From: "Steve Bamford ARC" To: "Daniel PerezVertti" References: <406A7D75.3030606@sbcglobal.net> Subject: Re: F-18F article. Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 00:20:04 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0076_01C416B5.F0E8D960" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Unsent: 1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0076_01C416B5.F0E8D960 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi Daniel, Thanks for sending in your F-18F article. It's a beautifully done Super = Hornet. I'll e-mail you when your article goes on ARC in 3 weeks. Steve Bamford Aircraft Resource Center http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com =20 Live like there is no tomorrow; Love like you've never been hurt. Work like you don't need the money. Dance like nobody's watching. Sing like nobody's listening. Live like it's Heaven on Earth. ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Daniel PerezVertti=20 To: sheb@telus.net=20 Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 12:12 AM Subject: F-18F article. "1/72 Hasegawa F-18F VFA-2"=20 by "Daniel PerezVertti" -------------------- Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg = here=20 =20 Well I just couldn't resist it. Hasegawa's new kit of the Super Bug = was too good to pass up, even if it isn't my normal scale I build. But = you've all seen this kit, it's beautiful sitting in sprues inside the = box! Well it started out as a stand alone build, along with our own Ming = Ho. I saw how he was building his, and it inspired me to start = mine......which inspired other to start theirs, and soon enough he have = an official group build! Thanks to Matt Shropshire, we also had a = website for it, thanks Matt! So here is my entry. Built totally OOB, = with only some slightly modded decals from the kit decals.=20 Click on images below to see larger images =20 Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo = 03.jpg here. Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized = version of photo 03.jpg=20 Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo = 04.jpg here. Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized = version of photo 04.jpg=20 Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo = 05.jpg here. Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized = version of photo 05.jpg=20 =20 The cockpit was easy, since it was all decals. I slapped that together = right quick, and was able to get the front part of the fuselage = together. The parts kit was excellent, and I was able to put on all the = major parts without any difficulty whatsoever. The stabilators are = mounted by using some poly caps, which allows them to be displayed in = the 'powered down' position. These poly caps are held in a box piece = that fits inside the fuselage, and all you have to do is pop in each = stabilaor. Nice touch! Some may not like this feature, but I did, as I = could keep the stabilators off during the build. The intakes are for = some the major blemish on this otherwise exquisite kit. There are no = full intakes, they end in an unsightly box corner that sticks right into = the path of the intake. This is obviously the result of the wheel well = boxes. But a quick shot of black paint inside the intake can remedy = this...or you can do what I did..add FOD covers! The rear part of the = intakes need some filling and sanding to blend into the rear fuselage, = but not much. I glued all the major parts, left and right wings, left = and right vertical stabs on, and the assembly of the kit was for all = intents and purposes, done.=20 =20 Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 02.jpg = here=20 =20 Next I started the preshading of the panels, which I did with flat = black. After that was dry, I painted the bottom with Testor MM = enamel-FS36375, The top was painted with FS36320, also Testors MM. The = trim on the trailing edges was painted in a darkened FS36320, to match = the reference pics I had. When that was dry, came a couple coats of the = lovely smelling Future. While that dried, I worked on the landing gear = and ordnance. 470 gal. tanks were put together, and AIM-9Ls were swiped = form an Italeri F-18F kit. I looked up loadouts used in OIF, although = this bird was not on that cruise. I tried to find one that was = interesting and somewhat accurate. I wanted some GBU-12s, because they = look interesting in their gray and green paint. I found that some E = models flew with 2 x AIM-9s, 1 x AIM-120, 2 x GBU-12 and an ATFLIR pod. = I used the kit FLIR pod, and shortened it a bit, filed a groove into it, = and added cooling vents on the rear to match my references. Easy peasy = mod, and it looks like an ATFLIR to me! I used the kit AMRAAM, which is = mounted on the opposite chin location from the ATFLIR pod. GBU-12s were = mounted just outside the fuel tanks, at their standard cant of four = degrees. The outer pylons on stations 2 and 10 were left empty, also per = my references.=20 Click on images below to see larger images =20 Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo = 06.jpg here. Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized = version of photo 06.jpg=20 Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo = 07.jpg here. Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized = version of photo 07.jpg=20 =20 Thanks to our own Efrain Hernandez, I used some low-viz decals that he = sent me, and I printed out on clear decal film. The CAG bird in the kit = is nice, but when I saw the pics Efrain sent me, I just had to do the = low-viz bird. Thanks Efrain! Some of the decals had the ink run on them, = since I was kinda rushed in trying them out. But that's the beauty of = having them in digital format....just print some more! Which I did on = some, or some that broke. After the decals were done, I sprayed a light = coat of flat to seal it all in. I then added a wash using The Detailer = premixed acrylic wash. After my episode with oils, I decided to stick to = this stuff, which is a dream to use. Easy to apply, is water based, and = doesn't attack anything! You just paint it on, let dry and wipe away = with a damp paper towel or cotton bud. Panel lines, landing gear, pylons = and the ordnance was all given the Detailer treatment. I think it = highlighted it well, and gave this Super Bug a more used appearance. I = know they're new to the fleet, but soon they'll look like this! A final = couple coats of flat rounded out the construction, and then I added all = the bits-gear, gear doors, ordnance, and canopy. The FOD covers were = made from aluminum foil, and sprayed with Tamiya gray primer. The color = matched my pics perfectly, so I let it be. There ya have it folks, the = US Navy's new pride and joy. I'm not usually a Bug fan, but this new = version just looks the business, and I can't help but like it. It was a = blast to build. As always, gotta fly! Click on images below to see larger images =20 Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo = 08.jpg here. Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized = version of photo 08.jpg=20 =20 Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo = 09.jpg here. Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized = version of photo 09.jpg=20 =20 Photos and text =A9 2004 by "Daniel PerezVertti" -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----- -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----- -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----- -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----- -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----- -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----- -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----- -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----- -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----- ------=_NextPart_000_0076_01C416B5.F0E8D960 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hi Daniel,
Thanks for sending in = your F-18F=20 article.  It's a beautifully done Super Hornet.  I'll e-mail = you when=20 your article goes on ARC in 3 weeks.
Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourc= ecenter.com
 
