1/32 Academy CF-18B Hornet

Gallery Article by Shawn "Phantom" Weiler on Sept 10 2009

 

This is my second big scale Academy Hornet. This one is the "D" kit modified to a not modified modern Canadian B. I used the Black Box cockpit, parts of the external set. Decals from Leading Edge and Leading Edge masks. Also used some VERY nice G factor from Fightertown decals brass landing gear. These are very nice and will be briefly spoken about later. I never planned on owning two big scale hornets but the one I built several years ago was no longer up to my (admittedly low) standards. Keep building these things and eventually you learn a few tricks and improve your skills.

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The kit was built for the current "Operation group build" on ARC. Its a 410 training squadron plane but during Noble Eagle almost anything that could go after bad guys after September 11 2001 was used. One thing I did that is not on the real 188931, I added my daughters "call-signs" using the Leading Edge supplied letters.  Capt Scratch and Major Monkey can now go after bad guys in Cold Lake. (Nice touch Leading Edge.)

The brass landing gear is great in two ways. One, its very strong and holds this heavy model very steady.  How do I know its a heavy model? 
Well, my single seat hornet I built several years ago started to sag recently. On investigation last year I noticed the main gears both cracked in the same spot. As I used the brass gear on 931 I had extra kit gear available for 767. Mind you this time I also added braces out of sight to help keep the plastic gear from sagging and breaking again. 
I was debating ripping all the gear off and making it an in-flight model, but the brass gear saved me from trying to figure out how to make a folded wings and flaps down bird into a in-flight. To be honest I don't think I have the repair skills to pull that one off.
So with a pair of pliers, I ripped off the broken gear,  put on new stuff and fixed a few areas that needed  repair and paint touch ups. 
Voila, I now have two  presentable big scale Hornets  instead of just one.

Shawn "Phantom" Weiler

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Photos and text © by Shawn "Phantom" Weiler