Small Scale Military Headquarters

Well, I pulled it off. I built a collapsible ladder for the Hornet and it folds into the LEX (leading edge extension) Trial and error and even had a moment where I didn't really know what I was thinking much less how I was going to do it. Well at least the pilot won't have to do an Olympic High Jump to get in.







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bbi bluebox toys 1:18 scale F/A-18C Deployable Boarding Ladder Project

That is some VERY fine workmanship. You really got the small detail and function down. What material is the ladder made from?

WOW that must have been a challange.

Now that is Customizing at it`s BEST

Morso that it works too

Excellent work mate

Ja
Steel Bonnet

You are sick man, sick I tell ya.

You need help.

Quick, box that Hornet up and send it to me. Its the only way you're going to get any better.

Trust me, I am here to help!

Awesome work. You are a craftsman!

It is both scrap plastic and sheet plastic that you can get at the local model shop. This, like the Speed Brake took about 2.5 days. Over half of it was simply planning and at times questioning whether it was feasible but never once discouraged. Reason? As our friendly AirForcecop67 has diagnosed and concluded: Rob is sick - NOT well and needs commitment for treatment! Oh yeah, I'm boxing it up as we speak with packing peanuts and foam and having Fed Ex take care of it. The Tracking Number is 450840.... ohhh man... I'm NOT that sick!!!!! Muahhahaha...but you never know. I keep telling myself that I'm gonna stop but the devil is in the details isn't he? I keep eyeing a refueling probe or something. We shall see....

thanks steel bonnet - the sickness continues... R

WOW your thinking a working (well Up/down,though seeing what your doing who know`s maybe take on fuel too) refuelling probe....Awww man that is a Sickness

Gentlemen I think we have found the first man to make a BBI 1/18th F18 break the sound barrier. As the plastic engine just won`t do for him HAHAHAHA

Again Outstanding with the ladders & If you do make the probe,looking forward to that too

Ja
Steel Bonnet

Steelbonnet, I joking thought about a removable engine...but again I would need a LOT of reference material and planning for that one!!! The morning commute can make you think bizarre things!

R

HAHAHAHA Now that would be something if somewhat scary.

As for crazy idea`s when commuting,yes i recall my days in London & commuting to work.Your creative thoughts do tend to go to the next level/Out of the Box ideas Though that`s sometimes the best place for certain ideas too

Not owning the BBi F18,does the nose open for the radar? Not that i`m giving you ideas,you are ahead on that all on your lonesome HAHAHA

As for engine specs,bound to be somewhere or maybe actually send an email to the manufactures? or DoD?

I`ve done that for a few of my old projects & you`ll be surprised how much assistance they will give sometimes.
One was getting info on the L85A2-UGL. Got in touch with the MoD & they gave me specs & got intouch with HK & Enfield armoury & they sent me some stuff through the post.
Also the Alvis SHADOW. Got in touch with ALVIS & they sent me a Load of paperwork in the mail.

So asking DOES sometimes work

Ja
Steel Bonnet

Steel Bonnet... You and I must be on the same FM or is that UHF radio frequency!!! I discussed radar to someone else and yesterday rummaged through some pictures of it. The F/A-18's nose cone is fixed and would have to be cut as well. The actual radar slide forward on a rail system. Behind the radar is the M61 20MM Gatling gun which I would like to see on my plane. (...I wish I lived in Lemoore in California...Virginia Beach... or the Naval Base at Sigonella Sicily) I think if I had the reference material in front of me, I would likely be up at night tryin' to make it happen! When I lived in Naples, I saw two F/A-18s sitting on the tarmac in for maintenance at Capodichino (outside of Naples) when I was at my summer job. Good times! (I'll definitely try searching other sources for info....I think General Electric makes the Gatling Gun and Westinghouse-the radar)

R

HAHAHA It does look that way mate.Though bet there`s a few here who may have thought of that too

Now your thinking rader & also gatling,my god you are going to have a TOTALLY accurate F18 when done with all these mods & there`s us all thinking the BBI F18 was spot on as it was

Nothing like taking the aircraft to the next level

Ja
Steel Bonnet

Rob, once again man, hats off! You're the man for mods, so should we call you ModRob, RobMod, RobtheModMan, or just good ole MiG29???

Have you contamplated adding lights and sound?

Eddie

I can't believe how much better your F/A-18 looks than my nasty ole Blue Angels version! I can't stand "straight from the box" either, but you've raised the bar quite a few notches dude! Oh, and I have a few pics of the Gatling and engine bays for the Hornet...if you dare! (and I bet you do from the work you've done so far). All I can add is AWESOME!!!!