Live=20 like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work = like you=20 don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like = nobody's=20 listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.
----- Original Message -----
From:=20 Daniel=20 PerezVertti
To: sheb@telus.net
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 = 12:12=20 AM
Subject: F-18F article.

"1/72=20 Hasegawa F-18F VFA-2" 

by "Daniel PerezVertti"
--------------------

Steve Bamford=20 will insert full sized=20 version of photo 01.jpg = here

Well I = just couldn't=20 resist it. Hasegawa's new kit of the Super Bug was too good to pass = up, even=20 if it isn't my normal scale I build. But you've all seen this kit, = it's=20 beautiful sitting in sprues inside the box! Well it started out as a = stand=20 alone build, along with our own Ming Ho. I saw how he was building = his, and it=20 inspired me to start mine......which inspired other to start theirs, = and soon=20 enough he have an official group build! Thanks to Matt Shropshire, we = also had=20 a website for it, thanks Matt! So here is my entry. Built totally OOB, = with=20 only some slightly modded decals from the kit = decals. 

Click on images=20 below to see larger images

Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller = version of=20 photo 03.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo = will bring=20 up the full sized version of photo 03.jpg=20

 Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller = version of=20 photo 04.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo = will bring=20 up the full sized version of photo 04.jpg=20

Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller = version of=20 photo 05.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo = will bring=20 up the full sized version of photo 05.jpg=20

The = cockpit was easy,=20 since it was all decals. I slapped that together right quick, and was = able to=20 get the front part of the fuselage together. The parts kit was = excellent, and=20 I was able to put on all the major parts without any difficulty = whatsoever.=20 The stabilators are mounted by using some poly caps, which allows them = to be=20 displayed in the 'powered down' position. These poly caps are held in = a box=20 piece that fits inside the fuselage, and all you have to do is pop in = each=20 stabilaor. Nice touch! Some may not like this feature, but I did, as I = could=20 keep the stabilators off during the build. The intakes are for some = the major=20 blemish on this otherwise exquisite kit. There are no full intakes, = they end=20 in an unsightly box corner that sticks right into the path of the = intake. This=20 is obviously the result of the wheel well boxes. But a quick shot of = black=20 paint inside the intake can remedy this...or you can do what I = did..add FOD=20 covers! The rear part of the intakes need some filling and sanding to = blend=20 into the rear fuselage, but not much. I glued all the major parts, = left and=20 right wings, left and right vertical stabs on, and the assembly of the = kit was=20 for all intents and purposes, done.

