1/48 Hobbyboss RAAF F/A-18 Hornet

Gallery Article by Phillip Roache on Apr 25 2011

ANZAC Day 2011

 

This is a model that I completed 2 years ago, and this is my second submission to ARC. My first was back in December 2007.

 This model represents a Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18A Hornet of 3 Squadron. This was converted from the Hobbyboss 1/48 F/A-18C kit. My inspiration came from reading about Operation Slipper.

 Overall this was not a bad kit, only a small amount of putty was used in this build. I guess for the price at the time it was actually a good kit to buy then convert. I apologise for the bad photography.

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  The "bird slicer" antennas were scratch built from plastic card then fixed in place with potent liquid cement.

 A Quickboost resin seat was the only thing added to the rudimentary cockpit.

 A Wolfpack F/A-18A+ resin kit was purchased for this kit from ebay, but I basically only used the antennas, which was a waste. The new nose section was too narrow to use as this resin update set is really meant for the Hasegawa F/A-18.        

 Hawkeye decals were used to represent a 2002 aircraft operating from Diego Garcia in Operation Slipper which forms part of the small Australian contribution to operations in Afghanistan.

 From OzMods I purchased ASRAAM missiles to replace the Sidewinders.

 The 2 GBU-12 bombs came from a Hasegawa weapons kit.

 The flaps and slats were supposed to be retracted but I wanted them extended.

 The lone AIM-7 was cut up in an attempt to resemble an AMRAAM.

 Eduard masks were used to keep the paint from going where it shouldn't go.

 Gunze and Tamiya acrylic paints were also used, and the weathering was done with artists acrylic paints diluted with water, which is the way I now do all my models.

 Some crude intake covers were made from foil, tissue paper and diluted white glue then painted red. These were needed to hide the rather nasty looking 1/2" long intake trunks.

 The sensors on the upper part of the vertical stabilisers were removed to represent an "A" model Hornet. I made an error and forgot to add strengtheners to the vertical stabs.

 The drag link on the nose landing gear was shortened, but not enough, and the launchbar was modified, as  the RAAF Hornets have different type to the USN version.

 Another landing light was added to the nose gear leg. 

 In honour of those who have served and are currently serving in our armed forces, 
                                                                
                                               Lest We Forget. 

Phillip Roache

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Photos and text © by Phillip Roache