1/72 Hasegawa F/A-18F 

Super Hornet

by Alex Sidharta

--------------------

 

It’s the brand new tooling of the Super Hornet by Hasegawa that has caused quite a hysteria among 1/72 modelers, including me. I got mine from HLJ, a well-known online store from Japan. 

Inside the box… well, I think everybody has known about it. It’s been said so often and some webs have pictures of the kit. From my first observation, the panel lines were recessed a la Hasegawa, with hundred rivets everywhere. Rivet counters could start to count them if they want.

2 AIM-9X, 2 AIM-120 (with wrong launcher. Hasegawa gives HARM launcher for AIM-120), 4 Drop tanks, and 2 types of wingtip launchers are supplied. 

My first headache was to decide which marking would be for my Superbug. 2 VFA-102 Diamondbacks markings and VFA-2 Bounty Hunters are all interesting. My choice was then the VFA-2 as I plan to build a F-14D with the same marking in the near future. 

Less than an hour after I received the kit, I have made the first cut ! Dry fitting the major parts resulting a really convincing start. Looks like I wouldn’t need filler anywhere on the kit, but let’s see… 

Construction began at…. rear fuselage. That means intakes, installing polycaps for the stabilizers, and backend (or front-end ?) of nozzles. All were done nicely except that Hasegawa doesn’t indicate to paint inside of the intakes white. There are also slight gaps on top of the intakes. I chose not to fix it, as it’s quite hidden and still acceptable for me. The backend of the intakes are flat and perhaps any aftermarket brands will produce intake trunks for this area. 

The construction then moved to the cockpit. I tried to ask for help from Hornet-experts Joe Hegedus & Dave Roof (thanks to you both!) on the color of sidewalls. Both suggested painting the sidewalls black. Well, that was it.

I detailed the sidewalls using “baby Hornet” sidewalls as my guidance. It wouldn’t be accurate but I had no single picture at that time. Also I cut the MFDs from panel decals, applied them to 0.02 styrene then glued to the front panels. For a 1/72 kit, they look OK and add 3-dimensional look to the cockpit.

Click on images below to see larger images

I corrected the gun hole as the kit gives a vertical one before inserting the cockpit into the front fuselage. The part breakage reminds me of that Italeri kit I built before. Then, the rear and front fuselage joined up. I used a little filler just below the windshield where the upper/rear fuselage met the lower/front one. It is because my additional details of the cockpit have deformed the cockpit area a little bit. 

Wings, fins, gears, pylons, etc were done without problem. Pylons are correctly outboard canted, although I didn’t measure whether they are correctly 4 degrees canted out or not. I believe someone else will do…

Click on images below to see larger images

I painted my Superbug using Gunze Sangyo lacquer-based paint. It was my first time using Gunze lacquer and the result was superb! Gunze’s is bluer than Model Master paint I usually use. Decaling was coming next and then I airbrushed Future to all over it to protect the decals and let it alone for a day. Oil-paint wash was next just enough to bring out the panel lines and the rivets. I didn’t weather my Super Hornet as I want it in clean condition. I used MM’s Semi Gloss Coat instead of Flat coat for final finish. 

Hasegawa provides smoke clear parts, but there is a mould line at the center of the canopy. I sanded it smooth and polished it back to clarity. Future came as usual to add glare to the canopy.

Click on images below to see larger images

Weapon configuration was my next headache. After considering some configurations might be feasible for Super Hornet, I came to a point where I decided to use wet-5 configuration. That means I chose to depict my Super Hornet as a tanker, inspired by the VFA-41 story in IAPR (international Air Power Review) #10. I used Fujimi’s KA-6D buddy pod (well, I don’t know whether it is the same refueling pod or not, but looks similar) on centerline station, and all four drop-tanks on inboard and middle wing pylons. Outboard pylons are empty and the wingtip launchers were armed with AIM-9X.

Click on images below to see larger images

I did enjoyed building this new Hasegawa kit and with no doubt I will buy a bunch more… There are still VFA-102 bird I haven’t done, VFA-41, VX-9, (future) VFA-103, (what-if) VFA-111 Sundowners or VFA-1 or VFA-74 or…, etc, etc,… and the list continues… 

A strange feeling came to me after I finished this : Thank God I have finished my Italeri Super Hornet before this Hasegawa, otherwise my Italeri would never finish at all…

(Hey, this is a personal opinion…. I don’t want to start a war on this. )

That’s it and enjoy. 

Alex 

Photos and text © by Alex Sidharta