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Hasegawa F/A-18D 1/48


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Here is my just completed Hasegawa F/A-18D 1/48.  While I say just completed, it was started over 10 years ago...   

 

I built some aircraft models growing up and really enjoyed it.  But then high school sports, college, and life took over.  After graduating and moving to the Bay Area in California, I discovered a great model shop.  This was my introduction to kits other than Monogram and Revell.  Also, my discovery of aftermarket decals.  The very first aftermarket decal I bought was the Orion decals I used on this kit.  In addition, I used the Steel Beach intake covers, Eduard AGM-65 Mavericks, Meng AIM-9 and AIM-7, and True Details ejection seats.  The Orion decals were old and I ended up using the formation lights from a second set when a couple shattered.  While the Meng missiles look good, it was challenging to clean up the small forward fins and glue them on perpendicular to the missile body.  The Eduard Mavericks are really nice but the resin blocks were a pain to get off and sand the bottom flat.  It appears that Eduard has improved this on their new weapon releases.  I scratch built the IFF antennas and GPS antenna.  I believe everybody is familiar with the challenges on the rear fuselage.  Several rounds of putty and rescribing required. 

 

This kit challenged me until the end.  The starboard wing is lower than the other one.  In my attempts to make them even, I broke the metal landing gear.  Ended up ordering a replacement set from SAC.  Knocked off the flaps a couple of times during painting.  I should have gone back and fixed the canopy glue joint.  Also, really disappointed in my attempt to use oils for weathering.  

 

Happy to finally have this one done.  

 

Thanks,

Rodney

 

 

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Edited by Rodney
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4 hours ago, picknpluck said:

Nice job Rodney! Which hobby shop were you referring to? I’m in the east bay. I grew up in the South Bay and the great hobby shops I knew and loved are gone.

 

It's killing me to not remember the name.  It was in Mountain View, I think on El Camino Real.  It was a good size shop with great selection.  I would buy one model at a time growing up and then that store was the start of my stash explosion happening. 

 

Rodney

 

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2 hours ago, Rodney said:

 

It's killing me to not remember the name.  It was in Mountain View, I think on El Camino Real.  It was a good size shop with great selection.  I would buy one model at a time growing up and then that store was the start of my stash explosion happening. 

 

Rodney

 

San Antonio Hobbies on the corner of El Camino Real and San Antonio Road????

It's now a huge planned residential/commercial shopping district that's quite toney!!!! 

 

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2 hours ago, modelingbob said:

San Antonio Hobbies on the corner of El Camino Real and San Antonio Road????

It's now a huge planned residential/commercial shopping district that's quite toney!!!! 

 

YES!!!  I miss having a hobby store like that to visit.  Definitely revived my interest in the hobby.  Are there any stores left in the Bay Area?  I remember one down in San Jose and one in the East Bay that I'd visit. 

 

Rodney

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If the San Jose shop you remember is D&J Hobby,  then sadly, it closed down last year (2017).  No more good modeling related hobby shops in the South Bay.  Still a few RC related shops hanging on, with limited selections of tools, glues, and paint, (but no kits) but most of those have also closed. The shop in San Leandro (East Bay) (Hobbies Unlimited) is still operating, but that's over a 50 mile one way dedicated drive for me (not on the way to any place I go) , so I rarely visit it. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Rodney,

 

  That looks awesome! That decal sheet was the first product I ever released and it's nice to learn it was the first aftermarket sheet you ever purchased. Do you mind if I use your photos on my web site and Facebook page to show off the use of the decals?

 

Dave

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4 hours ago, Dave Roof said:

Rodney,

 

  That looks awesome! That decal sheet was the first product I ever released and it's nice to learn it was the first aftermarket sheet you ever purchased. Do you mind if I use your photos on my web site and Facebook page to show off the use of the decals?

 

Dave

 

Dave,

 

Go for it.  I've always liked the viking markings on those jets.  I wish my skills were better to do your decals justice.  

 

Thanks,

Rodney

 

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