Trumpeter Super Hornet Questions.

[ade rowlands]

Looking at building a 2 seat Super Hornet. I have read that the F model has the wrong rear panel and coaming but the Growler has it correct. Considering I replace the weapons anyway as Trumpeter often gets them wrong or doesn’t include what I want to load, am I able to buy the Growler kit to get the correct rear cockpit parts and build it as an F by leaving the Growler external antennas off? Does the Growler kit come with all the pylons required for a regular superbug? Failing that, I’ve also read that there’s some antennas the Growler has but are missing from the kit and the jamming pods are an incorrect shape, does anyone make replacements for those? I’ll be stearing clear of the Revell kit. 

[thierry laurent]

Steelbeach made the Growler antennas but I do not know if SB has still them in stock. AMS (Harold Offield) released some corrected ECM pods but as far as I'm remembering SB never got that reference. He sold them directly.

[ade rowlands]

I’ve found an online box opening. Looks like the pylons and everything I need for an F are in the G kit. I think I need to pick an airframe and see if it should have the older style rear panel and coaming or the newer one that is in the G kit, or have they all now been upgraded to a common standard? I just prefer the look of the twin seat Super Hornet. I’m favouring an F over a G though. 

[Kagemusha]

I did read, think it was on ARC, that Steel Beach have closed shop, JP of PWMP made a Trumpeter F many moons ago on a now defunct site, he used an Academy two seat pit apparently the kit has two, he also produced suitable IP's and coamings, as well as pylons, you can contact him at plasticworld@skynet.be, the seats from Legend are superb, there are a couple of decal sheets I know of here, and erm... here.

[ade rowlands]

Steel Beach have shut up shop as far as I’m aware. I’d seen the DXM Decals, have used their stuff on smaller scale jets and they are great, also printed by Cartograf so always a plus. Jake Melampy has a set too. There’s also a Furball sheet which has a Black Knights and Jolly Rogers scheme. Also wondering what the included decals are like as I like the Rattlers scheme. My main concern now is the rear panel and its coaming. I just need to do some research on the decals, pick an airframe and find out if the early style panel and coaming in the F kit applies or I need the G kit panels and coaming. Weapons aren’t a concern as I’ll be replacing them anyway. I’m also hoping Quinta do some cockpit/seat stuff for the kits. 

[cairnsy]

G’Day Ade,

 

I am currently 25% through 2 seperate Trumpeter F model builds as RAAF aircraft and am using the Growler kit for both, Everything you need for a later F is included. 

The F model boxing (which I also have) only has the rear cockpit  of the earlier Lot aircraft. I believe some of the earlier fleet squadrons used these jets but all the operational F models now have the ACS panels (which the G kit contains 2 of) so like you said check your references to match the time and Squadron you are building to see which panel to use. Some of the older style F models are still floating around the training squadrons Like VFA-122 and VFA-106 and I believe the two seater used to film Tom cruise in flight for Top Gun2 and also the Blue Angels F they just took delivery of is the older style panel.

 

The G boxing is however missing most of the actual Growler specific antennae inslcluding the Saddle on top, the tear drop shaped blisters under the tail and the bread slice looking items between the wing trailing edge and the horizontal stabs. Pretty much the only useful growler parts are the cannon blanking piece and the wingtip pods which I believe are still not a great shape, the ALQ-99 pods also look pretty funky shape wise. 
 

the G kit still includes the wingtip missile launchers, all the same under wing pylons and the ATFLIR (also 2 of these in the G box) Targeting pod but the mount for it needs some serious reshaping.

 

I used the Eduard colour PE on my current 2 but I am counting on Quinta or Red Fox doing some 3D cockpits for future builds. Red Fox have indicated theirs shouldn’t be far away for the Trumpy E,F and G boxing, Their panels for the Revell E are pretty impressive and are now available with panels powered up and displays on or switched off and blank.

 

In short if you plan to use aftermarket weapons (the weapons included in The F kit suck anyway, easily the worst -9X I have ever seen) and aftermarket decals the G is a better option and allows you to build early or late F models out of the box. I can’t comment on how the kit decals behave but they look fairly nice on the sheet but there are plenty of aftermarket options.

