1/32 Academy F-18D to CF-18B kicked up a notch.

[ALF18]

...another CF-18 pilot by the name of Dan McWilliams pointed out my error when I posted it on ARC. He also makes the 1/32 Academy kit (a LOT of them I think) and it's really cool to have real pilots who actually flew these jets give me tips and info.

Oops - forgot I already pointed out that to you about 719 and its antenna (ALF = Dan McWilliams). Remember the old 80s TV show with the Alien Life Form? That's where I got the nickname - somebody said I looked and acted like the lovable little alien... Can't figure out why!

Offer still stands if/when required - and I fully understand artistic licence when it comes to things like display screens that just look cooler when lit up.

The weathering on the Tomcat looks very nice, as does that on 719 (which I recall telling you at the time). Older jets like the one you're representing could definitely look their age, so go to town on that!

ALF

[chuck540z3]

Oops - forgot I already pointed out that to you about 719 and its antenna (ALF = Dan McWilliams).

ALF

Ha! Joke's on me! Welcome to my build thread and comment often!

[Tilt]

[chuck540z3]

Since I need to get the front gear into the front fuselage, it's time to tackle the G Factor brass landing gear set. I've never really dealt with brass before, so this is all new to me.

Here's a pic of what comes out of the bag, which is very similar to what the kit parts are like, except the main gear is already assembled and the front gear, for the most part, is all ready to go. Looks easy doesn't it?

To get those brass bits off the trees, I used a Dremel tool and cut-off wheel, which works really slick if you're careful....

Once this stuff is free from the trees, they require quite a bit of clean-up, which isn't so easy. You'll need some metal files....

and a little "dental bur" to get all the mold and other blemishes off the brass parts.

Unlike the Scale Aircraft Conversion metal gear or the kit parts, the big shock absorber is already attached to the rear gear. This is great if you're making an F-18C/D, but it's the wrong type and the wrong direction for the Canadian CF-18.

Sooo, with tears in my eyes.....

Edited December 6, 2009 by chuck540z3

[chuck540z3]

Here's a pic I took of 910's main gear. Note the piston part of the shock absorber is downward rather than upward and you can hardly see any of it. On the F-18C/D you can see almost half of it in the upward direction. The other thing to note is the diameter of the shock. It is roughly 2/3's the diameter of the gear leg, but in the G Factor and kit parts, it's almost the same size.

This "Canadian thing" isn't really limited to Canuck F-18's, because I took the following pics of a NASA F-18A at the Nellis airshow last year...

and guess what the landing gear looks like!.....

My guess is that this shock is for land based F-18's and those that have or could have carrier use, which is almost all American ones, need the beefed up shock. That's my theory anyway.

So how do I get that type of shock on my build? I made a "lathe" out of my power drill by putting the shock inside and using a file, I ground it down.

[chuck540z3]

I need a fat part of the shock at the top, which is already there. I need a thinner shock overall and I need a lower lip at the bottom, just before the piston is visible at the bottom. Here’s some preliminary work before I smoothed things out…..

And some results of the main gear prior to final prep, plumbing and painting…..

The front, as expected, was almost no work at all…..

Notwithstanding my extra work with the shocks, I found attaching all the little brass pieces together to be a HUGE job and I wouldn’t use this set again, other than for the terrific front gear piece. The tolerances for many of the tiny bits are tough enough when you’re using the kit plastic, but with brass it was nothing but a struggle getting everything to align up properly. It took me 5 hours gluing parts and then ripping them off because something wouldn't fit properly or a tab broke off.

If you do use this G Factor set, make sure you bend all the little tabs to match the kit parts before you start, since many of them are cast in the wrong direction. Next time I'll use the SAC gear set as a base and add plastic kit parts, saving a lot of money in the process. Once painted, it will look just as good, IMHO.

Anyway, I can add some plumbing to the gears now, with a very difficult job behind me. Thanks for your interest.

