Group Build: F/A-18A-G Super Hornet/Growler

[BarleyBop]

New meaning to the term a thumbnail sketch.
Actually, perhaps the original meaning?!
...looks amazing!

 

[blakeh1]

New meaning to the term a thumbnail sketch.
Actually, perhaps the original meaning?!
...looks amazing!

thanks

as far as the paint on the thumb explanation, I do that to remove excess paint from the brush when trying to paint things like the rivets or face details etc...
I am already using that hand to hold the thing I am painting and it just the quickest thing around to wipe off excess paint and to test if the paint flow is good, or too wet, or too dry as well, especially for fine lines

I would not be doing that with solvent paints though, but I figure water based acrylics aren't too bad

 

[Edbert]

I feel like I have wrapped up the office enough to seal it up.

Obviously I had focus issues, tried to get multiple pics to show it all.

 

[Wig41]

That looks really good, focused or not !

 

[blakeh1]

Oh yeah,those control panels and details look perfect!

 

[blakeh1]

Whoever designed this Academy kits deserves a special place in hell

The front fuselage around the cockpit is made up of four pieces that you have to juggle to keep together while inserting the landing gear bays. The contact points are not great and do not offer much in the way of stability during the glue process. And keeping it in shape is a struggle

The two side barely want to stay connected

 

[BarleyBop]

That's just plain nastiness.

 

[Dan the Modeler]

@blakeh1 That's in 1/72 scale right? Just looking at the instructions before your pictures of the build, I was like, what the $#&*!knuckles is going on there and what octopus engineered those parts like that. I really feel for you on that one, but super kudos on you for plowing through and actually getting it done! By the way, fantastic job painting the details on the instrument panels, that's smaller than some faces on miniatures!

 

[Dan the Modeler]

@Edbert Man, that office is looking stellar! You got to keep the canopy open on that one for sure.

 

[blakeh1]

@blakeh1 That's in 1/72 scale right?

Yep

 

[Edbert]

Whoever designed this Academy kits deserves a special place in hell

I find those of you who do 1/72 aircraft amazing. I think 1/48 are too small but do not have room in the cabinet for many 1/32 aircraft so I fight with the tiny bits at 1/48.

I wonder if Academy's 1/48 hornet is as fiddly. I went to Scalemates to see the destructions and find that their Hornet is a reboxed Italieri. Thinking maybe their 1/72 kit is also I find the instructions they show for the retooled 206 kit is much different...

The lower fuselage half is it's own sprue so to speak, which is why there's no part number.
https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/5/7/6/973576-89-instructions.pdf

 

[Pantherman]

I am thinking that this revell kit will be just an out of the box build with no extras. Now going to order the paint and have a read through the destructions..... Pantherman

 

[BOATMAN]

HI P/M SHOULD be a nice build lets just hope it bein a revell kit dont let it down on fitting
ATB SIR
chrisb

 

[Pantherman]

HI P/M SHOULD be a nice build lets just hope it bein a revell kit dont let it down on fitting
ATB SIR
chrisb

Time will tell....... Pantherman

 

[BOATMAN]

Time will tell....... Pantherman

WELL P/M IVE been giffted with a revell 1/32 scale hawk aircraft kit by one of the guys on another forum so i will see if that fits ok when i get to build it
see you tomorrow sir
chris an jen

 

[Pantherman]

WELL P/M IVE been giffted with a revell 1/32 scale hawk aircraft kit by one of the guys on another forum so i will see if that fits ok when i get to build it
see you tomorrow sir
chris an jen

Lucky chap, nice gift. PM

 

[Pantherman]

So I made a start on the cockpit. Not great as the decals just don't match the panels. Having thought about it I probably should have sanded off the mouldings and just laid the decals flat, never mind. Pantherman

 

[Pantherman]

And I just noticed a little extra detailing that revell provided....
Pantherman

 

[Dan the Modeler]

@Pantherman You have to love them stamping the brand right there on the outside...lol.

 

[Pantherman]

@Pantherman You have to love them stamping the brand right there on the outside...lol.

Yeah, it's definitely not tucked away.... Pantherman

 

[BarleyBop]

definitely not tucked away

Styrene power boys, projecting styrene power...

 

[Pantherman]

And the delightful curve of the wing, except it should be flat.... someone order me a few dozen clothes pegs... Pantherman

 

[Glenn S]

And the delightful curve of the wing, except it should be flat.... someone order me a few dozen clothes pegs... Pantherman
View attachment 181222

I've seen that before!
I clamped it straight, then poured hot water over it. Then cold water to set it. It worked for me.

 

[Edbert]

So I made a start on the cockpit.

Always a soft-spot in my heart for single-seat fighters!

 

[Glenn S]

So I made a start on the cockpit. Not great as the decals just don't match the panels. Having thought about it I probably should have sanded off the mouldings and just laid the decals flat, never mind. Pantherman
View attachment 181210View attachment 181211View attachment 181212View attachment 181213

So, what's your trick for the stripes on the ejection handle? It worked out really well.

 

[Edbert]

Looking for some help here...

My "Growler" has five (!!!) jamming pods, 3 @ ALW-99 and 2 @ ALQ-218s. The way Meng made the 99s indicates an open hole in the rear, which seems odd or wrong. I have the "detail in scale reference book and there are several details of each, but nothing showing the rear. I'm leaning toward having the large hole in the tail of it is wrong, but cannot find a picture indicating that it is wrong or how it should look. Check this out, even the Gargle doesn't know.

Any ideas? Leave the giant hole open I guess, right?

 

[Edbert]

This should be added to the group build IMO...

 

[Dan the Modeler]

@Edbert The answer to your question is yes, the ALQ-99 Pods do have the large oval-ish hole in the rear of them. Here is some photo samples for you. HTH

 

[Edbert]

photo samples for you. HTH

No help, that there is the freaking ANSWER! Thank you brother, I was thinking I'm missing some parts ;-)

 

[Wig41]

Edbert , your Super Hornet looks way better than mine !!