1/32 Academy F/A-18A+ (part2)

 VMFA-115 CAG 

by Everett McEwan

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First came the weapons, I chose a mixed load out of smart and dumb bombs, mostly because I wanted to use the canted ejector racks that come in the BB set. I applied super glue to the surface of the bombs and after they dried I used my razor saw and dragged it along the surface to rough them up and give texture to approximate the ablative coating that all US Navy bombs have to prevent shipboard fires. This is the
third technique I have tried in making this coating and although it worked I am always looking for something better, whatever works though. I added fuse wire to each of the Mk 82s and painted some in green and some in Grey and then mixed and matched as it would be on the ship. I also reshaped the nose of the J-dam to correct them. 

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   I detailed the Sidewinders by adding some plastic strip and drilling out proximity fuses along with making protective caps for the seeker head from plastic rod.

 

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   I had wanted to fit an AIM-120 on the shoulder station but was unable to because the flaps were lowered too much and I decided it wasn't worth changing. It made me wonder if the real jet can't lower it's flaps all the way (and slow down for landing) if there is a BVR missile fitted? I also loaded the tanks in "goofy gas" configuration, this is
very common now and is done to allow the FLIR to have a better view to the side as well as underneath.

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  I added wires for the hydraulic lines and placards to the gear of course.

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  I detailed the inside of the canopy using the parts from the Eduard set along with some scratch built items (the lipstick cameras). The PE stuff didn't fit as well as I would have liked, so I cut it in half to get it to fit, not perfect but better than no details. I noticed that the kit only includes the early style Angle of Attack sensor which looks like a little wing, but most Hornets now have the new needle type. As both of my jets used this latter type I came up with a simple solution, I cut off the front half of two needles and inserted them pointy end out, it perfectly matches the real thing and is stronger than a plastic part. I painted and applied future to the UHF antennas and then applied the "do not paint" kit decals, in this scale the decals are very readable and look great on the finished product. Even though I inserted steal wire into all the weapons to brace them I continuously broke off bombs and fuel tanks handling the kit, no matter what you leave off until the last minute there is always something to break!            

   I really enjoyed building this kit (and the second one too) and think it is worth every penny of the high price, like everything else in life, you get what you pay for! I am looking foreword to their release of the F/A-18D (AW) kit and maybe if we all hope enough they will tackle the Super Bug in this scale too (I hope Academy is reading this!) before Trumpeter or Tamyia beat them to it. If you like modern Navy jets as much as I do then this kit is a must have, I can't underline that enough, just go get it and you will be as happy as I am, after all, the photos of how great the kits look says it all!
Everett

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Photos and text © by Everett McEwan