ShaunBD Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 (edited) My current project, a VFC-12 F/A-18C Aggressor schemed Hornet. Here's the kit, and the aftermarket for the build P26 Hasegawa F/A-18C Wolfpack F/A-18 Update set Royal resin wheels Fightertown Blue bandits VFC-12 Ambush decals Edited June 18, 2013 by ShaunBD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunBD Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 I started work on the cockpit area. I'm using the Wolfpack SJU-17 seat for this build (with my jet being a late production "C"), this looks real good with the molded seat belt detail. The Hasegawa kit side walls have no detail but the real aircraft has a few items located around this area. I spent a little time adding some plastic card items to busy up the side walls but I'm planning a closed cockpit so 100% accuracy is not needed but the area looks a lot better for it. A pic of the unpainted pit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scot M Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Watching with interest Shaun! Looks good! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
galileo1 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Really looking forward to this one. Love Adversary Hornets! Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
warthoglvr Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 You've got my attention! Build on.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phantom Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 That one has been on the top of my build list for a while. We need a GB for bad guys. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunBD Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Cockpit now painted- Shaun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunBD Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) With the cockpit now painted work has now started on joining the rear fuselage pieces together, check in later for an update on my approach to a tricky area of this kit. Shaun. Edited June 20, 2013 by ShaunBD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian P: Fightertown Decals Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Looks great so far! Which jet are you building? I've got a lot of reference pictures that might help you out... -brian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunBD Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) Not 100% sure yet, I was going to build 07 but there a small problem that the decals don't provide a split colour star and bar for the port fuselage. http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=7380161 I could do the repainted 06 by cutting up the serial numbers from the light blue items on the decal sheet to get the correct tail numbers? Shaun Edited June 20, 2013 by ShaunBD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunBD Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Here we go and I hope this makes sense and helps other builders,But I think this is a great way to join the rear side fuselage pieces. Take your time and a nice neat join can be achieved with very little clean up required. Tools required are the excellent Berna clamp, super glue and Tamiya extra thin liquid glue. Step 1 Check and dry fit side pieces against the area to the rear of the undercarriage bays, apply small dabs of super glue along joint to get a hold. Once this has set use the berna clamp to hold the side pieces tight while applying Tamiya liquid glue to the inside of the fuselage along the long joint(do not let glue run up the vertical joint) allow to set.Leave the area near the intakes clean from glue at the moment Step 2 Once the above stage has dried, you can add two rods of scrap sprue to the inside of the fuselage to strengthen the seam/joint. Next to tackle the vertical joint on the fuselage sides. Cut a small section of plastic card to fit along the inside of the joint. Again using the super glue, stick this piece of card to the inside faces while aligning the vertical join, the super glue will set quite fast so plan your alignment before committing to glue.Once happy with the set joint apply Tamiya thin on the inside of the joint seam and allow to dry. Step 3 Once this has dried you can do a similar approach to the join near the intakes. You may find this process has resulted in the lower fuselage to become pinched slightly and won't align with the upper fuselage section. Again using a pieces of scrap sprue, you can force the lower fuselage component outwards to the correct width to allow a neat join with the upper wing fuselage section. This process/method has resulted in a very tidy/clean rear fuselage area which requires almost no sanding or rescribing Hope this helps Folks Shaun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spad Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Wow, another aggressor! :woot.gif:/> Those camo are spectacular, I also I have just finished one and I must say it has given me great satisfaction, I will follow with great pleasure! :thumbsup:/> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
coneheadff Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Thanks for sharing!!! Will be watching your build as I plan to build one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunBD Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 Wow, another aggressor! :woot.gif:/>/> Those camo are spectacular, I also I have just finished one and I must say it has given me great satisfaction, I will follow with great pleasure! :thumbsup:/>/> Very nice!!, that looks great. Hope my effort looks that good, any tips on your build? Shaun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunBD Posted June 22, 2013 Author Share Posted June 22, 2013 Looking like a Hornet now. The nose cone was replaced with the Wolfpack update set item. This is a nice casting, it has the IFF bird slicers molded on and the IFR probe is open. The side vents have been filled to represent the newer mesh type and are replaced by a neat set of decals I've also filled the LEX vents(green dots), these will also be replaced by decals from the Wolfpack set. You can see the GPS dome has been added to the spine. Now time to work on the fiddly bits like the undercarriage and tackle the flaps