1/32 Academy F/A-18D RMAF “What If" 

Gallery Article by Mejarbee Wan Hashim "modelmaker" on Mar 18 2015

 

      

Important Note

On 28 Nov. 2011, The Boeing Company received a U.S. Navy contract under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Program to provide the first major upgrades for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) fleet of eight F/A-18D Hornet fighter aircraft.

The contract covers design, development and installation of retrofit kits that will provide enhanced navigation, targeting and situational awareness. The upgrade program which are prominent on the external surface are:

  • Raytheon 6 X AN/ASQ-228 Advanced Targeting Forward Looking IR Pods (ATFLIR)

  • BAE System AN/APX-111 “Birdslicer” IFF Interrogator.

About this build

I choose the word “What If” in this build because there are no picture published publicly of the aircraft yet. Base on the 2011 proposal, the Hornet appearance should look more or less like this. The aircraft number “00” is used to denote “What If”.

Kit in use is the well-known Academy 1/32. Some after market parts used are as follows:

  1. Black Box Hornet D Late Cockpit set with SJU-17 seat.

  2. Eduard Exhaust PE Set.

  3. Zactomodel 1/32 AIM-9X

  4. F4dablemodel Twin Flare/Chaff, Fishbone Lerx Grille and GPS Dome

  5. Aires/Wheeliant Universal Navy Wheel Chock (Early Production)

  6. Verlinden Remove Before Flight Flag.

  7. F4dablemodel type B Export Bugs Decal.

The ATFLIR pod for 1/32 scale is not available at this moment so I had to modify the existing Academy AN/AAS-38 FLIR pod to look more or less like ATFLIR.

Click on images below to see larger images

Building this Academy kit is straightforward with minor putty. Self made Tarmac base with Earthing point.

The Aircraft is armed with:

  1. AIM-9X Sidewinder AAM

  2. AGM-65E Maverick

  3. AGM-84D Harpoon

  4. AIM-120C7 AMRAAM

  5. GBU-10 Paveway II

  6. GBU-31 JDAM

The rest of the ordinances which are still in RMAF inventory but not fitted to the pylon are placed on stand which are scratchbuilt with 3mmX3mm plastic strip then painted with Gunze Character Yellow.

  1. AIM-7 Sparrow

  2. AIM 9L/M Sidewinder

  3. Mk.82 500lbs GP Bomb

  4. Mk.82 Snakeye

Colour used throughout the process was of Gunze lacquer type Mr.Color range (The “C” Series). The new Hornet livery is painted overall with Gunze C334 Barley Grey. The old RMAF Hornet is Gunze 305. The rest of the colour/painting are as per Academy Instruction. Tamiya Enamel paint for hand brush and weathering, Acrylic Gloss for pre-decaling and Acrylic gloss mix with flat for final coating.

Hopefully during the coming LIMA 2015 in Langkawi, Malaysia. This Upgraded Hornet will make its public appearance.

Mejarbee Wan Hashim

Click on images below to see larger images

 

Photos and text © by Mejarbee Wan Hashim