Subject: Re: Post on August 31 Malaysia Merdeka Day update -Bug
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Ng Thomas-CTN004" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 13:51:01 -0700

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

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.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: Ng Thomas-CTN004 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Cc: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 12:09 AM
  Subject: RE: Post on August 31 Malaysia Merdeka Day update -Bug

  Hi Steve,

   One   more... 

  The author is ,,

   Mohd Amzari  : [email-masked]

  "1/72 Hasegawa F/A-18D " 

  by "Mohd Amzari"
  --------------------

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

  This is Hasegawa 1/72 F/A-18D Hornet. I build it strictly OOB except adding some weapons from Hasegawa 1/72 US Missiles set and F4Dables TUDM's Hornet decals sheet. The kit was quite easy to build & I only encounter a few gaps during building process (easily be solved with help of some putty, acetone & Mr Surfacer treatment).

  The stock ejection seat was very crude & unrealistic. Since I opted an OOB way & SJU-17 in 1/72 was hard to find in LHS, I had to stick with it & added a seatbelts made from masking tape to boost up its pity look.

  TUDM's bug was covered with wrap-around gunship grey colour. Since my old & cheap compressor give up on me last month, I have to use industrial spray can to paint this bug. I use Nippon Paint Dark Grey for this project. Surprisingly, the color was quite match with FS31118 Gunship Grey.

  Weathering was a must for TUDM's bug since TUDM use it almost everyday for training & patrolling sorties (think about reliability of US jets!). For this project, I try to experiment with the eye shadows as a weathering medium. The result was good & I'm completely satisfied with the result.

  After weathering session, I sprayed two coat of Gunze Gloss coat for decal application. F4Dables's decals adhered perfectly without any decal solution. However, silvering do occurred on some spots. Perhaps it was my own mistake not to evenly spray the gloss coat on the kit.

  Click on images below to see larger images

        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 

  While waiting for the gloss coat dried, I prepare & brush painted all the small items such as landing gears, landing gear doors,small antennas,pylon etc. Then, all small items was attached to the kit & I sprayed the Gunze Flat coat for the final coat.

  Heard that during Ambalat border crisis last year, a pair of Hornets was stationed at Kuching AB for ?some kind of training purpose? . The Hornet was sighted armed with live Harpoon! Live Harpoon for training purpose? Phewwww!!! 

  To add the excitement, on the same time, TNI-AU dispatched 4 F-16A to be stationed at Kalimantan also for ?training purpose & normal patrolling?. Fortunately, nothing major was happened (except our navy scratch their boat with TNI-AL?s boat) & everyone live happily ever after.. :-}

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

  So, I decided to portray the Hornet during that Ambalat crisis, heavily weathered (they thundered thru all kind of tropical weather from Butterworth to Kuching) & come with complete live weaponry. I choose to add 1x AIM-7M, 2x AGM-84A, 2x AGM-65 & 2x AIM-9S Sidewinder to the bug. All items from 1980s Hasegawa 1/72 US Missiles set.

  I completely satisfied with this kit & definitely build more if I got the chance. Adios!

  Click on images below to see larger images 

        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
       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 

   

  Photos and text © by " Mohd Amzari"