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A couple more points, Sir:

Firstly, if you want 100 per cent accuracy, the AN/ALQ-165 blister (the one above the fuel vent) is narrower on the A & B than on the C/D, and the anti-collision beacons may also be smaller and less bulbous.

Secondly, don't forget to use the three L-shaped support brackets at the inside base of the vertical tail for the A or B -these are often featured in kit instructions for ALL types, but should be omitted for C airframes (three very small square plates were riveted to the fin base instead).

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A couple more points, Sir:

Firstly, if you want 100 per cent accuracy, the AN/ALQ-165 blister (the one above the fuel vent) is narrower on the A & B than on the C/D, and the anti-collision beacons may also be smaller and less bulbous.

Secondly, don't forget to use the three L-shaped support brackets at the inside base of the vertical tail for the A or B -these are often featured in kit instructions for ALL types, but should be omitted for C airframes (three very small square plates were riveted to the fin base instead).

I'm sorry but I 'm not following. Are these the L-shaped brackets the need to be removed on the -C Hornets?

Brackets_zps1c59fc47.jpg

Was this the same for the -D version as well?

Thanks!

Edited by TOPGUN
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I'm sorry but I 'm not following. Are these the L-shaped brackets the need to be removed on the -C Hornets?

Brackets_zps1c59fc47.jpg

Was this the same for the -D version as well?

Thanks!

Yes, part #s 14 thru 19 are the little critters, but I am indebted to graves_09 for this further info:

Only some late C/D's had the L brackets mounted internally. Check the F-18 thread over on z5 to get the list of BuNo's.

Also, if you look at Netz's resin items you can see the little square panels that superseded these brackets externally.

Edited by ChippyWho
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Yes, part #s 14 thru 19 are the little critters, but I am indebted to graves_09 for this further info:

Also, if you look at Netz's resin items you can see the little square panels that superseded these brackets externally.

I thought the brackets in Netz's photos were the brackets on the outside of the tails that GO WITH the L-shaped brackets, not SUPERSEDE them. What would be the point of replacement AM parts for the tails that include something that doesn't belong? Man, where is that "Modern Hornet Guide" I ordered?

PS, I have a few copies of those SH tails and they are the bee's knees.

Edited by dedalus
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I think that the images below should bring some clarity to the issue.

The top two pictures show the “L†brackets that are on the inside of the

vertical stabs the bottom picture shows the external retainers mounted on

the outside of the vertical stabs. The middle picture shows the strengthening

plates (mounted vertically behind the slim lights) these mounted ONLY on the

port outer and starboard inner sides i.e. ONE per vertical stab. If you

compare the middle image to the bottom image you will see that these are NOT

present when viewed from the starboard side.

Hope this helps.

HornetsTail_zps19316c54.jpg

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I think that the images below should bring some clarity to the issue.

The top two pictures show the “L†brackets that are on the inside of the

vertical stabs the bottom picture shows the external retainers mounted on

the outside of the vertical stabs. The middle picture shows the strengthening

plates (mounted vertically behind the slim lights) these mounted ONLY on the

port outer and starboard inner sides i.e. ONE per vertical stab. If you

compare the middle image to the bottom image you will see that these are NOT

present when viewed from the starboard side.

Hope this helps.

HornetsTail_zps19316c54.jpg

Um, no. You might be thinking about the the brace that is long and along the slime light. The square brackets are in all of the photos. Plates mounted only on one side would be the long strip, not the base mount brackets.

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I thought the brackets in Netz's photos were the brackets on the outside of the tails that GO WITH the L-shaped brackets, not SUPERSEDE them. What would be the point of replacement AM parts for the tails that include something that doesn't belong? Man, where is that "Modern Hornet Guide" I ordered?

PS, I have a few copies of those SH tails and they are the bee's knees.

Sorry, I was only referring to what happened on the inside faces of the verticals beyond the A/B type, when the L-shaped items were not fitted -i.e. where A/B and C/D types differ. The three square jobbies are on the outside as well, but I believe that is the case for all variants...?

Apparently, the vertical tail structure was re-designed for the C airframe, and this rendered the L-brackets unecessary. (Originally, AFAIK, the L-brackets were a factory-fitted 'band-aid' to prevent fatigue damage from tail buffeting.)

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Sorry, I was only referring to what happened on the inside faces of the verticals beyond the A/B type, when the L-shaped items were not fitted -i.e. where A/B and C/D types differ. The three square jobbies are on the outside as well, but I believe that is the case for all variants...?

Apparently, the vertical tail structure was re-designed for the C airframe, and this rendered the L-brackets unecessary. (Originally, AFAIK, the L-brackets were a factory-fitted 'band-aid' to prevent fatigue damage from tail buffeting.)

Correct about the L-brackets. When we got our first CF-18s, they were delivered without these brackets. After a few years in service, fatigue accumulation in the vertical stabs made it necessary to retrofit all our airframes (A and B models) with these brackets. McDonnell Douglas started installing them on all A,B, and C,D models produced in the factory for some years, until they redid the internal structure to make the brackets unnecessary.

The exterior reinforcement strips (the long, thin strips shown in pics in this thread, near the formation lights) can be found on any combination of outside or inside, left or right. I walked through the hangar at 425 Squadron here in Bagotville a few years back in response to a query on ARC, and saw some aircraft with 2 fitted, some with 3, and some with 4, in various combinations of left/right and inner/outer stabs. Of the dozen aircraft in the hangar at the time, none were without the vertical strips, and at least a few had 4 strips.

ALF

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Um, no. You might be thinking about the the brace that is long and along the slime light. The square brackets are in all of the photos. Plates mounted only on one side would be the long strip, not the base mount brackets.

Um, yes. (c:#*

Re The brace alongside the slim light - I get that. I mentioned them ONLY to

help those who may not be familiar with the Hornet who may read the thread

and where curious to know what those "other" brackets on the tail were.

I have a good deal of respect for Alf's opinion/input his information is willingly

given and I have found it to be in general accurate. However I have gone through

hundreds of CF-18 Hornet images that I have shot and I cant find one with the more

than a single vertically mounted tail brace on each tail and in all cases they are

mounted on the port side. If anyone has an image of a Hornet with those braces

mounted on the starboard side could you please post it or a link to a website that

has such an image? Inquiring minds want to know!

In my photo post says "(the square plates)shows the external retainers mounted

on the outside of the vertical stabs" I had "assumed" (and we all know what that

means!)this to be the case however I stand corrected and apologize for this inaccuracy

on that point as images of earlier Hornets do show these post "L" bracket era.

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