Rob Colvin Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 I know the kit with the corrected parts just came out....However I have a few of the earlier release with the later vert stabs.....Who did the conversion parts that were recently posted here?....I have searched all over and came up with exactly squat....lol Thanks. Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scott Hemsley Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 I know the kit with the corrected parts just came out....However I have a few of the earlier release with the later vert stabs.....Who did the conversion parts that were recently posted here?....I have searched all over and came up with exactly squat....lol Thanks. Rob I beilieve the outfit you're looking for, is WinterValley. http://www.wintervalley.com Scott Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob Colvin Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 Thats the one.....Can anyone speak to the quality/ fit? The parts in the pic look good. Thanks, Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 I'd like to know what the new parts are in the recent kit, other than the tails (obviously). A lot of the A parts were already in the Academy Hornet kit, so I'm curious if they added anything else. I just ordered a couple of sets of the Winter Valley tails yesterday for a couple of my original C kits. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob Colvin Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 agreed....was wondering the same thing...Also what are the marking options other than 232? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 agreed....was wondering the same thing...Also what are the marking options other than 232? Supposedly includes markings for a Canadian CF-188 too, but haven't seen details of which squadron. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ALF18 Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Thats the one.....Can anyone speak to the quality/ fit? The parts in the pic look good. Thanks, Rob Rob I have two Winter Valley "A" tails. They are really nicely moulded, but I have not yet tried to fit them onto the kit. One advantage to this set over some done previously is that the casting blocks are on the bottom (i.e. where the tails attach into the fuselage), and not on the front side like the other set. The pic does the parts justice - nothing misleading there. ALF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dehowie Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Didn't black box include A tails in the A and B series cockpits? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 (edited) Didn't black box include A tails in the A and B series cockpits? Yes, but 1) don't know if the BB sets are still available, and 2) you have to buy the cockpit sets to get the tails, which is fine if you want their cockpits, but not strictly needed since the A IP and other A stuff is already in the kit. Edited November 5, 2012 by Dave Williams Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kap64 Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Avionix makes a conversion set with correct tails for an A+ too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dehowie Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Yes, but a) don't know if the BB sets are still available, and B) you have to buy the cockpit sets to get the tails, which is fine if you want their cockpits, but not strictly needed since the A IP and other A stuff is already in the kit. Very true! Anyone know if the new kit has anything other than tails to make an A+??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Very true! Anyone know if the new kit has anything other than tails to make an A+??? Hence my question in post #4. Also asked over at LSP, but over 140 views and no response. Doesn't sound like anyone bought the kit. May have to wait until Hobby Search gets the kit to see the instructions. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gabe Pincelli Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Hence my question in post #4. Also asked over at LSP, but over 140 views and no response. Doesn't sound like anyone bought the kit. May have to wait until Hobby Search gets the kit to see the instructions. I don't know what's in the updated kit, but I doubt it's anything more than the tails since pretty much everything else needed for an A was already included. However, judging by photos of the built-up kit I think the Winter Valley tails would be better to go with than the kit parts. The fairings for the ECM blisters on the kit appear to be too large in diameter. The A blisters are significantly smaller in diameter than the C blisters in the same location. Winter Valley appears to have nailed this detail (in addition to other details). I actually did the original master patterns for the Black Box/Avionics sets. I did not, however, get to choose how to mount the casting blocks. Dissapointing, but once they left my hands and I was paid for making the patterns, I had no control over how they were cast. Looks like I'll be ordering some Winter Valley stabs as well. Cheers, Gabe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ALF18 Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 I don't know what's in the updated kit, but I doubt it's anything more than the tails since pretty much everything else needed for an A was already included. However, judging by photos of the built-up kit I think the Winter Valley tails would be better to go with than the kit parts. The fairings for the ECM blisters on the kit appear to be too large in diameter. The A blisters are significantly smaller in diameter than the C blisters in the same location. Winter Valley appears to have nailed this detail (in addition to other details). I actually did the original master patterns for the Black Box/Avionics sets. I did not, however, get to choose how to mount the