Edited December 7, 2009 by chuck540z3

[dpwatson]

Wow. Amazing work.

I do think it looks like it was worth the effort though! nice stuff man.

David

[Marcel111]

Chuck, congrats on getting the gear that far, especially considering the modification you did. I must say I also struggled with the SAC gear, there are a few bits I just ended up scratch building from styrene rod since I could never get everything to fit perfectly. My gear took me 4 weeks in all, so your progress is very impressive!

Cheers,

Marcel

[strikeeagle801]

Great. So you guys are saying that niether of the aftermarket metal sets of gear are an "easy" replacement. Awesome. What is a guy like me supposed to do when he has none of your skills, and very limited monetary resources?

Aaron

[chuck540z3]

Great. So you guys are saying that neither of the aftermarket metal sets of gear are an "easy" replacement. Awesome. What is a guy like me supposed to do when he has none of your skills, and very limited monetary resources?

Aaron

Well I'm no expert, but I know of a real one by the name of John Wolstenholme. You may have heard of him? John has been so kind to offer me some building tips, which I'm sure to use many of along the way.

One thing that John did to reinforce his gear was to use 5 minute epoxy cement when he glued the kit gear parts together. Combined with the metal insert he created an "integral unit", which may be the cheap and easy way to avoid sagging landing gear. After almost 3 years, his landing gear remains sag free. Since my last F-18 build sagged after only 1 year, I think he's onto something.

[dmthamade]

Where does the gear start to sag? I have one F-18 build in the shelf and another in the to-build pile, just want to know what to watch out for. The gear looks like a lot of work, chuck. Do you think it looks finer and more detailed than the kit stuff? For me, the kit stuff was fine, just real fiddly ( ;) ;) ) to build.

Don

[Slo-pine]

Nice work so far. I've just started building my 32nd hornet and been following this thread picking up some great tips. Thought you might like to see 910 in action. A couple pics from flag this year.

 

Edited February 3, 2017 by Slo-pine

[Emvar]

Like others I too have been lurking and watching with interest as I have a CF-18A and B to do pile.

Impressive build and some really good tips. That gear sagging thing had me thinking of the Metal Gear sets but that use of the 5 Minute epoxy would save me alot of money which I could use elsewhere.

Emil

[chuck540z3]

Where does the gear start to sag? I have one F-18 build in the shelf and another in the to-build pile, just want to know what to watch out for. The gear looks like a lot of work, chuck. Do you think it looks finer and more detailed than the kit stuff? For me, the kit stuff was fine, just real fiddly ( ) to build.

Don

Hi Don, thanks for stopping by. Here's what I think is going on.

As mentioned earlier, my CF-18A build of about 1 1/2 years ago used the kit legs, which are really nicely made. The detail is good and all the fiddly little bits fit together nicely, although it is a tricky job and you have to take your time. When done, they look great and are probably one of the nicest gear assemblies out there. The advantage to using the kit parts (besides being "free") is the pliable nature of the plastic pieces and the flexibility of plastic glue before it dries. Stuff needs to bend and move in order to get everything looking just right. When I placed them in the gear wells, they were nice and uniform- or at least they used to be.

About 6 months ago I noticed some posts in the Jet Forum from guys who talked about the sagging gear of the Academy F-18 kit, so I checked my build and, sure enough, one side had sagged. I'm not sure if both sides sagged, but one side had relaxed and dropped down more than the other. The starboard side has sagged enough that the gear leg almost touches the Sparrow missile above it. Some mentioned cracks, etc. in their gear legs, so I examined mine carefully and found the following.

The pic below shows the differences in the gear legs. The one on the right has the "normal" angle of about 120 degrees at the leg bend, while the left side has collapsed to about 20 degrees less. I examined the base of the leg where it attaches to the gear well and I see no cracks or bends, nor do I see any cracks within the leg itself.

