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Ahhhh, those vertical tails are 'bug'ing me!


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Gentlemen,

This is a simple observation by someone that spent 15 years working on and around the F/A-18. If you're the type of modeler that doesn't mind a few minor inaccurate details, it is a really nice kit based on the photos posted to Facebook, as well as a personal look at a test shot several weeks ago.

If you're a rivet counter, there is one small detail that may annoy you (it's still a really nice kit regardless). The tops of the vertical tails on the F/A-18 have a slight curve to them (from front to rear) and are rounded off on top. The vertical tails in the Kinetic kit are perfectly straight and flat on top.

For the record, I consider myself a rivet counter when it comes to Marine Corps aircraft that I've spent time around. With almost all other subjects, I consider myself a "that looks about right" type of modeler. So take this observation with a grain of salt if you're a 'TLAR' type regarding the F/A-18.

There were a few other issues that I noted earlier. However, the current photos don't show them clearly, so I will wait until I actually have a kit and a clear view before commenting on those.

Dave

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It's normal to scrutinize the planes we spent a lot of time around but not the others. I can't believe the fins are flat on top... that's going to need a little bit of scratch.

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Well said Dave. It looks like a relatively easy fix and good to have it pointed out by someone who knows the aircraft so well. With the 18 and 14, I tend to be at rivet counter and appreciate the feedback. My memory is not as good as it used to be but I thought you may have pointed out an issue with the shape of the spine on the Hasegawa kit and wondering what you think of the shape on this kit?

I already have a kit on pre order and looking forward to seeing it first hand.

-Cliff

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Well said Dave. It looks like a relatively easy fix and good to have it pointed out by someone who knows the aircraft so well. With the 18 and 14, I tend to be at rivet counter and appreciate the feedback. My memory is not as good as it used to be but I thought you may have pointed out an issue with the shape of the spine on the Hasegawa kit and wondering what you think of the shape on this kit?

I already have a kit on pre order and looking forward to seeing it first hand.

-Cliff

Cliff,

Regarding the shape of the spine. While still not 'perfect', the Kinetic spine is much better than that found in the Hasegawa kit. Hasegawa's is a bit too rounded and narrow.

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Dave,

Out of curiosity, what stands out for you about the Academy 1/32 kit? I agree with others, thanks for sharing your knowledge!

The Academy kit suffers from the same spine issues as the Hasegawa 1/48 kit. It's a bit too rounded and narrow. The only other problem areas that are easily fixed are the intake trunks and ejection seats. Other than those three items, the 32nd scale Hornets by Academy are pretty damn accurate.......probably why I have 8 of them!

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Dave knows I worked Hornets too, Kinetic completely missed the APU panel between the main gear. There should be a panel there with a screen on it.

I don't know, I'm not as excited about this kit as I thought I would. There are details that just don't look right to me, more of a gut instinct than anything. Typically I'm not a rivet counter.

I too love the Academy Hornet, yes the spine is too rounded. I only have two. I'll be keeping my 1/48 Hasegawa Hornets.

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Dave knows I worked Hornets too, Kinetic completely missed the APU panel between the main gear. There should be a panel there with a screen on it.

I don't know, I'm not as excited about this kit as I thought I would. There are details that just don't look right to me, more of a gut instinct than anything. Typically I'm not a rivet counter.

I too love the Academy Hornet, yes the spine is too rounded. I only have two. I'll be keeping my 1/48 Hasegawa Hornets.

I noticed the missing APU panel on the test shot. However, as it was apparently the very first test shot, I withheld comments on it until the kit is actually released. I'm not sure what all has been addressed and the photos of the kit on Facebook don't show everything. The verticals are the only things that were clearly visible that I know didn't get fixed.

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Dave knows I worked Hornets too, Kinetic completely missed the APU panel between the main gear. There should be a panel there with a screen on it.

I just received a photo of the bottom fuselage piece........the panel is there.

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Without seeing pictures, is it something that can be corrected with sanding sticks or is there more to it?

To make it accurate you would have to add material (eg. semi-round styrene rod) on top of the kit fin and then sand it to correct shape. Doable.

Raymond was informed about this problem a couple of months ago, but apparently it was already too late (read: to expensive at that point) to correct it for this release... :(/>

Edited by Vodnik
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To make it accurate you would have to add material (eg. semi-round styrene rod) on top of the kit fin and then sand it to correct shape. Doable.

