Hello everyone! Here
is my F/A-18A+ Hornet of VMFA-112 "Cowboys" a Marine
Reserve squadron stationed at Carswell Joint Reserve Base in Fort
Worth, Texas. This is a converted Monogram F/A-18C that
was done over many times....it originally started off as an out of
the box project as a return to modeling after a brief hiatus while in
college. Thinking I would do better studying if I put modeling on
stand-by. It worked, but I missed the hobby tremendously.
So, for my sanity, I bought this Monogram F/A-18C from Walmart with
the then new bright green and yellow VFA-105 "Gunslingers"
decals. Which was a refreshing change from the previous series kits'
decals. After about 7 years, I re-did the plane again, in high viz
VFA-113 "Stingers" CAG markings by Superscale. Then, I
redid it a year later in the original kit's low viz VFA-113 decals.
I was ready to toss the kit after the landing gear broke in a house
moving accident. However, I couldn't part with a beloved
Hornet, and this summer I decided to redo it again, this time as
an F/A-18A+ in USMC service, after seeing the "B" side decals on
a Superscale sheet I specifically bought to do an F/A-18D for
VMFA(AW)-242 "Bats ".
Click on
images below to see larger images
Modifications for a F/A-18A+
from a F/A-18C included creating the IFF AN/APX-111 antenna or "bird
shredder" in front of the windscreen with styrene strip.
Addition of the large blade antenna on the dorsal spine and a GPS dome
on spine (from a Monogram A-10's AGM-65 Maverick laser seeker lens).
Removal of the ECM blisters behind the canopy, on the top of each of
the vertical stabilizers, on the nose gear door, and from the upper
sides of the nose. For static display, flaps and elevators were cut
and dropped and the flaps modified with styrene. Rudders were
cut and canted at hydraulic rest, and the cockpit touched up with a True
Details SJU-8 ejection seat.
Hope
you enjoy!
Semper
Fi!
Jim
Click on
images below to see larger images
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