Trumpy EA-18G Growler

[Whitey]

I am a gluten for punishment.  Having put the Albatros on hold due to an error on my behalf, being sorted by the great generosity of LSP members, I broke out my Growler and have cut some plastic, modified some bits and got it underway.

 

I plan to make it into an RAAF 6 Squadron jet.

 

Little did I know that all of the aftermarket for this kit is way out of production and not available anywhere. Hence my requests on the Traders Board. I am desperately seeking the Eduard Growler phot-etch to cut up for the cockpit and the Steel Beach resin with the Satellite antenna on the top of the fuselage spine.

 

Enough growling at myself - here is the kit so far.

 

I've cut the kit ECS vents out and added the QB resin. Finally got to use my Proxon drill stand. Just added a bit of Tamiya White filler around the edges.

 

 

New vents under the outlets on the LEX just rear of the cockpit. Looks like I need to adjust the one on the far left. Just editing the post after noticing how thick the top of the vent is. I will rip it all of and sand down that thick edge.

 

 

Modified the WSO's IP cover but still need to add a little bit more detail.

 

 

Sanded off the hugely oversize fin mounted formation lights from both sides of each fin. My new David Union sander was mighty for this job. Just paid for itself I reckon.

 

First pic is the original outside of one fin and the second is the clean skin. It will be easy to add some detail under the lights that is not as drag producing.

 

 

This is the inside of the port fin.

 

 

Filled in the gun vents under the nose - the Growler doesn't have a gun. Looks pretty smooth but final work will be done once the forward fuselage bits are joined.

 

Closed up the avionics bays on both sides. I'm not a fan of open panels. Discovered an uneven surface all the way along the panel line not only along the bottom edge of the door but all the way along that line to the rear of the part. One side was slightly higher than the other on both sides of the fuselage. Definitely not there on the real McCoy.

 

 

I've got Harold's ECM pods to replace the absolute rubbish that the kit provides.

 

Still lots of little fiddly bits to go and of course keeping my fingers crossed some kind modellers has some spare parts that they won't be using, otherwise some serious scratch building will be in my future. Reid Air Publications updated Super Hornet Guide is my main reference along with some photos of the RAAF jets from various sources, including some of my own photos from Avalon International Air Show in early 2019. I should have taken some more.

 

Happy modelling in the new year folks.

Edited December 31, 2020 by Whitey

[jmel]

Love it!  The Trumpeter kit isn't an easy kit to build.

 

Jake

[chukw]

I have a lot of pics of this aircraft taken at the NAS Whidbey Island Open House- let me know if there any areas you'd like to see. The cockpits were not avaiable, nor were the engine nozzles, as might be expected. We live in the one of the approaches to the Outlying FLCP Field and get our treetops mowed all too often.  

[Whitey]

Thanks Chukw. I have plenty of pics. Have fun keeping on eye on them.

[Whitey]

6 hours ago, jmel said:

Love it!  The Trumpeter kit isn't an easy kit to build.

 

Jake

Makes it a challenge then.

 

[chrish]

Nice!

I built this kit last winter, got almost all the aftermarket I needed from Hannants. Not sure they still have stuff for it and the hump on the spine was a really bad fit as well, might be a blessing you can’t get one. You could probably scratch the ecm bumps quite easily yourself.

I’ll be pulling up a chair for sure!

[Whitey]

That's good news Chrish.

 

Scratch building the Sat Comms antenna is underway. I cut an antenna base from an used part of the Academy Hornet, a lump with four little antenna sticking out of it under the nose, and it looks the goods so far. Using Mr Surfacer 500 for the initial filler. I'll let it dry up properly before adding more filler.

 

 

I've searched through my spare box and found some cockpit side console panels that I might start cutting up for the cockpit. I'm sure that as soon as I get into that part someone will come up with the photo-etch.

 

 

[chrish]

Good start on that antenna. I used more putty fairing in the Steel Beach one I did manage to find. Coming along... 

[ericg]

Looking great mate! Good to see you have made all this progress since I visited last week.

[Squizzy 78]

I love the lines of all Hornets, I’m going to enjoy watching this. I’ve got a some super hornets in the stash, and I’ve just started a f/a-18a+ as an aggressor. 
Good luck with the build, I’ll be following this with great interest, mine found itself put aside for another day!

You could also use some of the air scale photo etched brass and decals kits to jazz up the cockpit. 

[Whitey]

Fair bit of work achieved since my last post but still a long way to go.

 

Satellite Comms antenna close to done. May need to add more to the sides but it looks pretty close. A little bit of clean up and restoration of panel lines once undercoated.

 

 

 

And trimmed down the exhaust vents with new vanes inside.

 

 

Nose wheel bay almost complete. Added some wiring, connectors and clips both with very small fuse wire and paint.

 

 

[Whitey]

Oops wrong button.

 

Not 100% accurate but it looks interesting. A pin wash will bring it out a bit more.

 

 

Next up will be the main wheel bays.

[CZPetrP]

Hi,

it will not be an easy project.
I wish you a lot of strength.

 

Petr

[Marcel111]

Great start on an interesting project! 
 

I generally scratched all the required mods on my Growler. Note that you can source the correctly shaped ALQ-99‘s from Harold (AMS). IMO the most important aftermarket set is the Eduard Growler etch because it provides the ribs on the AlQ-99s in fine detail, not sure how to do them otherwise.

 

Cheers,

Marcel

[MikeMaben]

Yeah ! Lookin' good Whitey