Subject: Re: RAAF F/A-18B submission
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "David Porter" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2011 12:13:37 -0800

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
ARC Air - Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.arcair.com

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 ----- 
  From: David Porter 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Saturday, January 08, 2011 10:14 AM
  Subject: RAAF F/A-18B submission

  Gallery Article Template

  "1/32 Academy F/A-18B Hornet" 

  by "David Porter"
  --------------------

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

  History

  Since I was a boy I have always wanted to build a 1/32 ozzie Hornet, a passion fuelled by the occasional trip to Williamtown (an RAAF Fighter base) in New South Wales. This hornet was to be the prize of my collection and I waited a long time to build it, long enough until a kit (the Academy F-18) was good enough in that scale to be worthy of it. The RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) acquired the F-18 in 1985 replacing its Dassault Mirages as its main fighter aircraft. In that time the Ozzie Hornet has served in Iraq and other places and has seen a continuous upgrade process so that they are some of the most advanced Hornets in the world. Notable improvements made to Australia's A and B models include embedded GPS, upgraded mission computers, improved EW equipment, a new radar - the AN/APG-73, new radios, new IFF (the bird slicers), colour MFD's and moving map displays, new countermeasures systems - SAAB BOL system, Boeing Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) coupled with the AIM-132 ASRAAM and many other features. These upgrades are called 'HUG' - for Hornet Upgrade and is currently up to HUG 3.2. 

  Construction

  I first acquired the decals, in this case a 'B' version trainer for the 2 OCU, or 2 Operational Conversion Unit based at Williamtown.  I chose aircraft A21-109 which has the tiger stripe on the fins. For my model the plan was to adapt Academy's F/A-18D Night Attack hornet into an Ozzie HUG 2.2 F/A-18B. Along with the conversion from a 'D' model to a 'B' model other changes would be needed to make it to HUG 2.2 standard. This would include the ASRAAM missiles, the bird slicers, adding a GPS antenna, adding reinforcing plates along with the challenge of backdating the airframe to an early block version. To backdate the kit I utilized the Avionix cockpit/conversion set which includes not just a 'B' variant cockpit but also a complete resin set of tailfins. As well as this a number of different bumps and antenna's need to be sanded off, filled and then smoothed out. Fortunately Academy provide a number of alternate parts in their kit, so the earlier model nose wheel door with its distinctive grills are provided as are the bird slicer IFF antennas. There are also some differences with the undercarriage. Since the RAAF do not land on carriers there is no need for the automatic carrier landing system so this is removed and the catapult launch bar is also different. Originally the launch bar was removed altogether but this was found to cause buffeting so a bar was added as a counterweight. This modified bar is easily made by cutting the end off and sanding flat and then filling in some of the groove. Since on the 'D' variant the tail stiffeners are built into the tail itself something was needed to create the ones used on the Ozzie variant. For this I used styrene sheet cut to size, and I modified a spare Leopard tank headlight for the GPS antenna after shaping and fitting.

        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
       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
       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
       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

  Painting

  Australian Hornets are generally kept in very good condition and hence there is usually minimal grime and weathering. The only exception to this seems to be when it deploys on operations. However all-gray colour schemes can be very boring and so weathering is the only real way to make this model appealing - creative license here! There are a few notable areas on the hornet where weathering is quite noticeable. The hydraulics tend to leak out behind the wing slats in a very noticeable and often extended stain. Another leakage point in between the two fins where a tan leak appears swept back with the airflow. Underneath the aircraft also gets very grimy particularly towards the rear with the chaff/flare dispensers and near the engine. Overall colours where the standard RAAF scheme which is well represented in the Gunze range but where applied following preshading (almost an essential painting technique for mono-colour schemes I feel) and then post-shaded using my A4778 airbrush. Streaks and grime was added using pastels and oil washes here and there.

  Ordnance

  For weapsons stations 1 & 9 I wanted AIM-132 ASRAAMs. It is hard to come by aftermarket 1/32 scale ASRAAMs, so I adopted an expensive solution by using the Leading Edge Anniversary scheme decal sheet which comes with them. One of the advantages of this is that the decals for this are for the training rounds which is precisely what I wanted as this is a training aircraft. For stations 6 & 4 I used AIM-120 AMRAAMs, which in order to dress up as training rounds I used the Two Bobs decal set. For stations 2 & 8 I used snakeye's painted blue for the training rounds and with fuses removed. Stations 4 & 7 had the gas bags. RBF tags where added from a left over Tamiya 1/32 F-15 with wire added from fuse wire. After all this conversion work I now have what I wanted - an 1/32 scale RAAF Hornet.

  Hope you enjoy the pics and if you have any comments/questions/criticisms then feel free to shoot me an email: [email-masked].

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

  Kits Used: 

  1/32 Academy F/A-18D Hornet "Night Attack" AC12103

  Eduard F-18 Hornet Placards 32508

  Eduard F-18D Hornet Interior 32556

  Avionix F/A-18A/C Exhaust Nozzles BLC32018

  Avionix F/A-18B Cockpit/Conversion BLC32035

  Leading Edge RAAF F/A-18B Hornet 3, 75 & 77 & 2 OCU Sqn Decals N32025

  Leading Edge RAAF F/A-18A Hornet Decal + ASRAAM

  Two Bobs  32-049 AIM-9/AIM-120 CATM/ACMI Markings

   

  References

  Cabos, R. H., Postwar Aircraft, Osprey Publishing., 2000.

  McLaughlin A., Hornets Down Under, Phantom Media Pty Ltd, 2005. 

  Spick, M., The Great Book of Modern Warplanes, Salamander Books Ltd., 2003.

  "David Porter"

        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
       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
       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
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 10.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 10.jpg

  Just delete any of the boxes below you don't need.....it's not important to include them.....they are there to give you an idea of the finished article.  It is best to limit your article to no more than 60 or so photos, so the finished webpage won't take too long to open.

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 11.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 11.jpg
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 12.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 12.jpg
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 13.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 13.jpg
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14.jpg

   

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 15.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 15.jpg
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 16.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 16.jpg
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 17.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 17.jpg
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 18.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 18.jpg

   

  Photos and text © by "David Porter"

   

  David Porter

    0412-478-635