 

good luck with your build I always enjoy seeing a 1-32 Super come together so make sure to post up pics as you go. 
 

cheers

 

Cairnsy

[ade rowlands]

28 minutes ago, cairnsy said:

G’Day Ade,

 

I am currently 25% through 2 seperate Trumpeter F model builds as RAAF aircraft and am using the Growler kit for both, Everything you need for a later F is included. 

The F model boxing (which I also have) only has the rear cockpit  of the earlier Lot aircraft. I believe some of the earlier fleet squadrons used these jets but all the operational F models now have the ACS panels (which the G kit contains 2 of) so like you said check your references to match the time and Squadron you are building to see which panel to use. Some of the older style F models are still floating around the training squadrons Like VFA-122 and VFA-106 and I believe the two seater used to film Tom cruise in flight for Top Gun2 and also the Blue Angels F they just took delivery of is the older style panel.

 

The G boxing is however missing most of the actual Growler specific antennae inslcluding the Saddle on top, the tear drop shaped blisters under the tail and the bread slice looking items between the wing trailing edge and the horizontal stabs. Pretty much the only useful growler parts are the cannon blanking piece and the wingtip pods which I believe are still not a great shape, the ALQ-99 pods also look pretty funky shape wise. 
 

the G kit still includes the wingtip missile launchers, all the same under wing pylons and the ATFLIR (also 2 of these in the G box) Targeting pod but the mount for it needs some serious reshaping.

 

I used the Eduard colour PE on my current 2 but I am counting on Quinta or Red Fox doing some 3D cockpits for future builds. Red Fox have indicated theirs shouldn’t be far away for the Trumpy E,F and G boxing, Their panels for the Revell E are pretty impressive and are now available with panels powered up and displays on or switched off and blank.

 

In short if you plan to use aftermarket weapons (the weapons included in The F kit suck anyway, easily the worst -9X I have ever seen) and aftermarket decals the G is a better option and allows you to build early or late F models out of the box. I can’t comment on how the kit decals behave but they look fairly nice on the sheet but there are plenty of aftermarket options.

 

good luck with your build I always enjoy seeing a 1-32 Super come together so make sure to post up pics as you go. 
 

cheers

 

Cairnsy

Thanks. That’s pretty much everything I needed to know. I’ll order a G kit (can’t bring myself to call it the Growler as that’s slang for something else here in the UK). I’m hoping more for Quinta to get it done as they do seat stuff and sidewalls plus instrument panels whereas RF tend to be panels only. 

[chrish]

You may wanna look into some (Dmold) intakes, new (Reskit?) tailpipes, wheels and control stick...

[BloorwestSiR]

That's great info Cairnsy so thanks for sharing it. I've got a G in the stash and was planning to do an F from it as well.

 

Carl

[Daywalker]

Glad to hear there is still hope for some AM cockpit parts coming for these kits, I've been waiting for years for something for them.

Edited December 9, 2020 by Daywalker
Typo

[ade rowlands]

1 hour ago, chrish said:

You may wanna look into some (Dmold) intakes, new (Reskit?) tailpipes, wheels and control stick...

 

I think Dmold only do the Legacy Hornet intakes. I think it’s GT Resin who do the Superbug ones. Quickboost Control Column is on the shopping list, exhausts I’ve only seen Aires ones which I think I read are undersized, or that may be the Legacy Hornet versions Reskit so far only do cans for the Revell Superbug MK.1 Design are Legacy Hornet only so far. Reskit wheels are on the list, Northstar are nice but a pain to get hold of here. Decals will be one of the 3 sets I’ve mentioned above, all 3 printed by Catograf so its just a case of picking a scheme. Waiting for some replacement sprues from Tamiya for a couple of kits that I need to move on to fund this project so no hurry. I’m also trying to track down an Academy A+ Legacy Hornet, just like the one I knew I’d regret selling with all the Aggressor extras I’d gathered for it. 

[Dave Williams]

Rhino Modelworks did intakes for the Trumpeter Super Hornet kits.  Aires and Olimp did exhausts for the Trumpeter SH kits.

[Rob Colvin]

I have used the Rhino intakes on an E build....worked great. I hope Red Fox or Quinta will do a F-18F cockpit set