Janissary

Thank you both, much appreciated!

Just wrapped up this build. Thanks for following along. Final pics: http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/318512-148-hasegawa-f-18c-vfa-113/

Finally finished with this Stinger! This squadron always brings back memories of my childhood bedroom; one of the many posters I had was a pair of Stingers F/A-18A. I also remember building this little jet and brush painting it in Humbrol 127 and 128! [I took the above image from: http://blackfire.ca/2018/10/21/hasegawa-1-72-f-18a-part-1/] My desire to build the 1/48 Hasegawa kit started a few years ago, when I found the Fightertown Decal 48070 which had the markings for a line jet, just the way I had built as a kid. Anyway. I really enjoyed this one and would sti

And after staring at the above pose for a bit, I decided that the supports for the wire were too distracting. Also, with this entire scene, I was trying to capture the moment that the aircraft comes to a full stop at the end of the deck (fully stretched cable, forming a narrow V). The wide angle of the wire gave the illusion that it'd just trapped, which was not my intent. So I removed the supports, narrowed the wire, and glued it to the hook. This will be final configuration and this is how it will sit on the flight deck. I hope to have the final pics in a few days!

I'm happy to see this finally finished! In the next few days, I plan to take the final pics and share it here!

Finally finished with the flight deck also! I tried to capture the last few steps in the pics below. The cat track is absent of all the interesting details found on the real thing, but at least I think I hit the color and various tones I was aiming for. I configured the arresting wire a bit off the center strip for asymmetry. This whole thing was to depict the Hornet at the very end of the landing. For that, the wire needed to form a tighter angle at the apex but I just eye balled everything. The Stingers were on USS Carl Vinson during the 2014-2015 if I'm not mistaken. As part of

Thank you. You're right about the ATFLIR. Hasegawa attachments points and surface details are designed for the lens to be facing outward, but that's an excuse on my part, I could have done it tucked in. Just my weak attempt at showing off the chromatic lens. 🙂

Thank you Thadeus! I am slowly nearing the finish line. A few more progress pics. Many of the pics are self explanatory, but I have been busy with the ordnance and the flight deck. Happy to say that the Hornet is now finished, but there is work for the flight deck. The vertical stabs still look too wide. So I snapped them off and fixed their angles for a *second* time: Now GBU-31 is also complete:

I don't have what you're looking for, but here are a few pics of mine on Midway, and a few other links. Maybe they'll help: https://imgur.com/qVsAoHG https://imgur.com/Von0gwy https://imgur.com/hUz3QXf https://imgur.com/8zf9VVW https://imgur.com/6jecMMX https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VF/Fighter-Squadron-161.htm https://www.seaforces.org/usnships/cv/CV-41-USS-Midway.htm

I chose Hasegawa. Had built the Hasegawa before. Never had the Kinetic one. But looking at the online build photos and reviews, Kinetic looked too finicky for what I had in mind. Also, older Kinetic boxings had the vertical stab' top line pretty flat (though I think they fixed it later). If you want a base straightforward Hornet and you will AM the bells and whistles, Hasegawa is best IMO. Somewhere in the progress section I have a Hasegawa C going on, and there you can see a few tips on how to avoid seams and steps.

Awesome idea, awesome execution.

Thoughts on whether a DIY approach will work. I have a ZM F-4D already in the stash. I remember seeing somewhere that the amount of plastic that needs to be removed is more than the wall thickness. So, I think there was some styrene plastic glued from the back side IIRC. This could very well be Hypersonic's correction kit. I was thinking of roughing up the plastic on the backside with a razor saw and slapping on some 2-part epoxy to give it a well-bonded continuous material thickness. Then sand it down from the outside moving from a pretty coarse grid to fine. I feel

Thank you! I am excited as I am nearing the end of the ordnance assembly and painting.

Thank you Steve, that makes a lot of sense. One thing I forgot to mention is that all will be training ordnance. I am not sure if that makes a difference with the seeker head but I thought it wouldn't. I just glued them facing slightly downward thinking that when the aircraft comes to a stop (end of carrier landing) that could be a natural position of the heads.

I can really use your help with these two questions: - There will be two GBU-12 Paveways and I am planning to depict the aircraft right at the end of a carrier landing. What is the 'correct' position of the GBU-12 seeker heads? Do they point straight forward or can they be pointing down (or loose & pointing up?) as can be seen in some parked aircraft? I suppose it is pivots on a gimbal but not sure. I would prefer a non-straight pose so I wanted to understand what dictates its angle when in flight vs. powered down etc. - I am also in need of a GBU-31

Thank you all. I am slowly making progress on the ordnance. Canopy tinting starting to show through: HARM: HARM and Amraam: Targeting pod and chaff buckets:

Hello, I am looking for the two GBU-31 JDAMs from the 1/48 Tamiya F-14D OR the Academy F-14A Bomcat kit. Tamiya Kit: https://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/tam/kit_tam_61118.shtml Tamiya Parts: Middle left of the image: https://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/tam/pages/tam_61118_parts3.shtml Academy Kit: https://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/aca/kit_aca_12206.shtml Academy Parts: Top-right corner of the image: https://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/aca/pages/aca_12206_parts8.shtml Ideally, I would like to buy both JDA

When Tamiya puts out all the other versions besides the B, I cannot see a single reason for going with Hasegawa (other than nostalgia). Really. Not a single reason.

A good cut-out of an AB and the pathways (starting at 3:40). Maybe that will help you narrow down where the problem is. Things I would check: - Does the air flow back to the paint cup when (1) the trigger is merely pressed down or (2) do you need to pull it back also? - When you dry spray the AB (no liquid), does air come out through the front? - With the nozzle off, can you insert the needle through the back as usual, push it all the way, and slide it out through the front with nothing in the way? - If you don't insert the needle and put water in the cup, tilt the

Thank you for the photography details.