2006 F/A-18 Super Hornet GB

The Monogram instructions say Olive Drab for the cushion, white seatbelts(dunno?) and the seat sides is flat black with a centre panel in Dark Gull Grey.

Now that I think about there might be some walk-arounds at ARC, will headover and feedback to everyone.

06-01-06

Hey John.

Yup, in the walkaround section on ARC, there are cockpit shots of the F/A-18E. They're pretty good and clear.

There seems to be two versions of the instruction sheet available, depending upon which side of the company has released the kit. Here in Europe, the color of the rest of the seat is "anthracite grey" which has also been described as coal black ( mix black with a small amount of blue and a dash of silver). The seat cushion is dark green, not olive drab and so on.....even, as I said earlier, the fuselage colors are listed as mixed percentages of odd-ball shades instead of an FS number or something like Ghost Grey. It's odd that the sheet is reprinted depending upon the region.

Another minus point to Revell.

Liam

Hi all

I started the nose assembly today only discover that my RM kit didn't contain part 93 This is the top part of the nose and contains the gun vents etc.

Went to RM's site only to discover that the part replacement service is only valid for users in the US and Canada. I attempted to order the part 4 times incase it work but no joy since I'm in South Africa.

I searched the RM site for a contact email address but no joy there either.

Went over to the RoG site and I've emailed them explaining the situation, hopefully they can resolve this. Emailed GreatModels.com as well which is where I bought the RM kit in the first place. Hopefully between the 2 I can get a replacement.

Luckily I have the RoG kit and it does contain part 93, so my build can continue but until RoG comes back to me my other kit can't be built.

Hope the rest of you are having an easier time.

09-01-06

Hey again.

Can anyone give me an FS number for the cockpit tub?

Color guide says Light Grey....and there are so many shades to choose from. Looking at photos, I went for FS 36495, which is almost white, though it dries a tad darker.

Any advise?? ( also thinking of using 36251)

Thanks in advance

Liam

Liam, the correct colour is Dark Gull Grey, FS36231. Standard colour for all US Navy cockpits.

11-01-06

Hey John and all!

I have the cockpit tub,instrument panel and seat painted and ready for assembly.

Can you tell me please, the screens on the instrument panel, the two oute ones ( based on the pics on ARC) seem to be a green color, but what color would be appropiate for the other three screens?

Thanks in advance

Liam

Hi all

Liam, I painted my MFDs black and then I added a drop of Tamiya clear green on the top 3 and Tamiya clear blue on the bottom one.

Rob, feel free to post ur pics of your "quick" superbug, followed the progress on ARC. Looking forward to seeing the results.

I'm still waiting on news about a replacement part. Received an automated response from Revell-Germany informing me that they received my email and will get back to me.

GreatModels response was hilarious, even though I explained that only one part was missing and that I actually did receive the kit etc, they responded informing me how the kit was shipped and that the method didn't allow for tracking items.

I responded with a detailed email explaining myself yet again and adding additional information. Still waiting for a response to that.

So the saga of the missing part continues, will keep everyone posted.

12-01-06

wel liam as for vx-9 anythig goes since its a test and evaul squdaron. well here are a few pics of my E-f18 hornet.  should have stayed home and worked on the hornets not a critter in site that i was lookning for only seen 4 wood ducks and they were pretty but i dont hunt ducks yet. so here are just afew of the e and to i got my 2bobs decals for 143 so now i am all set to build both

well not much done this evening only thing i got done is the top side and the side panels with the photo etch stuff. if this turns out all right i will use nothig but this stuff from now on with all my -f18 builds and any other builds if its avaible for it.

Hi all

Liam, I checked all the images I have on my pc and on the carrier and when landing there isn't a gap and the vents aren't visible. Unfortunately all the inflight images don't have enough light inside the intakes to see. Create a post on ARC, some of the Navy guys might be able to help.

As for weapon loadouts, Rob is right. You can pretty much loadup anything you want to since its one of the test squadrons. However if you're after accuracy as to whats has been tested/cleared, again ARC has some existing posts regarding loadouts in one of the forum areas, just do a search.

Rob, looking good. The kit in the pic regarding the photo-etched parts, is that 72 or 48?

I ordered the photo-etched stuff for the Hasegawa F-4G I just ordered.

There is light at the end of the tunnel regarding "part 93". Luckymodel were amazing in their service and should be shipping the part on Monday. Should be with me early next week along with my F-4G.

Still fumbling in the dark with GreatModels.com. They eventually understood what I was after and told me that they would order the part. It appears as if they've ordered an entire new kit, which doesn't actually help. Will keep emailing them.

Should have some photos of the cockpit ready in the next day or 2.

Whats happened to everyone else?

well john since i cant aford the 48 birds i only build in 72 scale. and the phot stuff is in 1/72. well i made some progress on the pit today. i played hookie from work today since it was  my b-da and i did mange toget some of the front office done before the partying started and the beer started flowing the consoles and black boxes were put in then i started on the ejection seat and the snafu bug hit thank god for resins seats. i got about 20 of them being painted by a fellow on the arc for my future builds of  the f-1 8 hornet. i new my luck would run out eventually i see i have alot of sanding a maybe some puttying when i join the under section with the cockpit  tub  section and the main fusalge together.  still working on the instruments panels and i hope to have it done 2mrow. so here is a small updae with pics. i hope you get what u need for you hornet john. its a shame that revell wont do anything since its their muck-up.not bieng nosie but what is the os in front of your name stand for? thanks rob

Hi Rob

Your cockpit is coming along nicely. I hate painting cockpits, not my strong point.

