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1/72 Hasegawa F/A-18C Hornet


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The Hasegawa 1/72 F/A-18C Hornet will be my entry to this group build. I will use the kit's decals for VMFA-232 and some ordnance of the Hasegawa Weapon sets.

I've started it during the move to the new server, so I had to wait to begin with my build report until the move was done.

F-18C_01.jpg

 

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The tailerons were cut off in order to be able to attach them deflected and modified the bang seat with some styrene and lead wire.

F-18C_03.jpg

 

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The fit on the aft fuselage could be better, but it can be done with some careful filling and sanding. This also rectified any blemished from the removal of the tailerons.

F-18C_07.jpg

 

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Some nuts and lead were added to the inside of the radome as nose weight.

F-18C_08.jpg

 

And the fuselage after rescribing the lost panel lines.

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F-18C_13.jpg

 

F-18C_14.jpg

 

Edited by Lancer512
Added some space between the pictures for better viewing.
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As I did not follow the kit's instructions, and did not attach the inlet lips before attaching the side pieces, I had some trouble with the dihedral of the wing.

I could only get the correct dihedral with some force. So I clamped down the fuseglage on the table and used some aluminum blocks I found with the correct height to shim the wingtips for the correct diheral. The wings were then glued on with Tamiya Extra Thin.

 

F-18C_15.jpg

 

 

The model is starting to look like an aircraft. There is virtually no gap between the wings and the fuselage. The Extra Thin actually got to rid of any gaps.

 

F-18C_16.jpg

Edited by Lancer512
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Thank you, guys!

 

Just a small update from last night:

I've applied some filler round the vertical tail with the wet cotton swab method. Later today, I will put on the stiffening angles to the inside of the tails.

 

F-18C_17.jpg

 

 

The ejection seat was still missing the parachute pack. I simply folded some masking tape and glued it to the top of the headbox.

 

F-18C_18.jpg

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Progress is going on slow... Too slow...

Due to commitments with my job and some illness I wasn't able to do much for the last two weeks. I wanted to have this model finished by yesterday, but that did not happen.

 

Anyway... The brackets on the vertical tails were added from scratch.

 

F-18C_19.jpg

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Thank you, Gianni!

 

I already used some parts of the Academy Hornet kit, which I borrowed from a fellow modeler. Somehow Hasegawa managed not to include the adapter for the targeting pod.I recast the targeting pod from the Academy kit and fitted it to the port side. The gaps were filled with Milliput.

 

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The brackets on the vertical tails were primed and look good!

 

F-18C_20.jpg

 

 

Another small annoyance: the wheel axles for the nose gear were broken off on both sides. So I simply took some surgical tubing, cut it to length and made some new axles. Hopefully the CA glue joint will be strong enough.

 

F-18C_23.jpg

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Today, I worked on the last missing link to finish the model: The AGM-65 missiles and their launch rails. Both were taken from Hasegawa's Weapons Set IV.

As I needed two single rail LAU-117A launchers, I simply modified Hasegawa's LAU-88 triple launcher into the LAU-117/A single launcher. The rails from the tripe launcher were cut off and I've scratchbuild the missing features with 0.5mm styrene strip. Still needs some sanding, but I guess you'll get the idea.

 

F-18C_24.jpg

 

Everything else (exept for the landing gear doors) is now primed and ready for paint. The C-model specific humps and bumps have been added a couple of weeks ago, but did not take any pictures of the process.

 

F-18C_25.jpg

 

 

Edited by Lancer512
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Trying a new technique failed completely.explode.gif

 

So I decided to chemically strip the model back to the bare plastic. As I had the cockpit already painted and the windshield installed and masked, some attention was paid to the cockpit area. 99% grade Isopropyl Alcohol, an old toothbrush and a quick wipe with Revell's AirbrushClean did the job.

 

F-18C_27.jpg

 

In the next picture you can also see the resin FLIR adapter, which was shamelessly copied from the Academy kit..

 

F-18C_28.jpg

 

Edited by Lancer512
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Thanks!

It really didn't fit well. I was more or less disappointed of the fit. Especially because it is a Hasegawa kit. However, dry fitting is of paramount importance. And then one has to decide which part to sand so we are not creating new gaps or mismatches somewhere else. I also had to rescribe a lot of detail in front of the cockpit that was lost due to sanding.

 

I'm going to try the black basing technique, as I want to see if that technique works for me. But first I have to finish a non-aviation model that is just about to driving me nuts.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Okay. Time to get on with this model again.

The model has had a new primer coat applied. This time I was using black Stynylrez. If you've seen my last builds, then the black jet will look somehow familiar. As I wrote before, I will try the black basing (or marbling) technique on this model. I am still not quite convice of this technique, so I'll see if this technique works for me.

 

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And some radome tan on the nose. So we're back to where we left before the accident with the paint happened.

 

F-18C_30.jpg

 

Edited by Lancer512
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Okay... Black basing does not work for me. I've got no idea how to control the paint. The bottom was sprayed with Model Color grey primer, which is sold in the Vallejo Model Air USAF set as FS 36375. The particles did not atomize well and at the same time it was very watery. Maybe it didn't work because it's the s***ty Vallejo primer. And I've had it with preshading techniques. It's just a huge waste of time. I am back to a proper opaque coat of paint.

 

F-18C_31.jpg

 

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Looks great!  I use the post-shading technique too.  I've never liked pre-shading, and black-basing isn't something that I can get to turn out decently.  I have much more control when post-shading.

 

Mike

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The wheel wells were masked and painted white. I used unthinned Tamiya XF-2 straight from the glass. it just took me three light passes for a good coverage. I dont't know why some folks are having problems with spraying white.

 

F-18C_34.jpg

 

F-18C_35.jpg

Edited by Lancer512
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Today the model was gloss coated by spraying several thin coats of Tamiya X-22. Still not a mirror finish, but it took away the dull look of the Vallejo paints.

 

F-18C_36.jpg

 

 

While the gloss coat was drying, I painted the smaller parts, such as gear doors and the tailhook. I also started to apply washes on the wheels, tailerons and the pylons. At this stage, there is a huge boost in motivation.

 

F-18C_37.jpg

 

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Started with the decaling today.
The decals tend to break and are more sticky on the top side. This is what appears to be a very tedious procedure. I always start on the aft.

 

F-18C_38.jpg

Edited by Lancer512
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Decaling is done! Afte a few decals broke into pieces, I've applied some Liquid Decal Film over the remainder of the decals. While they did not break apart, they did roll up on their edges after they were applied. I ended up using Micro Sol to float them into position and then held my breath. Now it's time for detail painting and repairing some spots where the decals either broke or did not conform to the shape, such as on the tips of the vertical tails. It is just a question of paint matching by trial and error. The exhaust nozzles are installed temporarily with white tac.

 

F-18C_39.jpg

 

F-18C_40.jpg

 

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