit to smooth out the countour and make the height uniform):


A couple extra antennae on the arse end (identical on the other side, but I didn't take a picture).  The one in front of the stab is basically 3 layers of styrene cut to shape, the one back toward the tailpipe is spare sprue cut and sanded more or less to shape:


Lastly on the nose - two more spare sprue antennae plus the "pizza box" that Italeri neglected to include.  Just two layers of styrene sheet, laminated and lightly rolled to get them to curve:


Obviously the styrene and sprue add ons are still a bit rough and need some sanding/blending in yet!

See - to prove I'm still at it:

The cockpit has decal instrument panels, which is kind of bogus in this scale IMHO but since we're talking about a jet 2+ years away from IOC I can live with it.  Still, the rear instrument panel sits too far into the shroud and the rear cockpit should have 2 sidesticks instead of a cetner stick.

 Here's the intakes installed into the underside:

 

I'm actually still in the fight too - though "real-life" slowed me down quite a bit.

 The good news about THAT is when I finally got around to getting ready for this build it was easy to get my hands on an Italeri EA-18G.  So if no one has any objections, I'll do that.  I still plan on doing conjectural markings for VAQ-137 - my fleet Prowler squadron (which has most certainly not transitioned yet).  I've started on the seats and cockpit - pics soon

Guys,

Here is a reminder of the status of my builds.  The E is basically finished, Think that I'll add some inlet covers to it, and the F is ready for weathering and all the finishing touches.







Hope to get back to them soon so I can finish, and I hope that they survived the move!!!!

well folks looks like i am the only one still around. well  i did manage to get one of the hornets done,i have one F hornet of vfa 102 out side in the shop drying with a bottom coat of future and should have the the top side sprayed tomrrow. and just a little more decals to go on and its done. as for the E and the G hornet. i am droping both of those and should have a few pics of the vfa 102 bird in a few days.

well guys the move is all done. and i am back to building. i know i signed up for 3 diffrent hornets, but i am only going to be able to do one of them and thats the f version of the hornet and i know i said  i would do a vfa 2 bird but during the painting part of it i messed up and then i started decaling.i used vfa 102 diamond backs decals instead of the bounty hunters. if osojohn reads this can you change my builds to just the f. i have no clue to when i will get the g version. pics to come in a few days.

seems like a lot of folks are moving matt. i just got thur with my move this weekend. i still have a few things to move but they can waite. i hope up to start work my two E & F-hornets for the group build. most of mine is done still have to repaint them  and then decal them and thier done.

hopefully in about 45 days I'll be able to finish up my "F" and post some more pics.  If I remember correctly, all the decals are on and all I need to do is a bit of light washes and a nother gloss coat and she'll be done!!!

Matt

bump

 

Hi Rob

I'm still building but haven't touched the kit in ages.

The armor bug has bitten hard and I contemplating on a permanent switch to armor model building. Might have to get rid of some of my aircraft kits.

Just need to find the will power to carry on with the superbug.

Glad to see the rest of you are still building ur kits.

well back to page 1. is anyone still building i have 2 of the 3 1/48 e done only have to repaint the 2 1/72 and decal them and thier done the last 1/48 all i have to do is decal it and its done. so how is evryones else hornets looking i aill have a few pics this afternoon when i get home from work.

sure why not and welcome aboard ihavent heard from any one else. i am still building my 2 for this group. i have had to strip the paint and repaint both of them. and i also  got 3 of my 1/48 all most done for another gb.and still a lot more hornets out of the nest to build.

Any chance I can get in on this GB still.  I started working on a RM 1/48 F-18E for my father, who is a huge hornet fan. 

well the 2 1/72 ones are painted and futured. i just havent had time to finish them because of work. but i hope to get a few hours starting to night to get the 2 1/72 done for this gb and i hope to finish the 3 1/48 f-18s sometime  next week. some pics to follow later tonight

all 5 have been painted 36375 and all the goodies that go along with it. in the proces of detailing the landing gear wells should be decaling by friday on the two 1/72 ones for this gb and the 1/48 ones over the weekend i hope.now if only my stuf from shawn hull will get here. i can finish the bombs up.

i dont know about setting an end date i have missed 2 all ready. only one  i got done is my 1/144 b52 h for the heavies gb on the arc site.  i am still working on my 5 hornets. and 3 of them are ready for paint. these 3 were for a gb on fighter modeling web site and i missed that end date . and the 2 for this gb need to be repainted.  as for the other gb only time well tell if i get them done in time. i still have a  p51 and f4u-d for the  aces gb on fsm , a p47 d for the thunderbolt gb, an f-15 c eagle for ther gb on fsm and 2 f4 c and g wild weasle for another gb on fighter modeling web site i think thats all i have on the bench to do. i must resist the urge to join so many group builds at one time. not enough time in the day to do everything. but back  to the ? it dont matter to me if thier is an end date i will probally miss it anyways. yeah i did miss one i have an a-7 corsair for a gb on the arc site and missed that date it may be shelfed all together and built at a later date. 

Hi all

I haven't touched the kit in months(or is it weeks), was getting bored with modelling so I switched over to the dark side and started a tank, which I'm thoroughly enjoying.

The tank has brought back my modelling enthusiasm and I even started my Revell KA-50 kit. Ok, I was lazy and an all black kit seemed like a good idea at the start. Then the fit and gaps decided to come out and play.

I've ordered my compressor today, so I should hopefully have it by the weekend.

Then I have no excuse not to complete the kit.

Maybe we should set an end date? Maybe a timeline would give us something to work towards?

Let me know

well i didnt get my f-18 started again my b-52 got in the way. but its all most all done just got to paint the nukes and add a few minor parts and its done

Mine's still waiting its turn.  Building has been much slower than I thought or hoped it would be over the last year and there's a few other projects that still need finishing first...

I have had to halt all my building due to getting ready to move.  All my modeling stuff was packed up and shipped off on Tues this week.  I wont be able to get back to building anything until late October or November this year.

well is anyone building? i hope to start back up on mine this weekend.

Matt, that is one awesome looking build. Love the weathering!

Glad to see somebody has completed a kit. Mine is just sitting there on the desk staring at me.

Hopefully Matt's build will motivate us to complete ours.