F/A-18A, RAAF, A21-8, 3 SQUADRON

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October 1, 2016
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October 1, 2016
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October 1, 2016
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October 1, 2016
High tech way to hold the model, two rods up the ..... with the timber rods held in place by my book collection, it does the job!
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October 1, 2016
I had to reset the right fin, it was on a different angle. That was fiddly to do especially when both fins were finished
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October 1, 2016
Careful not to break the strengthening straps
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October 1, 2016
Scratch built electronics bay, very little will be seen when the cover net is in place
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October 1, 2016
All the joints are finished. Guide vanes on air intake panel to fuselage
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October 1, 2016
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October 1, 2016
fuselage interior painted black to prevent viewing from the top surface LEX fuselage photo etched vanes. I added a compressor to the short intake
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October 1, 2016
Photo etched vanes added very easily
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October 1, 2016
Milliput added to all of the joints
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October 1, 2016
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October 1, 2016
Kit wheel well with various pipes painted and a highlight wash
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October 1, 2016
Nose section joined to the main body,engraved the line
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October 1, 2016
rear fuselage joint , need to add a strip of evergreen for the formation panel lights
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October 1, 2016
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October 1, 2016
Kit nose wheel well, very good detail, especially when you add the photo etch rear side wall plumbing
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October 1, 2016
Under wing ready for pylons. I think next time i'll glue them on now , not later
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October 1, 2016
Air intakes finished with compressor added
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October 1, 2016
Nose wheel well with photo etching. forward nose section not in place yet.
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October 1, 2016
Internal fuselage with air intakes in place. Milliput filler added to prevent daylight. Next will be to paint all of this area black
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October 1, 2016
Main wheel well and joints covered with milliput. The yellow strip is to prevent milliput getting into the air intake panel fine detailing
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October 1, 2016
under side view of net
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October 1, 2016
Electronics bay cover net
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October 1, 2016
Electronics bay scratch detail painted, not much will be seen under the net
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October 1, 2016
Internal strengthening straps
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October 1, 2016
airbrake in place and fins reset
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October 1, 2016
Electronics bay net in place covering the scratch built detail
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October 1, 2016
I used thin clear plastic for the HUD
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October 1, 2016
Cover cardboard in place, next is the masking around the edges
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October 1, 2016
Ladder bay to be masked up after the edges of the nose wheel well are done
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October 1, 2016

Comments

1 October 2016, 05:25

Maciej Bellos
A beauty. Which kit is it?

1 October 2016, 06:26

Michael Hickey
Nice Hornet Sir, and nice to see you here again.👍👍👍😄

1 October 2016, 06:38

Holger Kranich
Woooooow!

1 October 2016, 07:17

Bill Spargo
Thanks guys for your comments. Maciej, the kit is Hasegawa

1 October 2016, 07:39

Album info

HASEGAWA 48th Scale. This aircraft was built in Australia, it was the first Hornet received by an operational squadron. Wing Commander Bruce Mouatt delivered the aircraft to 3 Squadron at Williamtown NSW the main training base for fighter aircraft. This colour scheme is the second of three changes to the cobra head. The third change was the most attractive with a red outline which also flew at the Williamtown airshow November 1987.

Building the model was straight forward with no major problems. I did find gluing the pylons to the wing left gaps needing to be filled. I added Eduard cockpit instrument details and scratch built the rear electronic bay, this detail was barely seen with the net cover in place. Kit cockpit bath tub was detailed and the ejection seat as well. No weathering as the aircraft was new when I first saw it.

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