 =20
Steve Bamford=20 will insert full sized version of photo 02.jpg here

Next I = started the=20 preshading of the panels, which I did with flat black. After that was = dry, I=20 painted the bottom with Testor MM enamel-FS36375, The top was painted = with=20 FS36320, also Testors MM. The trim on the trailing edges was painted = in a=20 darkened FS36320, to match the reference pics I had. When that was = dry, came a=20 couple coats of the lovely smelling Future. While that dried, I worked = on the=20 landing gear and ordnance. 470 gal. tanks were put together, and = AIM-9Ls were=20 swiped form an Italeri F-18F kit. I looked up loadouts used in OIF, = although=20 this bird was not on that cruise. I tried to find one that was = interesting and=20 somewhat accurate. I wanted some GBU-12s, because they look = interesting in=20 their gray and green paint. I found that some E models flew with 2 x = AIM-9s, 1=20 x AIM-120, 2 x GBU-12 and an ATFLIR pod. I used the kit FLIR pod, and=20 shortened it a bit, filed a groove into it, and added cooling vents on = the=20 rear to  match my references. Easy peasy mod, and it looks like = an ATFLIR=20 to me! I used the kit AMRAAM, which is mounted on the opposite chin = location=20 from the ATFLIR pod. GBU-12s were mounted just outside the fuel tanks, = at=20 their standard cant of four degrees. The outer pylons on stations 2 = and 10=20 were left empty, also per my references.

Click on images=20 below to see larger images

Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller = version of=20 photo 06.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo = will bring=20 up the full sized version of photo 06.jpg=20

Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller = version of=20 photo 07.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo = will bring=20 up the full sized version of photo 07.jpg=20

Thanks to=20 our own Efrain Hernandez, I used some low-viz decals that he sent me, = and I=20 printed out on clear decal film. The CAG bird in the kit is = nice, but when I=20 saw the pics Efrain sent me, I just had to do the low-viz bird. Thanks = Efrain!=20 Some of the decals had the ink run on them, since I was kinda rushed = in trying=20 them out. But that's the beauty of having them in digital = format....just print=20 some more! Which I did on some, or some that broke. After the decals = were=20 done, I sprayed a light coat of flat to seal it all in. I then added a = wash=20 using The Detailer premixed acrylic wash. After my episode with oils, = I=20 decided to stick to this stuff, which is a dream to use. Easy to = apply, is=20 water based, and doesn't attack anything! You just paint it on, let = dry and=20 wipe away with a damp paper towel or cotton bud. Panel lines, landing = gear,=20 pylons and the ordnance was all given the Detailer treatment. I think = it=20 highlighted it well, and gave this Super Bug a more used appearance. I = know=20 they're new to the fleet, but soon they'll look like this! A final = couple=20 coats of flat rounded out the construction, and then I added all the=20 bits-gear, gear doors, ordnance, and canopy. The FOD covers were made = from=20 aluminum foil, and sprayed with Tamiya gray primer. The color matched = my pics=20 perfectly, so I let it be. There ya have it folks, the US Navy's new = pride and=20 joy. I'm not usually a Bug fan, but this new version just looks the = business,=20 and I can't help but like it. It was a blast to build. As always, = gotta=20 fly!

Click on images=20 below to see larger images

Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller = version of=20 photo 08.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo = will bring=20 up the full sized version of photo 08.jpg=20

Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller = version of=20 photo 09.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo = will bring=20 up the full sized version of photo 09.jpg

Photos and text =A9 2004 by "Daniel=20 PerezVertti"

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