Small Scale Military Headquarters

Wanted something different when I built this kit. I wanted the scheme Bell used right up to the point when the Smithsonian took possession of it. Painted completely in Tamiya lacquer spray cans. Couldn't have asked for a better paint. Lots of sanding and seam filling required to make this model presentable. It's a very basic kit.

EPIC!

Very, very nice!

I love the NASA F/A-18 HARV chase plane, also: that is sweet. Miss the exhaust paddles and tufts, though...

-- aae83

Very, very nice ... and I also love the F-18 NASA chase -- one of these days, I'm going to do one of my F-104s in late-50s/early-60s NASA chase colors.

I'm a little concerned about those hooks -- are they just cup hooks screwed into drywall? Or do you have butterfly bolts behind them?

Actually it's paint and configuration are correct for the first incarnation of the HARV F/A-18 from 1987-1988. It didn't have any formation lights, tufts, paddles, ECM blisters (I sanded those away), nor gun or gun openings and vents. I filled those in. The gun gas purge screens that BBI ,olded in was never correct for any Hornet, much less this one, so I scratch built the equivalent from what I can see from the pictures of the real HARV Hornet. And ugh...all those holes on the bottom of fuselage. Lots of filling and sanding. I created working horizontal stabilizers. They are connected through a tube system in the rear fuselage and have tension so they can be positioned how I want. I cutaway BBI's Sidewinders and scratchbuilt the AofA wingtip probes. The only things missing (I will add later) are the blade antennas and pitot on the fuselage sides.

All the exterior cladding and additional black paint on the nose most people are familiar with on the HARV didn't come until 1989.

Thanks for noticing. I'm glad some other folks are familiar with what I think was the coolest Hornet ever

Those hooks are connected to the ceiling beams. Extremely strong support. My JSI Tomcat is on the other side of my son's room using the same hooks. Although that monster is hung with 80lb fishing line!!

Black Lion VF-213 wrote:Actually it's paint and configuration are correct for the first incarnation of the HARV F/A-18 from 1987-1988.

Didn't mean any criticism: it's beautiful and, as you say, accurate. Would love to see more photos of it and hear more.

It's kind of funny how often over the life of a research aircraft they go from beauty (as you have it) to beast (all tufted and instrumented, with claptrap all over), as the scientists and researchers get hold of it, and as the experimentation starts to push the envelope.

There are a number of research aircraft it would be fun to see in 1/18 scale: X-15, F-104, F-16XL, X-29, F-15 S/MTD, X-36. Am dating and locating myself, obviously...

Cheers!
aae

Great looking X-1 (and F-18).

I really like the X-1 kit - it was simple, but could come out really nice with minor work. As you noted, I too found the gaps to be a problem (resorting at one point to pounding the fuselage with a soft mallet to force it together and close the gaps) and used putty for the remainder. Once finished, its surprising how sturdy the X-1 kit is.

aae83, nah buddy I didn't take any of your comments as criticism. In fact I believed asap they were positive. I was touched someone knew about the harv hornet. not many people including aviation enthusiasts do. Sadly for that black hornet it did become ugly over it's 10 years of service, after adding on all the equipment. But it was highly useful. I too, love the experimental world jets. I've pondered doing my other hornet and my f-104 into the blue/gold striped NASA chase plane schemes. They would be easy schemes to accomplish and look cool.

tman, you're right about getting the fuselage halves together. They are TIGHT!!. I was squeezing as well, then unpried them and took a reamer and opened the holes a little more, and voila! They slid into place. Although with some free play. So I clamped them for alignment and use thin plastic solvent (Plastruct) into the seams and let the capillary action seal and join the halves. Then sanded the plastic ooze. There was something odd on the top spine. The halves were seemingly made to create a concave look to the top spine. That didn't look right so I l puttied up the top and shaved and sanded little by little to get it to have a smooth arc over the top.

Did you have issues with the landing gear working and staying in place for wheels down configuration?

Sweet... I'm definitely a fan!