My theory is that the whimpy metal insert within the leg obviously can't take the weight of the model, especially when there is so much torque with weight to the hinged nature of the leg and with the backward angle of the leg itself. If the leg was vertical like an F-14 or F-15, it would probably be fine. Since the plastic leg parts surround this metal insert, the metal slides within the plastic, allowing it to bend. Since the plastic is pliable, it bends with the insert and it may or may not crack, depending on the amount of the collapse.

I think the reason the right leg remains upright is due to extra glue of the assembly adhering the plastic to the metal parts, so that they are a "integral unit" as John Wolstenholme has mentioned concerning his build, when he used epoxy cement. The simple fix just may be to make sure you use lots of CA or epoxy glue within the leg to make it one solid unit. This is a reasonable assumption, but due to all the work I going to put into this build, it's not a chance I'm willing to take.

Getting back to the kit parts vs the G Factor or SAC metal parts, I offer the following opinions, which others may or may not share with me. The G Factor main gear is not much more detailed than the SAC offering, but it does come with all the tiny parts in brass to make up the entire leg assembly. These small brass parts, however, are not more detailed than the kit parts, which the SAC set uses, so I don't see a huge advantage. The brass parts are not required for extra strength, since the main assembly is already rock solid, so why use them, other than you feel like it. The front G Factor landing gear, however, is a totally different story. It is fantastic, superior to the kit parts and the SAC set doesn't even have one.

So, an Academy F-18 builder has the following options for landing gear.

1) Use the kit parts, but make sure you load up the glue inside the main gear- and hope things don't sag later. Cost = $0.00

2) Use the SAC gear set as a base and then add the plastic kit parts. It will not sag for sure, but the fitment may be a problem over all kit parts. Cost = $14.00.

3) Use the G Factor set and assemble as is, or use the kit parts for the small detail. The front nose gear rocks, but it all costs $36.00.

Personally, I'd go with option 2) for another CF-18 and 3) for an F-18, mostly because the main shock needs alteration and it's a lot easier to do in plastic.

Edited December 8, 2009 by chuck540z3

[chuck540z3]

Nice work so far. I've just started building my 32nd hornet and been following this thread picking up some great tips. Thought you might like to see 910 in action. A couple pics from flag this year.

Sean

"Right click, save, right click, save". Thanks Sean. These pics will come in very handy later!

[Charlie Cheetah]

Dang, now I have to decide if I want to finish mine using the kit gear or not. Its already assembled, painted and partially decaled. If so, option 2 may be the best bet for me too. Welll, there goes more money.

I was originally picturing the main gear to be flexing outward, not upwards. My plan was to secure the gear to my base by using some wheel chocks to keep the wheels from sliding outward.

[chuck540z3]

I was originally picturing the main gear to be flexing outward, not upwards. My plan was to secure the gear to my base by using some wheel chocks to keep the wheels from sliding outward.

One other thing you might check is the gap between the wheels and the main gear. I was doing some plumbing last night and noticed from pics that the wheel is very close to the main strut, unlike the kit parts. I'm thinking of cutting off my a bit from my axles to close the gap.

[Tilt]

This gear thing has me a bit concerned too. I plan to get back at my Acad F-18 soon too - and really don't like the options presented. I assembled my gear before my "break" (about 4 years ago), and was planning on a ground display config. I really dislike the idea of working with metal parts in any capacity - so I'm honestly thinking of just closing the gear doors and putting this Hornet in flight. But I don't know. This kit just screams out to be gear down, and doors open. Arrrrgh!! lol

[phantom]

If you go back to my last CF-18 build (1/32) I used the brass for my new two seater and the two seater kit legs to fix my old sagging gear single seater.

I added braces out of the way between the landing gear and the bottom of the plane. If I ever have the bizzare idea to enter it in some IPMS deal, then fine, take the shims out. In fact unless you know the shims are there....with the fuel tank and bomb in place you can hardly even see them anyway.

But until the day comes I loose my mind and enter it in a contest the single seater remains on the shelf, with the simple shims in place holding the gear up at the right angle.

