F/A-18C Hornet - Hasegawa 1/72

[Eric B.]

Hi everybody

I spent some time off of this forum but building continued. I was still preparing model for painting

Before doing so I need to add a few details around the "airframe" from my Eduard photoetched part set. It is very complete and provides a lot of fine details.

I also used some stretched sprue to add a few sensors or probes.

Chaff and flares dispensers also comme from the Eduard set. I dig a small hole beneath the dispensers to give depth. A few holes were made between vertical fins and under the rear fuselage, as can be found from documentation.

Below is a general view of the kit just before painting. A lot of the job was about filling and sanding then restauring panel lines and details. The Hasegawa kit starts to show its age and has never been an easy build. Among details lost are the ECM bulbs that had to be re-built from oval plastic rods.

More to follow – Cheers

Eric B.

[Eric B.]

As I said before my aim is to build my model flaps and slats down, how it should be on the ground and at rest.

F-18s are equipped with "slotted flaps". The kit itself provides Main flaps, flaps having been cut early in the construction stage. Leading edge of flaps is sanded until an aerodynamic shape.

Auxiliary flaps are cut from thin plastic sheet, using engraved panel lines on model flaps as a pattern.

Rear view

Side view showing model taking shape

Cheers

Eric B.

[volzj]

Progressing very nicely Eric. Looking forward to continuing updates.

[Eric B.]

Starting painting now. Main camo is applied with base colours (FS36375 – FS36320 – FS 35237). I don't use pre-shading.

Then fins are painted white. Then again fin blue areas are masked before navy blue is airbrushed.

General view of fin with masking removed...

HUD lenses are set on instrument coaming. Some details are added while ECM fairings are painted light grey.

Heavy sanding on nose area erased most details so some ECM fairings and some panel lines had to be restored.

More to follow.

Eric B.

Edited October 7, 2008 by Eric B.

[S.C.Williams]

Hey looking good so far! What is that purple stuff on the tails?

Steve

[AnthonyWan]

Hey looking good so far! What is that purple stuff on the tails?

Steve

I think that's Maskol (masking film/liquid by Humbrol I belive)

Looks like this:

[Eric B.]

Hi

Confirmed. Anthony is correct. That's Maskol.

I used it to widen the masked area as dark blue marks very strongly over whote. The lightest blue overspray shows. So I used tape for the sharp edge and widened with Maskol.

Cheers

Eric B.

[Eric B.]

This aircraft is landbased and available photographs show that the real aircraft was not heavily weathered. I carry on with paint job and will apply light weathering over main camouflage colours.

After main decals are applied, the very special effect of squadron markings over white fins starts to show. I believe these markings they seem quite unusual on a US aircraft – maybe that is the mixed effect of white fins and knight symbology. A subtle enhancement of panel lines is achieved with thinned paint.

Jet exhausts are added. They look quite dark and shining (very much like gun metal) on available photographs of the aircraft.

Next important stages toward the end of this project will include fitment and adjustment of landing gears and deflected leadind and trailing edge flaps (a lot of fitting and adjustment is expected)

Cheers

Eric B.

[S.C.Williams]

Cool looks great!! Now I see what you were doing with the ("purple stuff") maskol. Almost done!!

Steve