F/A-18A Kit Bash

While I’m filling and sanding the lerx area my goal is to finish up the cockpit this weekend. To that end I’ve got some detail added to the upper movable canopy deck. Making use of new skills in straightening wire and pin drilling here.

Here it is using my handy iphone level app lol i hate finding new uses for this stupid thing. After a double check I’ll spot glue them before using epoxy to lock them into position. Let me know if you all see anything goofy in this pic?

One package of o-rings from McMaster Carr, 1” of icemaker tubing, 2 nails, and a couple slabs of evergreen strip and viola, instant stabilators! Plus while things were drying between steps i shot some pool with my son. Everybody’s happy :-) 

Checking the alignment and fit Of the collar I made. Modeled this off the Tamiya F-16. 

Once it’s dry tomorrow I’ll try an action shot and see what it will look like on the base. Will have to check the droop with the tape off, hopefully the dry fit i did tonight was accurate. Overall it seems to fit the part but let me know if you see something off as I still have time to change it.

jeaton01

I doubt you can actually make a YF-17 out of that kit.  The YF-17 was a Northrop only project and was physically smaller than the F-18 which was a joint Northrop/McDonnell Douglas project.  Whole new airplane, similar to the F-18E/F morphing out of the F-18A/B/C/D.

Hasegawa kit SO23:5800 is supposed to represent the first 5 development airplanes.  It's also 1/32 scale.  I has the development decals also, of course.

 

I would agree- the size problem would be a real issue.

After some advice about how best to glue the odd wing joint on this one I’ve made some great progress this weekend. Here’s the first pic of it starting to take shape.

this one shows some of the amr reaver vents. still some clean up to do but thought I’d show it as it’s turning out pretty nicely i think.

i decided on a full military power near vertical takeoff for the presentation of the model. To do that the tabs needed cut off the stabilators so they could be repositioned. The plan is to duplicate the rotation from the Tamiya F-16. Ordered a bag of o-rings today. Once they come in the surgery starts again. Looking over some pics i believe the rotating center is in line with the circular marks on each of the stabilators. It all seems to line up on the fuselage too based on what I’m seeing. If you see something out of whack here let me know. Below is a picture of the markup.

That leading edge snag filler piece is cheating... 

but to quote somebody that I once knew, “ if you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t trying”... 

that looks great!

Haven’t found that FS article yet. I’ve got the more recent 10yr series I guess.

making more progress tonight!

Working on the vertical stabilizers tonight. Took awhile at home depot to find some 1/16” wire. Once i did i was all set. Here’s the 1st one. The other is in front of me and almost done. It’s just sitting at a little angle but I should have it lined up shortly 

next up tonight is to get rid of the slash on the horizontal stabs. Dandiego sent me a piece for that which is probably the best piece yet because I didn’t know how much work it was going to be to get the leading edge correct.

I doubt you can actually make a YF-17 out of that kit.  The YF-17 was a Northrop only project and was physically smaller than the F-18 which was a joint Northrop/McDonnell Douglas project.  Whole new airplane, similar to the F-18E/F morphing out of the F-18A/B/C/D.

Hasegawa kit SO23:5800 is supposed to represent the first 5 development airplanes.  It's also 1/32 scale.  I has the development decals also, of course.

Yes, the development Hornets had all those features. Flight test showed the problems that they created, and they were removed for full scale production. An old early 90s issue of FSM has the same kit being modified into a production bird and shows exactly what to do. The old Detail & Scale book on the early Hornets also shows the changes to make. 

I have a 1/32 Revell Hornet that I will be updating in a similar manner with somebody else’s cast off Academy parts and sheet plastic surgeries. One day...

Thx Stikpisher. The wings arent glued in yet So I definitely have some flexibility with how to address this. Hasegawa original design was 2 pieces and a hollow area under just half the root extensions. Weird, but I’m assuming the real YF had something like this as part of the prototype program. I’ll have to see if adding thin sheet plastic will work without adding thickness to the edges. A definite work bench project for tomorrow 

Have you already glued the wings in place? The simplest method would be to make the LEX fillers with sheet plastic and sand it smooth to match the surrounding area. You will also address the wing and stabilator snags, making both leading edges straight for a production aircraft.