Fancherello Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Hi there ! I'm back on the bench on the jet side, my favourite one ! It's the Academy F/A-18C converted/backdated into a canadian CF-188 as said in the manual. The conversion consists in removing some ECM bulbs on the nose and and fins, a specific cockpit ( here the CEdge F/A-18A pit ) that can be recognised with some classic gauges on the left hand side front board ( I mean non LCD gauge, sorry for my poor english typing ) showing engine and fuel parameters. The other minor difference is in the main landing gear, with inverted oleos. Canadian bugs also have some other modelling interests: they wear many reinforcing plates that you'll can see made of white plastic card ( and hexagonal rods for the bolts ) and theycan be sometimes heavy weathered ! No mistake, I dont modell faster than in a kinda Marvel book. I started this one a while ago, and paused it to fullfill some mag orders. Since a few days, I reworked the seat's seat paintwork, finished the strenghtening plates and kept on the flaps/slats assembly, the front panel's cover painting, and the ( god who to say it in english ?? ) the vicitnity around the pit so that it gets flush with the kit. I also removed the seamlines on the canopy parts, thanks to Mastercaster's sanding and polishing sponges ( Jay, willya marry me ?? I love your stuff mate !! ) and a Future bath. ( its sold as Klir in France ) As you'll see on the pics the airframe assembly was not that straightforward and required some filling/putty/MrSurfacer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fancherello Posted February 5, 2007 Author Share Posted February 5, 2007 cheers mate ! Fanch ps: I love pancakes with mapple sirup ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafael Winter Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 I'm back on the bench on the jet side, my favourite one ! ... excuse me props fellows but, THANKS GOD !!!... fabulous job... I love the seat ( Is it paint with enamel/oil ? ) keep us posted cheers Rafael Winter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fancherello Posted February 5, 2007 Author Share Posted February 5, 2007 LoL Rafael yep I'm back in the dark and smokey side The seat base colors are acrylics except the cushion which is an Humrol green I used at this time ( almost two years ago ), 83 olive green if I remember well. The other colors are Gunze for the black shades ( the first one I apply when painting a bang seat ) airbrush sprayed. I use oils for umbers, done with highly thinned washes, mainly with sepia, cassel's earth and vina black. Tiny painting and some of the drybrushes are done with Lifecolor acrylics. I also used Tamiya pigments for drybrushes ( This seems to be a lot of mixed techniques, but I started the seat two years ago, and corrected it today with techniques I didnt use before, as there are some I dont use anymore ) thanks for your kind words Rafael ! cheers Fanch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfly Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Fanch.....fantastic start!! I really like the looks of the cockpit, especially the IP and seat. Looks real!! I'm assuming by the box in the first pic you are using a BB resin cockpit. If so, how was the fit. I've been wanting to build my first Hornet, and now I can watch your thread and maybe learn something. Thank you. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fancherello Posted February 6, 2007 Author Share Posted February 6, 2007 Hi Jerry and thank you, I'm glad you ike it so far ! actually this is Cutting Edge F/A-18A cockpit. It was a true drop in replacement cockpit and an excellent value for the money. The front dash board is made with the Eduard interior set, including some prepainted parts and film. Black Box also released some -A model fins, but honestly it's not difficult at all to remove the -C bulges to convert the Academy kit into an early bug. bye Fanch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMurph Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Fanch love the look of the 18 that was fast you must have had a dual build going there the pit looks great. Cheers Murph... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcauchi Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 What fantastic work you are doing there Fanch. A great build of a great bird. Your work is fantastic, beautifully clean, delicate and the painting is so great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfighter Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 wow fanch, that looks awesome! i really love your painting and weathering techniques - can't wait to see more of your bug! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithery Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Another masterpiece in the making! Are you going for an operational bird, or one of the colorful demo/anniversary schemes? Either way, I'm sure it will be spectacular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dric Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Hi Lagavulin brother (isn't it ?) excellent job. I look forward for the next step. Dric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fancherello Posted February 7, 2007 Author Share Posted February 7, 2007 Hello chaps ! thanks much for your kind words, I'm glad to share this build with you all No, Murph, I aint a supersonic builder ! I started this one a while ago, shortly after the kit's release and had to pause the build because of several mag order, then motivation was lost. But now it's back ! Thank you also for your kind words about the paintwork, it's the step I prefer, so I'm glad you LSP experts like it ! The model will be an operational plane, rather anonymous. I found a picture in a magazine showing a heavy weathered plane, with stains starting from the slats attachements and going till the trailing edges . It also wears gun stains, oil stains. I'm lucky enough to have a Leading Edge decal sheet allowing to make any Canadian Hornet. An excellent concept in my opinion, because, you just have to pick up a picture of the plane that you like, and making a model is no problem then. And Smithery, you may know the Canadian Hornets far better than me, so if you feel I miss a correction or somtehing, just feel free to tell ! all critics are welcome ! and Wikman and Dric: yes I love jets and Lagavulin !!!! cheers mates Fanch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stusbke Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Well its looking so far Fanch Its good to have you back at the jet side Anyway I think I may have something for ya about those slime ligths between the ruddrs and the wings there's supposed te be reinforcement plate there. i'm not sure if this is vissible in your picture but here's what I'm talking about. Ps this picture came from another in progress thread on ARC RHAW antenna under the nose. For whatever reason, the CF-18 has it moved off the centerline to one side. don't know if you have that one too? Anyway All of these are in this thread right here its +-70 pages long and its all in there. HTH Greetz STB Frederick Jacobs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fancherello Posted February 7, 2007 Author Share Posted February 7, 2007 Hello Fredrick Thanks much for the info: I didnt notice that the antenna was offset, I'll correct this quickly Apparently this one hasn't the flank plates, and has some below the nose, around the antennas you shown, which is not on every planes as well here's a copy of the magazine page ( which shows twice the same aircraft ! ): ( copyright Top Gun magazine 2003 ) Thanks for the link as well, I'll study that carefully ( near the fireplace with a Lagavulin ) Fanch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Aylmer Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Hi Fanch, That 18 of yours looks amazing so far. Great job. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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