Darren Roberts Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 I'm looking for any pictures of the unpainted #4 Hornet prototype. I've got the two pictures from the Great Book of Modern Warplanes, but my web searching has come up empty. I think I can recreate it from those pictures, but it would be nice to have some more. If anyone could point me in the right direction to find some, I'd be much obliged. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whiskey Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Was #4 the B model? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted February 21, 2019 Author Share Posted February 21, 2019 8 minutes ago, Whiskey said: Was #4 the B model? It was still a single-seater. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vince Maddux Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 I'll to look be i have an old issue Scale Modeler that might help. I know it has a naked F-18 on the cover Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasteagle12 Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Google 'unpainted F/A-18' and you'll get some hits..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 21 minutes ago, fasteagle12 said: Google 'unpainted F/A-18' and you'll get some hits..... I originally tried that, but the only pictures were of the C. I'm looking for the prototype. The C pics will help a little bit, but most of the aluminum areas on the C were painted in chromate yellow. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasteagle12 Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Aren't the first couple of these the Alpha? https://m.imgur.com/gallery/a6EIM Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Does this help, this is BUNO 160775, the first F/A-18A; https://www.deviantart.com/fighterman35/art/F-18A-BuNo160775-FSD1-before-paint-job-was-applied-613142688 I would think that 160778 (4th F/A-18A, i.e. 4th prototype) would look similar. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 (edited) 3 minutes ago, fasteagle12 said: Aren't the first couple of these the Alpha? https://m.imgur.com/gallery/a6EIM The second picture is the 4th prototype (BUNO 160778) Correction, it's the first prototype. I saw the "4" on the tail and couldn't read the last digit of the BUNO but upon further review, the "4" on the tail is tape and the last digit looks like a 5 so I'm thinking this is the 4th flight of the 160775. Edited February 22, 2019 by GW8345 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 2 hours ago, Vince Maddux said: I'll to look be i have an old issue Scale Modeler that might help. I know it has a naked F-18 on the cover Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 (edited) Thanks everybody! Fasteagle and GW. those help immensely. The picture of the one in the hangar has the graphite areas already painted chromate yellow, but it gives me a great idea of what the top looks like. How do you guys find these? I found bubkus when I did a search! Is it me, or does the aluminum areas seem to have a goldish tint to them? Edited February 22, 2019 by Darren Roberts Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasteagle12 Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 (edited) The aluminum probably has an anodized coating. This helps, along with primer and paint, to prevent corrosion. Anodize can be sealed with a nickel acetate seal which more or less keeps the base aluminum color or sealed with chromate which will give it a golden color. I would assume the gold tint is from this process. Edited February 22, 2019 by fasteagle12 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 8 hours ago, fasteagle12 said: The aluminum probably has an anodized coating. This helps, along with primer and paint, to prevent corrosion. Anodize can be sealed with a nickel acetate seal which more or less keeps the base aluminum color or sealed with chromate which will give it a golden color. I would assume the gold tint is from this process. Thanks! That's good to know. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
airmechaja Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Yes, it's called Alclad. It's for corrosion resistance. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 13 hours ago, fasteagle12 said: Aren't the first couple of these the Alpha? https://m.imgur.com/gallery/a6EIM Very first picture is an Echo, second picture is an Alpha. -Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 5 hours ago, airmechaja said: Yes, it's called Alclad. It's for corrosion resistance. That's ironic. That's exactly what paint I'll be using! 😁 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasteagle12 Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 2 hours ago, GreyGhost said: Very first picture is an Echo, second picture is an Alpha. -Gregg Yep, I see that now.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Did someone mention naked models? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted February 23, 2019 Author Share Posted February 23, 2019 16 hours ago, habu2 said: Did someone mention naked models? It depends on what kind you're thinking of. 😊 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Emvar Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 Nice thing is that Master Models makes the test Pitot and AOA probes for the 1/48th F-16XL which would work for your hornet..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted February 24, 2019 Author Share Posted February 24, 2019 5 hours ago, Emvar said: Nice thing is that Master Models makes the test Pitot and AOA probes for the 1/48th F-16XL which would work for your hornet..... I was trying to figure out how to best accomplish that. You rock! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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