1/72 Hasegawa Boeing EA-18G Vader

Gallery Article by Jean-Charles Goddet on Apr 20 2020

 

      

This model is an Hasegawa 1/72 US Navy EA-18G nickname Growler from a standard box, EA for Electronic Attack. I decided to show this bird with an attractive paint scheme from VAQ-208 Starwarriors NAS Whidbey Island WA in May 2018. This special scheme represents CAG bird serial number 166895. It is the seventh Growler built. I used decals sheet from Two Bobs 72-108 an American company very well known, decals are very accurate (as a SF and StarWars fan, tails with DARTH VADER mask are awesome and VADER is really the squadron emblem). This squadron was deployed aboard super carrier USS Harry S. Truman from November 2015 to July 2016 for operation Inherent Resolve under Iraq and Syria to jam ISIS network communication. The squadron was awarded the medical blue "M", the safety S, the golden wrench and the battle E. I followed Two Bobs instructions regarding colors, I used acrylics Gunze H307 FS36320 for upper fuselage and H308 FS36375 for lower fuselage and nose standard Growler camo. The engines are painted gun metal for external exhaust and metallic and flat white for ceramic inside engines exit. The tails are painted Humbrol 85 FS17038 satin black and I added a weathering with AMMO products (panel lines juice, lightering wings panels and hydraulics leakage on flaps). I used matt AMMO varnish to finish the model.

Click on images below to see larger images

I show the bird with three external fuel tanks painted in standard grey FS36375 except the central one in satin black with the famous title VADER ONE. I added armament from the box two AGM-88E HARM anti radiation missiles plus two ALQ-99 high band jamming pods and standard ALQ-218V2 pods at the wings end.  I also show the canopy opened, the cockpit is from the box with no resin part addition. It was a pleasure to build a so attractive and decorated plane (it is sad that USNavy decided to end the CAG bird colors plane and replace them by nuance of greys).

I hope you will enjoy my model and pictures. Stay safe!

"VADER I am your father!!" 

Jean-Charles Goddet

Click on images below to see larger images

 

Photos and text © by Jean-Charles Goddet