The two seater sits pretty on its own power with the nice brass ones to which I do highly recommend.

Edited December 8, 2009 by phantom

[Emvar]

Shawn, One Word......... 'Hercules' and Tony didn't have a step ladder high enough to smack you. :blink: I like both of your Hornet builds and I like how the metal gear turned out on your dual but for me I just can't be spending more money on Aftermarket Kits. It really comes down to cost and the Pucker factor should I decide to mod the metal gear.

Lyle, I'm leaning towards the kit parts only because of the Shock Mod on the Canadian Hornet. I Do have an article someplace in my stash of how you scratch built it. I can't remember if it was in 1/48th or 1/32nd. Knowing what I know now I'm sure using epoxy would add sufficient strength to hold it up. Now your dilemma because you have assembled the gear already is hard. The SAC gear might be your best bet as you can still use the kit parts (your mod) to fill in where the shock goes. Welcome back.

Edit..... here is the link. Tools and tips

Unfortunately the pics are gone as since ARC has removed Direct User posted images but The description is still there.

No doubt the nose gear is nice on the G-Factor but is $36 USD worth still having to mod the main gear and having a real nice nose gear? Really a personal decision.

My theory is that the whimpy metal insert within the leg obviously can't take the weight of the model, especially when there is so much torque with weight to the hinged nature of the leg and with the backward angle of the leg itself. If the leg was vertical like an F-14 or F-15, it would probably be fine. Since the plastic leg parts surround this metal insert, the metal slides within the plastic, allowing it to bend. Since the plastic is pliable, it bends with the insert and it may or may not crack, depending on the amount of the collapse.

I think the reason the right leg remains upright is due to extra glue of the assembly adhering the plastic to the metal parts, so that they are a "integral unit" as John Wolstenholme has mentioned concerning his build, when he used epoxy cement. The simple fix just may be to make sure you use lots of CA or epoxy glue within the leg to make it one solid unit. This is a reasonable assumption, but due to all the work I going to put into this build, it's not a chance I'm willing to take.

Chuck I agree with your statement, I wonder if added metal braceing could be added to add strength with the epoxy glue.

However Should a couple of free sets drop in my lap, I'm sure my decision would be different.

:wacko:

Emil

edited to add link to Tools and Tips

Edited December 9, 2009 by Elmo

[Tilt]

Lyle, I'm leaning towards the kit parts only because of the Shock Mod on the Canadian Hornet. I Do have an article someplace in my stash of how you scratch built it. I can't remember if it was in 1/48th or 1/32nd. Knowing what I know now I'm sure using epoxy would add sufficient strength to hold it up. Now your dilemma because you have assembled the gear already is hard. The SAC gear might be your best bet as you can still use the kit parts (your mod) to fill in where the shock goes. Welcome back.

Edit..... here is the link. Tools and tips

Unfortunately the pics are gone as since ARC has removed Direct User posted images but The description is still there.

No doubt the nose gear is nice on the G-Factor but is $36 USD worth still having to mod the main gear and having a real nice nose gear? Really a personal decision.

Thanks Elmo,

Yeah - I have some time to decide on this one. I'm pretty sure I'll end up gear down. Just have to figure which gear to use. (I still have those photos here somewhere - I'll reset those links).

[Tilt]

and 'Bob's your Uncle'!!

Did I really say that in that gear tip thread???? I never realized I could 'go British' like that.

[phantom]

Shawn, One Word......... 'Hercules' and Tony didn't have a step ladder high enough to smack you.

edited to add link to Tools and Tips

That only went in cause the model was all ready there and no-one else entered the category. Crap, parts had broken off while it sat at the museum. :)

[Emvar]

That only went in cause the model was all ready there and no-one else entered the category. Crap, parts had broken off while it sat at the museum.

Yeah Tony told me you all bought some bubble gum and stuck the pieces back on...... :P

[phantom]

Well.......not far from the truth.