Jump to content

Academy 1/32 F/A-18D VMFA(AW)-242 Bats


Recommended Posts

Still waiting for some of the AM to arrive, but I'll be taking a group pic once they all arrive!

What's eventually going to be in this build

Academy 1/32 F/A-18D Hornet - base kit

- Avionix Cockpit Set

- Wolfpack Designs NACES Seats

- Aires Wheel Bays

- Rhino Models Intakes

- Rhino Models Wheels

- Rhino Models Exhausts

- G-Factor Brass Landing Gear

- Eduard Exterior Detail PE

- Eduard Armament PE (Thanks Liberator24!)

- Eduard Detail Placards PE (Thanks Liberator24!)

- MV Lenses for assorted lights

Armament:

- Academy GBU-12 x2 (From Sufa Kit - Thanks LoftyComfort!)

- Academy GBU-38 x1 (From Sufa Kit - Thanks LoftyComfort!)

- Wolfpack Designs LITENING Pod

- Zactomodels AIM-9L Missiles x2

Eventually I hope it will carry the loadout and wear the markings for "11" of VMFA(AW)-242 "Bats", seen here: http://media.militar...album96/aaa.jpg

Still looking for markings or someone who would be willing to draw up a set for me.

First progress, I am re-scribing and re-riveting the whole model since this copy of the kit seems to have the world's shallowest panel detail in places and in some it is just incomplete. Pics were taken with an I am a spammer, please report this post. 4S (too lazy to pull out the DSLR) and had to do some creative editing to the pics to get the work to show up, and the surfaces aren't that scratched up in real life...flash and light just pick up everything! :blink:/>/>/>

Tail:

49C7D409-1FD6-49A0-9BF9-E38D8C3A0348-5217-000004A7A6324D45_zpsc1684ca0.jpg

Top of nose:

DF82EA72-3683-4D74-9C3A-39093100FA79-5217-000004A7AF3DB5E1_zps9b4b3658.jpg

Upper rear fuselage:

CD26D6A6-687C-48E0-8FEF-58EE99E88E43-5217-000004A79F419580_zps21437485.jpg

Starbord LEX:

D8F942D0-0300-4724-B99A-00B0F3375096-5217-000004A7B6AB0BC1_zpsf2f44abb.jpg

I've been jumping around to keep myself from going crazy on one area...should be finished with all this work by Thursday when I fly down to NYC for the weekend.

Tools:

482C206B-3AEC-4F6A-AF9F-F92D2ABA123B-5217-000004A7A2972299_zpsde1fce0c.jpg

Shot of the work area and reference material!

B7F453D2-0FC2-4AE7-B1D5-FD385A211B18-5217-000004A7B1FB1EC5_zpsf2b55060.jpg

Thanks for looking!

-Anthony

Edited by AnthonyWan
Link to post
Share on other sites

Man you are organized :thumbsup:/> Are you using liquid cement on the rivets?

Yep! Drill the rivet/scribe the panel, lightly sand surface with a fine grit sanding sponge to get rid of the "lip", wipe with wet cloth or scrub with an old toothbrush to get the sanding dust out, then run a quick pass with the Tamiya thin cement to soften everything up nicely and even it out!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Nice work !

what are those drill bits they look sweet

There's no brand on them. I am pretty sure I got them on either eBay or through another member here a long time ago...Very easy to use! Let me see if I can figure out where I got them from before...

Link to post
Share on other sites

There's no brand on them. I am pretty sure I got them on either eBay or through another member here a long time ago...Very easy to use! Let me see if I can figure out where I got them from before...

Please do because I would love a set as well.

Regards

Roy

Link to post
Share on other sites

Those of you interested in the drill bits - you can pick them up in various sets on eBay I realized.

The sizes I used on this model are )0.0079" (#92), 0.01" (#87) and 0.0118".

Here's an example of the way they come: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313&_nkw=carbide+micro+drill&_sacat=0&_from=R40

or in a whole set of one size: http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-20mm-0079-Micro-Carbide-Drills-460-0079-118-/150972738115?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2326ad2a43

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Ryan!

