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1/32 Academy F/A-18C - VMFA-251 Operation Inherent Resolve


Dave Roof

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Gentlemen,

 

  With my new decal sheet at print with markings for a VMFA-251 Charlie from OIR, I've decided to get started on a kit to use them on. The kit is obviously the Academy F/A-18C and will incorporate the following aftermarket items:

 

- Aires or Black Box F/A-18C cockpit (BB set is on the way). I'll be looking at fit and overall accuracy before making a final decision.

- Aires wheel wells will be used depending on how well they fit. Lots of careful measuring will be done prior to cuts being made.

- Aires or Legend SJU-17 ejection seat. Fit and accuracy will again determine which will be used.

- Eduard F/A-18C PE interior, only a few select pieces will be used.

- G-Factor landing gear

- Rhino Modelworks intakes and wheels

- Quickboost M61A1 barrels. While marketed for the F-16, they can be used on any aircraft that use the M61A1.

- Various MV lenses

- Ordnance load will be as follows (per the squadron):

 

Station 1 - AIM-9X

Station 2 - GBU-38

Station 3 - GBU-38

Station 4 - ATFLIR

Station 5 - Fuel Tank

Station 6 - AIM-120C

Station 7 - Fuel Tank

Station 8 - GBU-54

Station 9 - AIM-9X

 

References used will be both the DACO and Reid Air Publishing books covering the F/A-18, as well as hundreds of my personal photos (both film and digital), measurements and technical publications on the aircraft.

 

IMG_0206.jpg

Edited by Dave Roof
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The kit was actually started two days ago!

 

The first step was to assemble the forward fuselage and remove incorrectly placed panel lines. As this is a late F/A-18C, doors 5L and 5R are not present, so they were filled and sanded smooth as well. They are the square panels just aft and below the formation strip lights. I used Tamiya liquid surface primer to fill everything in, then sanded smooth with 1500 and 2400 grit sanding pads. It took 3 thin applications to completely fill them, which gives a better result than one heavy application. The thinner coats are also easier to sand smooth.

 

Starboard_Fwd_Fuselage.jpg

 

 

Port_Fwd_Fuselage.jpg

 

With careful cutting and fitting, the nose wheel well and cockpit can be installed after the fuselage halves have been assembled. However, the upper halves of the four locating tabs need to be removed for the nose wheel well to slide in. The molded on sidewall details also need to be removed to accommodate the new resin sidewalls. Doing it this way prevents a lot of sanding dust from getting all over the painted and detailed cockpit.

 

Detail_removal_fwd_fuselage.jpg

Edited by Dave Roof
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Great project Dave. I've done several hornets and I always use the Aires resin cockpits and landing gear bays, the detail is amazing and the quality is flawless. I've found that the landing gear bays are slightly short, but a simple piece of styrene glued to the rear side of the piece fixes any issues.

I'll be following this build for sure, good luck.

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Well, Photobucket's new Terms of Service pretty just killed this on-line build until I can find another way to post photos. Photobucket just lost a long time user as well.

 

Disregard.......found postimage.org

Edited by Dave Roof
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