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.
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
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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.
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
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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
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