1/72 Revell F/A-18F

Gallery Article by Michael "Chewie" Choo on Jan 8 2015

 

      

F/A-18F VFA-103 Jolly Rogers

G'Day all! I'd like to share with youse my latest finished project. I built this as part of ARC Hornet's Nest Group Build, in parallel with a Hasegawa Super Hornet.

If you're interested, the WIP thread is here:
http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=276510

Generally, it's a much easier kit to build than Hasegawa's Super Hornet. The engraved panel lines are deeper than Hasegawa, which can be both good and bad. Good because they're not as easy to obliterate, but bad in that they can look somewhat over-scale. Although I have not bothered looking in details, I suspect some of the surface details are fictitious, especially on the rear lower fuselage, between the main landing gears and the exhausts.

 

Click on images below to see larger images

I don't like the design for the MLG anchor points. Hard to describe, but the design is such that it could lead to the MLG struts being incorrectly installed, which was what happened to me. But, I love the fact that Revell supplied the decals for the inside of the jet exhausts.

Now, a lot of people claimed that the shape of Revell's Super Hornet was "wrong". To my eyes, these two look like identical twins. Just like identical twins, there are subtle differences for sure. But to my eyes, none of them are really major enough to pass judgement  that Revell's shape is "wrong". But... that's just me.... You can judge by yourself.

As is my habit, here's the list of paints that I used for this project:

  • Gunze Aqueous H308 (FS36375) - Some of the stencils were printed using the same shade as Gunze's rendition of FS36375, hence they effectively became invisible. For my next Revell Super Hornet, I'll have to do something about this, either lighten/darken Gunze H308, or use LifeColor's FS36375 (which is a pain to airbrush!)

  • Gunze Aqueous H307 (FS36320)

  • Tamiya X-18 (semi gloss black) - for all the exterior black paint, including vert stabs

  • Tamiya XF-1 (flat black) - cockpit interior, tyres

  • Tamiya X-1 (gloss white) 

  • Tamiya XF-1 (flat white) - intake trunks

  • Tamiya XF-62 (olive drab) - Mk-83

  • Mr Metal Color Dark Iron, Iron - all metallic (exhausts, grills, AIM-9X tips, etc.)

  • Tamiya X-22 (gloss clear) - gloss coat prior to decaling and oil wash

  • Tamiya X-19 (smoke) and oil wash - weathering

  • Gunze flat clear - finishing flat coat

Hope you like it! 

Michael "Chewie" Choo

Click on images below to see larger images

 

      

Photos and text © by Michael "Chewie" Choo