1/72 Hasegawa F/A-18F

Gallery Article by Jean-Charles Goddet on Apr 1 2010

 

Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet VFA-103

This model is a Hasegawa 1/72 F/A-18F Super Hornet low visibility from VFA-103 Jolly Rogers kit number 00844. This special scheme represents the plane with low visibility marks and skull & crossbones on mat black tails in 2009. This squadron is embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower supercarrier. This plane 166619 is from F/A-18F lot 27, it replaced the Tomcat in 2005. All decals are from the box, I followed HASEGAWA instructions regarding colors, the upper camouflage is grey FS36320 Gunze acrylic H307, and lower camouflage is grey FS36375 Gunze acrylic H308. I added a light weathering on paint scheme to show time wear and the beautiful engraved panels of the kit.

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To enhance the model I used Wolfpack Design resin wings with down flaps reference WP72008 and modern hobbies resin NACES SJU-17 ejection seats. I also used prepaint photoetched parts from Eduard reference SS229 (multifunction screens, cockpit panels, nose antennas, ejection handles) with open canopy to show the work. I decided to add some armaments two live AMRAAM air-air missile AIM-120C, two live Sidewinders air-air missiles AIM-9X on end wings, two anti-radar AGM-88 HARM on pylons coming from a F16CJ box to show a SEAD mission (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses). I added from the kit one centerline 480 gallon fuel tank and a AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR pod for target illumination.

I hope you will like my model, this kit is very easy to mount and very detailed, resin wings from Wolfpack are fragile because flaps are very thin. I like the cockpit with prepaint colors screens it seems engines running. As a Tomcat fan I find the Rhino less sexy than his illustrious ancestor but I'm sure it is an incredible war beast regarding which variety of Air Air and ground weapons is able to carry and deliver with accuracy. And what marks!!!!

FEAR OF THE BONES

Jean-Charles Goddet

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Photos and text © by Jean-Charles Goddet