Happy Birthday, hope you had a good one.

I lost the throttle this morning while trying to dry-fit/glue (serves me right for trying to squeeze modelling in before work). Will have a second look tonight, otherwise will see what can be stolen from another kit or I might just fill it up.

The 'OS' doesn't mean anything, when I joined finescale I wasn't sure what to use as a username, so I used the network login I was given on one of our clients domains.(was at work when I registered) It made sense at time, wouldn't forget it and its kinda stuck. Use it at ARC as well.

well the cockpit is done. i guss for the first time all the sutff turned out ok. i did muck up on one of the screens down in the middle. well john i to hate doing cockpits escipally the seats, but if thier is a photo etch set out for what i am doing thats whats going in the pit. so her are here are just a few pics. i hope to have it all joined togeher this evening after dinner and she will be ready for th paint booth 2mrow.

well just another small update. the bird has a full body now. i had one heck of a time around the front office were the two meet together a lot of sanding to get it the way it should be. also had a huge gap were the fule tank goes. again i had to do a lot of sanding but it has turned out all right i guess when i paint it thats when it will show how good of a job  i have done on it..well this one is now ready for the paint booth. but i want to paint both at one time so this one will be sit aside and i  will start on the f -hornet.so here are just a few pics of the e hornet

thanks for the b- wishes john it was a good one its been a long time since i gave my self a self induce headace needles to say not much of anything done the next day

a very good night at the bench. heres what i have done so far with the second  hornet i am building the  group. the f is coming along very nice. should be able to get most of the cockpit done 2mrow. i will be placing a order with great models and spruces brothers for some things for the 3 hornets that i have going at one time. so here is a pic of the f hornet. john did you ever get your part yet? i may be able to help you out. i have a deal that i am working with brain of vf decals on a couple of revell kits that he is selling.

well just a small up date no mojo to work on them today. the cockpit is done all that is need is for the cockpit  section to be joined and  this one along with the E is ready for the paint booth. i figured out a way to get a better fit with the phot etch stuff this one turned out better than my frist one i did.

Hi all

My apologies for my absence lately. January has been a rather busy month for me, got engaged, got my drivers license (should have done that 7 years ago) and now i'm busy purchasing a new car.

Modelling has taken a back seat for the last week or 2.

Will glue the cockpit tub in tonight (hopefully) but need to sand the bottom of the seat some more. While dry-fitting the canopy in the closed position, I noticed that the seat is too high. A few more swipes with sandpaper should solve the problem.

My replacement part should arrive this week sometime, then I can finally finish the nose assembly.

Rob, whats the secrect you discovered with ur photo-etched parts? Ordered the Eduard cockpit set for my F-4G and can't wait to start. If all goes well, I might order a set for my next SuperHornet.

Hey all

Matt, I can't really compare as mine are from revell and in 48th but some of those forward fuselage seams actually exist on the real aircraft. Just check you references before you sand them away.

I sprayed the intakes with Tamiya white primer (I hate airbrushing white) and started the assembly. This kit is taking longer than I anticipated. Once the intakes are done things should move along rather rapidly.

I've been promising photos for awhile so hopefully I can fullfil this promise during the course of the week.

I might build my plane as VX-31 instead of VFA-143, still not sure.

hi john and matt

 well i know how you feel about that matt. i to have been having the same problems with the gap on were the fusualage goins with the cockpit section,but here is how i over come the bad fit. get it close as possible and the place a thin bead of super glue on top then spray it with a acceleraror let dry for a few seconds then start sanding.. so far this way has been the best for me in  removing those small gaps. i havent worked on mine in afew days but i will post some pics for you matt. i am still watig for my 1/48 phot etch set from great models were i can start on my big hornt again . other than that evry is coming along slow

Hi all

Not to much to report except that my replacement part has arrived, picking it up at the psot office tomorrow morning.

Another RM kit has also arrived from GreatModels (won't even go down this road), which I'll pick up tomorrow as well.

The intakes have been assembled and attached to the lower fuselage, the upper and lower fuselage parts will be attached tonight or early tomorrow morning.

Have to do some sanding and minor filling on the intakes and some filling once the two halves are together but not a lot.

Since its weekend, I'm guaranteed to take photos.

My biggest problem is what loadout to put on the kit(s)?

GA.modelmaker wrote:

hi john and matt  well i know how you feel about that matt. i to have been having the same problems with the gap on were the fusualage goins with the cockpit section,but here is how i over come the bad fit. get it close as possible and the place a thin bead of super glue on top then spray it with a acceleraror let dry for a few seconds then start sanding.. so far this way has been the best for me in  removing those small gaps. i havent worked on mine in afew days but i will post some pics for you matt. i am still watig for my 1/48 phot etch set from great models were i can start on my big hornt again . other than that evry is coming along slow

Hi all

As promised:

Since those photos were taken, the nose has been assembled and attached to the fuselage as well as the wing tips.

I picked up my replacement part from LuckyModels on saturday morning allowing the completion of the nose. I thought my GreatModels orde rhad arrived as well but it turned out to be a RevellAG parcel. Yes, they sent a replacement part, no email to tell me that they were sending it.

So now I have a spare part number 97.

As you can see I have a lot of work ahead with those intakes