Konrad -
Count me in here👍!
Pit looks cool so far!

Gidge
Thanks. First build I've done in 20 years and I'm teaching myself to use an airbrush so we'll see how it goes

Konrad -
Really nice surgery you've done here👍!

Gidge
Thanks. I'm going to call that beginners luck.

I perforated within the area with a hand drill to make it easy to cut it out. Then used hand files and a hobby knife to file back to the right shape. Glued a sheet of styrene underneath the holes to support the new parts, added another small .5mm to get the right hight to make it sit close to flush. Then used a syringe and putty to clean up the panel gaps (had to convince the local pharmacist I wasn't going to shoot up to buy them).

Rewarding achievement, but I appreciate the newly released Meng kits where the ECS pipes are a modular part that lets you select the correct ones for the appropriate version

Konrad -
Yep I'm also looking forward to the MENG kit looking not to bad 🙂.

Are you going for a high viz scheme or low viz?

Gidge
At this stage I'm planning to do the high vis Sunliners CAG markings. The look is a little bit different and presents a good challenge. Plenty of good reference photos on the web of the actual plane.

That's why I did the ECS pipe swap. Initially I was just going to leave it, but I thought masking the black section would be too hard with the older style setup. Plus there was a domestic supplier with them in stock who could express post it to me quickly. At the time I looked at and thought "how hard can it be?" Famous last words.

Of course we'll see how plans evolve as the project progresses.

Konrad -
That sounds great👍!
Let things happen as they come. That's the cool thing at this hobby 😉.

Alexander
Very nice and clean work so far! Does the single-seater kit have the same cockpit tub part as the two-seater? I was a bit confused at first. But looking forward to the rest of the build. 👍

Gidge
Yes. This kit uses Hasegawa sprues bundled with Eduard accessories and decals

It's a modular design so the single seat version used the same twin seat tub but has a piece that sits over it. Most of the sprues are marked F/A-18 E/F so presumably the F versions just come with a few extra/different versions of the kit. They Hasegawa also make an EA-18G kit which I assume reuses a heap of these sprues as well

Daniel
Very nice build so far, I really like how you seamlessly integrated the ECS vents 👍 Also cockpit and seat look great!
Just wondered whats the idea in the last pic? with masking the white?

Gidge
The flats surrounding the cockpit need to be painted black before the next stage of the build (hopefully I'll do that today) this facilitates the installation of the HUD, front part of the canopy, canopy hinges and the plate that covers the rear seat. I still haven't decided if I'll leave the canopy open or closed though I'm leaving towards closed

Jos Jansen
That's looking very promising, count me in mate....definitely one to follow. Beautiful start of the pit...👍!

Gidge
Thanks mate. A combination of a quality kit and beginners luck happening here

Daniel
Gotcha, so the white was primer I guess 🙂 neat work 👍

Spanjaard
nice build! welcome back to the hobby 🙂

Gidge
Thanks mate

Alexander
Nice progress, I like the attention to detail regarding the shape of the differently coloured areas. 👍

Gidge
Thanks mate. If I were to do it again making masks like this I'd simplify the process. Instead of trying to make positive and negative masks I'd just paint the area light ghost grey then mask and paint over it with dark ghost grey. Making matching positive and negative masks by hand is too hard. I've had to settle for a near enough is good enough approach.

However with pre-cut masks or a vinyl cutter that's a very different story.

Christian Borchmann-Backhaus
Nice build... I will start the Revell 1/32 Superhornet next...

Treehugger
One thing I learned after airbrushing some 1:48 sidewinder missiles some years back, is to let the paint dry fully, before touching anything, and also, best add a gloss coat before the paint is disturbed by dust fingerprints or whatever.

Gidge
Good advice. The biggest issue I had with them was supergluing the fins on. Only getting the glue in the right spot and holding such tiny parts in place. Would be a lot easier on a larger scale

Gidge
Replacement decals haev arrived so I can remove the tail art and redoo it

Alexander
Looks awesome already, really nice progress again! 👍👍

Gidge
Thanks mate! It's now done. Link to the finished gallery below.

Eduard Superbug VFA-81 Sunliners | Album by Gidge (1:48)