Subject: Re: ARC Gallery Submission - F/A-18 "TMOTA 1992"
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Mark Littrell" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 14:16:25 -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: "Mark Littrell" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2008 4:36 PM
Subject: ARC Gallery Submission - F/A-18 "TMOTA 1992"
In an e-mail I just sent, I have a line as:

"I suggest stocking up, as areas like the leading edges of the vertical
stabilizers."

That should be "for" not "as," which would make it a proper sentence and
not a fragment.

"I suggest stocking up, for areas like the leading edges of the vertical
stabilizers."

Sorry, I spell checked it (and it's spelled right) I just didn't grammar
check!

-Mark Littrell

> 1/72 Hasegawa F/A-18
> as CF-18 with LED TMOTA 1992 decals
>
> by Mark Littrell
> --------------------
>
> Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here
>
> This is another case of "Saw the decal sheet, coveted the decal sheet,
> couldn't find the decal sheet, FINALLY found the decal sheet.... whoops!
> Now I need a kit to build!" That pretty much sums up my interest in this
> aircraft. I knew I'd have to build the Hasegawa kit for these decals. I
> wanted them to fit properly, and that was the most likely choice. I have
> previously built the RoG kit, but was not overly impressed. I did a lot
> of research about "how to assemble" the Hase kit, but frankly, you have
> to have your hands on the kit, the loose parts in hand, and you have to
> really dry fit to understand how to best do it. I had read 3 write-ups
> from forums and gallery entries here on ARC, and they helped prepare me,
> but getting my hands on it was really the key.
>
> Click on images below to see larger images
>
> Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 02.jpg
> here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of
> photo 02.jpg
> 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
>
> Tips on assembling this kit:
>
> The best and most emphatic suggestion I can give you is to remove the
> stabilizers from the upper fuselage half. Just score along the fuselage
> line over and over until they come off, clean as a whistle. This helps
> so much in later assembling the fuselage it cannot be repeated too much.
> Let me clarify, this helps so much in cleaning up the assembly of the
> fuselage. The intakes themselves are rather tricky as well. You can see
> in one of the photos above how I assembled it. It's the best way I could
> find. Glue the intake lip on first (1) because you have to line it up
> with the lower fuselage by the gear wells. Then glue the side panels on,
> first just by the intake and gear wells (2) because you need to align
> this perfectly with the intake, AND securely with the gear wells, and
> then once that is all dried you finish up (3) using whatever combination
> of force/pressure and CA you can. I used pressure to bend the rear
> portion of the engines up to close the gap between the sides and the
> side panels, and secured as best I could. Note that putting a rigid
> support between these two panels, to keep them from collapsing inward
> later, would be wise. I did not think of it at the time.
>
> Click on images below to see larger images
>
> 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
> 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
>
> I built this for the TMOARC 2.0 Group Build. It turned out well, but the
> decals are a nightmare. They are a full blown horror story. Leading Edge
> makes some good decal sheets, but this isn't one. From various reviews
> and comments, it's one of the thickest sheets they've ever done, and
> seems immune to all decal solvents save hydrochloric acid (that's a
> joke, by the way). I used so much solvaset that I started stripping the
> paint off, but the decal still was resisting! Please note that some have
> mentioned the decal grey is too light. I think it looks better this way,
> but the color on the full-color drawings included with the decals is
> listed as Gunship Gray. It is actually almost a match with "Euro Gray I"
> FS 36081. The decals have more of a blue tint, as some greys do, and the
> Euro Gray I has more of a brownish tint, as some others do, but it's so
> similar that after touchups and Future, and dullcoats, that you really
> can't tell the difference. I suggest stocking up, as areas like the
> leading edges of the vertical stabilizers.
>
> Click on images below to see larger images
>
> 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
>  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
>
>
> Areas that also need touching up include where the decals stop to
> accommodate the horizontal stabilizers -- if you cut them off there is a
> gap -- and areas where decals on the spine meet decals on the wings or
> LEXs. Also if you break/shatter a decal, this color is good for hiding
> the seams on the decal pieces you place back into position. Use WARM
> water on these decals! Warm to just-plain-hot! I used a small glass mug
> on a candle warmer and this worked. Cold water will shatter the decals.
> One actually shattered into about 30 0.5 to 1.5 millimeter parallel
> strips. THAT was fun to get in place. I was able to hide it under some
> paint touchups, and it turned out okay.
>
> I didn't load it out, despite the kid in me screaming to do so, because
> I wanted to stick with a real Tiger Meet loadout. They didn't really
> load much. I left it as I saw several photos of it, with the fuel tanks
> but no weapons or pods. I ran a couple types of graphite pencils on
> various panel lines, I used a sludge wash on various areas including the
> landing gear, and used an overall dull coat. The seat is a photo etch
> seat from another kit and almost identical to a Hornet seat. This was a
> second hand kit, and the seat was missing (I knew that going into the
> deal though).
>
> Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 13.jpg here
>
>
> Photos and text © by Mark Littrell
>