Best resin cockpit for Academy hornet (RAAF)

[ClumsyDude]

Hi all

 

Recently picked up an Academy hornet (the A+ boxing), which I intend to do as the 2005 anniversary scheme for the RAAF.

 

I'm keen on a resin cockpit. Priorities are (in order): 1, detail; 2, ease of fit; and 3, accuracy. I've found an aires one online (only for a C model), as well as an Avionix one for the A model which includes replacement vertical fins. How do these rate? Are there any others?

 

Thanks!

 

Cheers

Jim

[ClumsyDude]

Looking round a bit further, there's also a Wolfpack set for the A+, any experience out there with this one?

 

Cheers

Jim

[BloorwestSiR]

Sorry for the late reply but I just got back from vacation.

 

I took a look at the Aires set that I have and on the instructions, it shows a couple of different parts to use if you're building an A variant. I don't know if there are any additional changes nor how well it fits as I haven't started my build.

 

Carl

[ClumsyDude]

Thanks Carl, I'm pretty sure I'll go for the aires set. Any sense of how it fits?

 

Cheers

Jim

[LSP_Ron]

I used the Avionix pit in my Cf-18 and it was excellent

[BloorwestSiR]

I haven't started mine so I don't have any insight into the fit.

 

I'll be testing it before I make any changes to the plastic though.

 

Carl

[Zero77]

I have all the three Avionix A cockpit, Wolfpack A cockpit, and Aires C cockpit. That's funny i had a look at them quite recently as i wanted to see what the Avionix D cockpit would look like (based on what is in the A box).

 

Regarding the details, they are all 3 very good. As usual, the Wolfpack resin can kill you with the smell, but it's beautiful.

 

If you want, i can make a quick review with a few close-up pictures of each, so you can compare, at least for the details (i've never assembled any of them, so i cant tell how they fit).

Just let me know.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Zero77

[ClumsyDude]

Zero77, that'd be brilliant. I've seen closeup shots of the aires one but not the others.

 

Thanks!!!

Jim

[Zero77]

I will do it this evening and post the pictures tomorrow. My internet connexion at home is still dead (for 2 month.... i'm back to the stone age).

[Zero77]

Ouch, i've just lauched my pictures to photobucket.... 83 pictures !

So i think it will be a well detailed "what's in the box" review of the 3 sets.

[Zero77]

So, here we go.

 

Detail pictures of what's in the box of the 3 following cockpit kits for the Academy F/A-18 (A or C, depending of the set) :

-Avionix F/A-18A cockpit + A version tail fins

-Wolfpack F/A-18A cockpit

-Aires F/A-18C cockpit

 

 

[ClumsyDude]

  Awesome stuff!!  

[Zero77]

First, the Avionix set.

 

What's in the box :

 

First, the tail fins for the A version, with 2 antennas instead of 3 for the C version. It may be useful if you only have the Academy F/A-18C kit but want to build a A, even if the modification may be pretty easy to do on the kit parts : 

 

A little defect on one of my part, though easy to correct with a bit of Mr surfacer :

 

 

Next, the seats. 2 seats are supplied, one with moulded in seatbelts, the other without any belt, for those who prefer using PE belts (not me ! ) :

 

The tub :

[Zero77]

The avionic area behind the cockpit :

 

 

The instrument panel :

 

However, there is no IP shroud included in the set, so one might use the one from the kit.

 

The turtle deck frame, with some mesh supplied as well :

 

Sidewalls and various smaller parts :

 

And all the very small detail parts like throttle, control stick, rudder pedals and so on :

[Zero77]

And the instructions :

 

 

 

To sum up, it's a pretty nice set, with the additional tail fins which can be useful to build a A version from a C kit. There are a lot of very small parts, and this may be useful for those who prefer to paint first and glue next.

However no instrument panel shroud nor canopy detailing parts are included whil they are in the next 2 sets.

Edited September 17, 2015 by Zero77