casting blocks. Dissapointing, but once they left my hands and I was paid for making the patterns, I had no control over how they were cast. Looks like I'll be ordering some Winter Valley stabs as well. Cheers, Gabe Gabe Cool that you were involved with the original tails. I'm glad I made no "editorial" comment about the decision to mount the blocks on the front... One area that is lacking in the C kits from Academy is the GPS dome (I think). I highly suspect the A+ kit will have that, which is one reason to opt for it if you have a choice - but that's just an assumption. ALF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gabe Pincelli Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Gabe Cool that you were involved with the original tails. I'm glad I made no "editorial" comment about the decision to mount the blocks on the front... One area that is lacking in the C kits from Academy is the GPS dome (I think). I highly suspect the A+ kit will have that, which is one reason to opt for it if you have a choice - but that's just an assumption. ALF No worries ALF. The original masters were made using kit parts and fit the kit fuselage perfectly. I was disappointed with how they turned out in resin. The block on the front definitely created issues. At the time I had very little resin casting experience myself, so left it up to the "experts". Oh well... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Biggles81 Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Hence my question in post #4. Also asked over at LSP, but over 140 views and no response. Doesn't sound like anyone bought the kit. May have to wait until Hobby Search gets the kit to see the instructions. Dave, Mine just arrived on Canberra but I am in Adelaide til the weekend, however a friend and I had been speculating wether Academy would address the changes for an Op Mobile CF-188. He has looked in the box and noted that the only change is the new A model fins as previouslt discussed in the thread. No Sniper pod or correct weapons were included sadly. A missed opportunity for Academy but an opening for the Aftermarket producers. Hth, Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
j-basset Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 I've glanced through a PDF copy of the Academy F/A-18A+ instructions and it looks like the only new parts are the vertical tails and the GPS dome for the spine. The instructions also tells you to remove the molded on blisters on the forward fuselage halves. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrvark Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Also what are the marking options other than 232? USN A+: VFA-87, -106, -122, -204, VFC-12, NSAWC USMC A+: VMFA-112, -314, VMFAT-101 USMC A++: VMFA-115, -122, -312, -314, VMFAT-101 The A++ aircraft also are fitted with the SJU-17 ejection seat and JHMCS helmet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RiderFan Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 (edited) Hi everyone. Sorry to throw in my $0.02 but just wanted to speak a little bit about the tails I sell. They were mastered from the kit parts based on scale drawings and zillions of photos. While I've never owned a set of the BB tails, I have seen images of them (here on ARC). I've also reviewed the Academy -A tails and noted a couple of issues with those. The plate detail on the kit parts are quite nice but they have the lower ECM in the wrong place. It should line up perfectly with the navigation light but on the revamped kit part, it's too low. It looks like they just copied the position from the -C part. Many people, when converting the -C tails back to -A models, just shave off the middle ECM and call it a day. The result is that the lower ECM is in the wrong place. The new kit part also seems to have that ECM too thick. On the -A tails it is a bit smaller in diameter and also has a taper to it. Because the new kit parts use the -C style, it's the wrong general shape. They have a bit nicer detail in terms of rivets and overlapping plate details, but I think my replacement tails are still valuable given that they have the more correct shape and placement of the fairings. CF-188 188776 vs the new kit tail. Thanks, please return to your regularily scheduled discussion. David Edited November 6, 2012 by RiderFan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jmel Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 USN A+: VFA-87, -106, -122, -204, VFC-12, NSAWC USMC A+: VMFA-112, -314, VMFAT-101 USMC A++: VMFA-115, -122, -312, -314, VMFAT-101 The A++ aircraft also are fitted with the SJU-17 ejection seat and JHMCS helmet. Holy smokes!! That sounds like the decal sheet alone makes the kit worthy of buying. Jake Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 USN A+: VFA-87, -106, -122, -204, VFC-12, NSAWC USMC A+: VMFA-112, -314, VMFAT-101 USMC A++: VMFA-115, -122, -312, -314, VMFAT-101 The A++ aircraft also are fitted with the SJU-17 ejection seat and JHMCS helmet. Are those the markings actually in the kit, or just a list of what US squadrons fly the F/A-18A+? I thought the kit just has 232 and a CF-118. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrvark Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Are those the markings actually in the kit, or just a list of what US squadrons fly the F/A-18A+? I thought the kit just has 232 and a CF-118. Those are the squadrons that actually have them. I looked back as far as 2009 and didn't see 232. Don't know when they flew them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DONG Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Those are the squadrons that actually have them. I looked back as far as 2009 and didn't see 232. Don't know when they flew them. They flew the A+ for just over a year (07/08) as part of CVW-11 NH. Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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