Shaun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian P: Fightertown Decals Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 You had me concerned for a minute that we missed something but we did 07 from the 2007-2009 timeframe. Your picture is 2012. If you're doing 07 from 2012, all of the names will be different, the buno font is different and looks like they repainted the jet sometime between the 4 years... I can send you a spare light blue star if you want to do it that way. -brian Not 100% sure yet, I was going to build 07 but there a small problem that the decals don't provide a split colour star and bar for the port fuselage. http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=7380161 I could do the repainted 06 by cutting up the serial numbers from the light blue items on the decal sheet to get the correct tail numbers? Shaun Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunBD Posted June 22, 2013 Author Share Posted June 22, 2013 (edited) You had me concerned for a minute that we missed something but we did 07 from the 2007-2009 timeframe. Your picture is 2012. If you're doing 07 from 2012, all of the names will be different, the buno font is different and looks like they repainted the jet sometime between the 4 years... I can send you a spare light blue star if you want to do it that way. -brian Hi Brian, Thanks for the reply. I was in no way knocking your excellent work but that was the only photo's I could find of 07, so I presumed it had allways be painted that way. Thanks for the offer of the spare star(be easier to paint/decal the solid star anyway) but now I know your decals are correct for the time frame I'm happy to build it as it appeared 2007-2009. If you have any more ref shots, I would be very greatfull if you could send them? Cheers Shaun. Edited June 22, 2013 by ShaunBD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian P: Fightertown Decals Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 Happy to help. I've got a good 50+ shots... Will try and upload them on photobucket this week -brian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunBD Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 Happy to help. I've got a good 50+ shots... Will try and upload them on photobucket this week -brian Cheers, it would be great to have a walk round of the jet Do you want my e-mail and send a file? Shaun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunBD Posted June 26, 2013 Author Share Posted June 26, 2013 Spent the week getting the hi lift devices sorted out on my build. The Hasegawa kit provided a great set of dropped surfaces, but they are not 100% accurate. My AMS had kicked in, so I've tried to resolve a few small issues. The leading edge flaps on the real jet hinge downwards but on the kit when you set them down, it leaves a gap along the hinge area. To fix this problem I filled the slot. By using Vallejo water based putty you can just wipe away the excess with a cotton bud and leave the surfaces detail undamaged. If you use tape to protect the surrounding area it also saves a lot of clean up. Next to tackle the massive trailing edge flaps. The kit provides the flaps dropped to the the half flap setting, when Hornets park most aircraft display the flaps deployed to full droop. To achieve this I bent the flap hinges once they had set to the lower setting, this sounds a lot easier than it was!!! but I'm happy with the results. All most time to get some primer on the model and see how the construction looks Shaun Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian P: Fightertown Decals Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 Looking great! I'd swear I already posted this but here it is again - A reference gallery for VFC-12 Ambush. Lots of the shots are from Glen Childres and the squadron. (Now I know for sure that I posted this because I've typed this before...) http://s106.photobucket.com/user/renegades24/library/VFC-12%20Ambush?sort=3&page=1 HTH brian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunBD Posted June 28, 2013 Author Share Posted June 28, 2013 (edited) Looking great! I'd swear I already posted this but here it is again - A reference gallery for VFC-12 Ambush. Lots of the shots are from Glen Childres and the squadron. (Now I know for sure that I posted this because I've typed this before...) http://s106.photobucket.com/user/renegades24/library/VFC-12%20Ambush?sort=3&page=1 HTH brian Many thanks Brian, they will be a great help. I also had the disappearing post syndrome, The photo's of the work on the flap disappeared so I added it again. Quick question, It appears that they have over painted the antislip LERX areas with the camo paint, whats the best way to represent this? Shaun. Edited June 28, 2013 by ShaunBD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian P: Fightertown Decals Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Maybe dust it with some gray pastels at the end?... You may want to add a layer of Mr Surfacer/putty in the shape of the walkways before painting to get the texture. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunBD Posted July 4, 2013 Author Share Posted July 4, 2013 Maybe dust it with some gray pastels at the end?... You may want to add a layer of Mr Surfacer/putty in the shape of the walkways before painting to get the texture. I was thinking of applying the kits walk way decals as a guide to later dusting/weathering the area. Shaun Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunBD Posted July 4, 2013 Author Share Posted July 4, 2013 Time for a small update-Although progress looks slow I've been doing a lot of small work! The kits undercarriage doors have numerous ejection pin marks on their inside faces, so out with the filler and sandpaper I've also spruced up the kit PE part for the front wheel bay by adding some small plastic card blocks and adding larger wire on the PE part. You can also see the Wolfpack front bulkhead part which covers what would be a seam if the kits parts were used Intake area has now also been cleaned up and rescribed. Flare buckets have been added and the center line pylon has been reshaped to the swept style found on later Hornets Getting closer to priming now Shaun Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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