Raymond was informed about this problem a couple of months ago, but apparently it was already too late (read: to expensive at that point) to correct it for this release... :(/>/>

We did some revision on the tail. I think the build sample still take the old one.

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I gotta believe that regardless of whether the Kinetic tail is flat as a board, a minute with a sanding stick can make everything right again. We have to be talking less than a mm in plastic that would need to be sanded away.

All that being said, it was a good catch. Once you know it's there, the slight angle (curve?) on the top of the stab is noticeable.

Edited by 11bee
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Pictures... why can't anyone post pictures?

It would settle the issue immediately.

Good one. Was hoping to see a pic of the latest plastic ones.

I provided a link to a photo of the kit part in my post. Finding a photo of a vertical tail on a real F/A-18 would have taken all of 5 seconds on Google. What issue is there to settle?

Nice Fin Jari. Too bad the original poster didn't show both side by side for comparison.

Cheers

Brad

Has it come to the point that members can't take the time to actually look for a photo themselves? Finding a photograph of the F/A-18's verticals isn't difficult, and a link to a photo of the kit part was provided.

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Has it come to the point that members can't take the time to actually look for a photo themselves? Finding a photograph of the F/A-18's verticals isn't difficult, and a link to a photo of the kit part was provided.

Don't get your panties bunched up. In another post on this thread, Raymond indicated that a later iteration of the kit molds corrected this. I was hoping to see a pic of the upgraded part.

Thanks for the snarky response though.

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Sorry, however you did state that you worked on this aircraft for 15 years, so I assumed (wrongly obviously) that you might have stacks of photos to show us to compare with.

Happy Modelling :)

Brad

I provided a link to a photo of the kit part in my post. Finding a photo of a vertical tail on a real F/A-18 would have taken all of 5 seconds on Google. What issue is there to settle?

Has it come to the point that members can't take the time to actually look for a photo themselves? Finding a photograph of the F/A-18's verticals isn't difficult, and a link to a photo of the kit part was provided.

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Don't get your panties bunched up. In another post on this thread, Raymond indicated that a later iteration of the kit molds corrected this. I was hoping to see a pic of the upgraded part.

Thanks for the snarky response though.

It wasn't intended to be snarky, just direct.

Sorry, however you did state that you worked on this aircraft for 15 years, so I assumed (wrongly obviously) that you might have stacks of photos to show us to compare with.

Happy Modelling :)/>

Brad

Actually, I do have photos of the F/A-18, Roughly 3,000 +/-. However, as they are very easy to find on line, I didn't think it was necessary to post a comparison photo. In the future, I will make a more concerted effort to provide photos when commenting on issues found with kits.

Dave

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Thanks for the info but if anyone could not fix that with a sanding stick and 15 seconds they should head to the die cast collecting forum.

But I'm sure the forum will now be overrun with posts from some aftermarket guy selling replacement fins highlighting the fatally flawed Kinetic Hornet and making cash from said die cast modellers And in the process deriding anyone from buying Kinetic because there research is so poor that nobody except a 15 plus year veteran of the aircraft noticed.

Again appreciate the info Dave but I can read the future and already know where this is going to head.

1. Aircraft veteran notices minor shape error on new release kit and puts out informative post.

2. Outrage storms the forum that Kinetic could make such an error even though nobody except one veteran noticed it as its so subtle.

3. Anti rivet counters counter attack the anti Kinetic backlash because it's fatally flawed tails are not fatally flawed but simply need two seconds of sanding to fix.

4 the Rivet counters counter the counter attack accusing said ant river counters as not caring about accuracy and how dare they call themeslves modellers.

5. Resin manufacturer releases replacement tails higlighting poor research and tooling of model manufacturer charging 15-20 bucks for replacement fins.

6. based off the 30 second repair time per tail and 20 bucks to replace them this equates to 1 minute of your time so at 20 bucks this means those tails are valued at approx 20 bucks per minute or $1200 per hour for your time.

7 Resin dealer is promoted to head of treasury and gets substantial pay rise.

8 model manufacturer tells all modellers to gfy and moves to armor modelling and sells squillions of kits of Russian tanks never released before to modellers who know how to use a sanding stick.

9 lots of new Russian tank kits flood the market and shares in sanding stick companies go through the roof.

10 aircraft modellers wonder why there are forty new T-72 kits being released to every new aircraft.

11 New P-40 is announced...return to pint 1.

Edited by dehowie
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