Progress for the night...finished the port LEX and the lower nose piece

Port LEX

E3D3F675-40D8-4092-87A5-8BDCAD514CDE-6208-00000541046C964D_zpsd6699d48.jpg

Under-Nose-Piece-Thing :D

C4ADEBC0-F662-4BEB-9C2C-51BC442FC4A0-5217-000004A7B915FEC0_zps7d14dcaa.jpg

Was going to get the Eduard Mesh PE set but I didn't think it would really make a HUGE difference with a wash and it's alot of work...I can't get my head around how I would "shave" off just enough material to get the mesh pieces to fit. :blink:

Good night all!

-Anthony

Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow - you certainly are going to town with the riveting and rescribing!

I admire your organisation - everything is neat and clean, and you have a great system to plan and track the work.

To each his own, when it comes to the panel lines and fastener details. My personal taste (which differs, of course, from others) is the panel lines on these Academy kits are just right. My perception of what they look like on the real jets compared to the finished and painted kit without rescribing is pretty good - but like I said, it's a matter of personal preference.

Impressive effort, and meticulous work.

ALF

Link to post
Share on other sites

Back from my weekend at home celebrating Chinese New Year...had some aftermarket waiting for me!

7FE2FC7A-596C-4140-AC0D-3E311D329DE6-7777-00000587373B0D9F_zps5aaf6669.jpg

Started some basic cleanup on the parts, LANTIRN has been trimmed, rivets and panels rescribed and some scratches from sanding filled:

3A1B95DC-41C1-4198-A39A-A7F18E3AFBCD-7777-0000058725DA6E0C_zps1ed345a1.jpg

Thanks for looking.

BTW I plan not to use the SAC Landing Gear, if anyone is interested, selling them for $15 shipped in CONUS. Shoot me a PM or leave a message here.

-Awan

Link to post
Share on other sites

I see your selling your landing gear. Highly recommend you use them. My first big Hornet's landing gear sagged badly after one year of sitting on the plastic gear.

Second Hornet used G-Factor and has stayed steady.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I see your selling your landing gear. Highly recommend you use them. My first big Hornet's landing gear sagged badly after one year of sitting on the plastic gear.

Second Hornet used G-Factor and has stayed steady.

I'm selling these because I am considering getting G-Factor's.

The casting on this SAC set seems quite rough to me, and I don't think I have the proper tools to clean it up and get them to look nice.

Thanks for the heads up though!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Tiny progress for the night, Wolfpack Designs excellent LITENING pod has been cleaned up, some scratches *from my hacking off the resin pour stubs* filled and polished, panels deepened and rivets riveted. Ready for some paint tomorrow!

95360478-D028-401D-A397-232180F32182-9689-0000072E5308F27F_zps80e004f5.jpg

Good night,

-A

Link to post
Share on other sites

Finished up at the library a bit earlier tonight than usual, came home and sprayed some paint! Temporary work area, in the garage of my house here in Roc. Ventilation? Open the door, industrial fan blowing outwards. Works like a charm except it's incredibly cold...

DBD6DE1B-E9B9-46CD-B4A1-F4DA70AA5157-3454-00000231AEB02B49_zpse63d785c.jpg

Wolfpack Designs' excellent LITENING pod got a coat of flat black then a goat of Gunship Gray. Seems a little light, might go over it again with a darkened version of GS Gray or just let the washes later do their job...

DAAFB87C-6053-45B5-AD96-FE102E589A5E-3454-00000231ACD93337_zps35a5ab70.jpg

Anyone know if Gunze Acrylics are glossy enough to decal over? If not I'll throw some future on tomorrow and go from there...

-Anthony

Edited by AnthonyWan
Link to post
Share on other sites

Anyone know if Gunze Acrylics are glossy enough to decal over? If not I'll throw some future on tomorrow and go from there...

-Anthony

Anthony

I have not seen any paint that was OK without a gloss Future-like coat before decalling - given the tremendous attention to detail you have, I wouldn't take a chance on that. My vote is use the Future.

ALF

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...