Thanks! Hmmm the pics of the Gatling gun? Might have to take you up on that one. As far as the engine bays. I think the engine project might be a tad difficult because of the way the plane is designed inside. It looks like there are obstructions inside but if you have the pics, its worth a look. The Blue Angels version of yours is pretty rad and kicks ass! Now you need 6 more. Of course one being a TWO seater. (Hey BLUE BOX, we NEED a TWO seater so Folkwulfe can have a full demo team and I can make myself the USMC's F/A-18 "D" Night Attack Model! ) But yes, I'd like to see the pics you have. I have a few of the Gatling gun but not enough to for a decent 360 degree top to bottom and side views so I can properly scale them. Anyhow, take care and I'll catch you later....its now 4am and I've been up since 1...

-R

OK....I know I have that walk-around book here somewhere? May take me a few to find it, but there are some good pics of the bay and gun on a maintenance cradle. You probably already know this...but the gun is raised and lowered from the large panel immediately in front of the gear bay. A hatch on the left side immediately at the front edge and below the chine is the ammo service door. The gun itself has the barrels above the electronics bay for the radar...meaning the radar dome is opened (and hinged to the right), the electronics shelf is slide forward, and this allows for the gun and feeder to be lowered out the bottom of the nose. The gun is hydralically actuated and requires two high pressure connections, besides electrical connections. A good crew can swap the gun in under 30 minutes if everything goes well. Now if I can find that book....I think I hide it with my Alzheimer's medication....?!?!?!

Thanks Folkwulfe... This should be real cool! I inquired to a unit of Boeing in St. Louis about the refueling probe. I wonder if they'll have answers to my questions? I'll let you know what they tell me.

R

I added the stability strut for the ladder. It is a two piece part with the black bar retracting into the main white strut and as the ladder is lifted back into the LEX, the strut pushes the right side of the ladder into the folded position. I had made the folding "V" Brace a long time ago...not too long after the ladder and saved it in case I would use it. I'm still figuring out how I'm going to assemble it. The V-Brace is seen in the last picture.

WOW Rob now talk about detailing.

I thought just doing the ladders & having them collapse was sweet now you have done a working support arm too.Good God man you are the Man of Precision

Excellent

Ja
Steel Bonnet

Very nice to see the groundcrewman prepping the bird

Sweet Intake cover BTW. One for each side no doubt? Silly question I know.......LOL

Excellent,now where`s the Fighter Jock checking his bird?

Ja
Steel Bonnet

JA...

He's at the Officers Club Drinking Vodka with a couple of Female Russian Exchange Pilots! Yeah yeah...in flagrant violation of the 18 hour rule... ( I think that's what it is but something tells me its a wider time frame???)

Yep, intake covers for port and starboard! FOD (Foreign Object Damage) is a messy business you know!!!

Ahhhhhhh Sounds like your Jock is a Jock HAHAHA

As for the messy Buisness Ohhhh yea i know that I`ve seen the intakes of a Tornado after bird flythrough.
Also had a friend who worked at a testing facility where they fired Frozen Turkeys at objects (Glass,etc) to test impact for aircraft & other purposes.

Then again there was that vid clip of the Aircraft carrier ground crewman who got sucked through too.What a Lucky bugger he was.

So you making a 1/18th scaled "mess" for the ground crew to clean out? LOL

Ja
Steel Bonnet

The V-Supporting Strut completed.

The V-Support strut was actually built not too long after the ladder. It was up in the air if it would ever be used so it was stored away for safe-keeping...in case down the road I would use it. After taking another look at it the other day, it was a go for broke operation. Have a look:

G'day Mi29K

Love your work it has been very inspiring indeed.

I have recently obtained the limited release 75sqn RAAF version of this beast and plan to correct some of the gear door inaccuracies and add the various omitted antennae and tubes as well.

As such I was wondering what paint colour and brand you have found to be the closest match to that used on the upper surfaces of the Hornet?

My preference is to use non-enamels as it is easier to clean my airbrush when using acrylic paint. I also prefer to use Gunze or Tamiya paints
as these are easier to obtain down here.

On the Australian version there is one major marking error (along with many minor errors that is) in that the roundels have been painted on the upper wing surfaces and not the lower surfaces where in fact on the real deal the reverse is true.

As I see it I have three options.

1. Simply overspray the offending roundels, however this would require that the area first be rubbed back and then the appliaction of an accurate paint match.

2. Seeing that the grey upper surface colour of the aircraft is actually raw plastic I could consider using a very fine grade wet and dry paper to remove the roundels much in the same manner that I used to remove the markings from my Stuka, however this would not remove the traces of the paint from inside the panel and rivet details so a soft airbrushing of an appropriate colour would still be required to finish the job.

3. Try to find a mild solvent that will only remove the roundel paint and not attack the plastic. But as with the above option I may still need to do some soft airbrushing for the same reasons.

In regards to option 3 has anybody else found a suitable solvent?

Thanks

dam thats nice one hell of a jet whooo!