Subject: Re: Lost Super Hornets template text
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Dennis Brackett" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:41:29 -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: Dennis Brackett 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2008 3:23 PM
  Subject: FW: Lost Super Hornets template text

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  From: Dennis Brackett [mailto:[email-masked]] 
  Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 4:43 PM
  To: [email-masked]
  Subject: Super Hornets

  Gallery Template #05

  Hasegawa 1/72 F/A-18F, Dragon 1/144 F/A-18E Super Hornets

  By Dennis Brackett
  --------------------

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

  Of all the ways for scale modelers to get inspired, seeing the real aircraft up close and especially in flight is one of the best ways to get those building juices flowing.  Back that up with all the information from expert modelers cached on ARC and a photo reference like Airliners.net and its off to the races with some new kits cutting to the head of the build pile.

  Saline MOA  

  In eastern California military jets fly and train in Military Operation Areas (MOA's).  The Saline MOA is named for Saline valley and is used at least in part for low level training. Navy jets from Lemoore Naval Air Station turn and burn at low altitude through a stark desert landscape of faulted mountains and dune-filled valleys.  The desert silence that usually reigns is broken as the low level F/A-18  fills the desert valley with sound.  Usually, there is barely time to get the camera turned on let alone catch the jet as it thunders by at low level.  Occasionally, the low level flying continures after dark, with the jets only visible by the red flashing lights on the fins, and their sound.   Here are some photos of the real jets flying in the Saline MOA.and my attempts to capture the experience with my models.  It's a challenge to model a jet that you only saw for a few seconds at 450 knots.

  The Kits

  The Hasegawa F/A-18F kit is top notch.  It has been thoroughly reviewed on ARC so I won't elaborate.  This kit had decals for VFA-2 Bounty Hunters with colorful tail and fuselage banding.  In the Saline MOA, a similar  F/A-18F with the colorful paint scheme flew right over the top of us.  We were able to snap a fuzzy picture which shows that this jet carried a centerline tank, six underwing stores pylons and no targeting or navigational pods.  Apparently, the extra drag of all the stores pylons is no issue when you have that kind of horsepower at your fingertips.  I decided to make my models with a similar stores configuration.  

  The Dragon F/A-18E is an excellent 1/144th scale kit.  There is a high level of scribing detail and the fit is precise.  It is fun to build a particular jet in two different scales, sort of simultaneously.

  Click on images below to see larger images

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  Simplified Construction In the last couple of years, I started to build kits more frequently by skipping all the internal detail, extended gear and most underwing stores.  The simplified models are mounted in flying mode on a thin carbon rod.  Most of the external fragile "fiddly stuff"  is left off before I can knock it off so the models are more durable and require less space to store in a collection.  Detail and scale fidelity suffer but I seem to enjoy this less complicated model building style.  I am able to concentrate on the aspects of building models that I particularly enjoy. 

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

  Finish

   The models were air brushed with Model Master enamels and metalizers.  Following painting, I used Testors laquer clear coat,  decals, more clear coat, oil paint wash, pastel chalk for weathering and a final coat of Testors flat laquer to finish it off.  Now I have a couple of nice models to remember a chance encounter with the Super Hornets in the Saline MOA.  

  Click on images below to see larger images

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  Photos and text © by Dennis Brackett