F-18F Hasegawa 1:48

[Janissary]

Hello, here is my current subject:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fujiboy/46226...57600239789062/

I will be using the VF-41 decals.

I started with the kit's cockpit but decided that I did not like it.

So I bought the Aires set. Lots of tiny resin + PE pieces. I only got the essentials painted for now so that I can close the fuselage.

Next, I started on the fuel tanks. For the first time, I used the idea of 'putty-less' assembly where I squeezed the glue out of the seam line, which provided a natural putty. I also purchased this U-shaped flex-i file. I have to say it is really a nice tool resulting in very round and smooth surfaces.

Next came the intakes. I used the idea of pouring latex paint. It worked ok, but not to the fantastic levels I see in others' builds.

I also detached almost all of the other pieces and cleaned them. I have found that I don't like to paint any pieces on sprue. This is a long process with very little gratification but I guess it is important.

Edited April 29, 2010 by Janissary

[Janissary]

I then painted the cockpit tub, but not the instrument panels. To insert the Aires IP, I had to remove the kit's front IP. This left a huge and unsightly gap. The Aires IP is not glued in yet. Any ideas how I can fill this seam? Shall I do two-part epoxy --> sanding--> putty --> sanding --> rescribe details? Or do you think I can fill this without any epoxy?

The fuselage has visible seam lines. I was able to fill them and sand them flush (not shown), while losing lots of details.

I am now in the process of rescribing all panel lines, opening lost details, and deepening all rivets one by one. I will have new photos as soon as I make some progress.

[IrishGreek]

How about putting a couple small pieces of sheet styrene underneath (hidden) then you can add your putty with something behind it to give it strength?

[Ollie 17]

Looking really nice. I wish you all the very best.

[mario krijan]

looking great so far, very clean and pedant!!!

[geedubelyer]

Hello Jannisary,

You have made a good job of painting the resin cockpit tub, well done

Regarding the IP shroud, is the gap still visible with the windshield in place? Perhaps with the windshield installed there will be no need to fill the hole?

[Janissary]

Thank you for your suggestions. For the gap around the IP shroud, I ended up using Mr White Putty followed by Tamiya liquid surface primer. I think it worked out ok.

I rescribed all panel lines to deepen them and restored the details I had lost to sanding. I also deepened all rivets one by one (that took a lot of time). Here is some progress:

[Janissary]

[Janissary]

Attaching the windshield and blending it to the body was a challenge. I screwed up in my first trial so did everything from scratch (took the masking off, removed the windshield, stripped all the future, stripped the paint on the shroud, repainted, reattached the HUD stands + HUD glass etc.).

I am almost ready for priming.

[Honza K.]

Hey Dude, that´s a very cool work on surface!

I must buy some Hornet too. I love this plane.

[MarkW]

Good recovery on the seams and gaps!

[HOLMES]

Janissary,

You ,Sir, are a very brave man for re- starting and doing all again when not satisfied with your work

BRAVO :D :)

It is an impressive Hornet...

for the scale you are working in ....the detailed workmasnhip by you is extraordinary..

Keep up the good work..

HOLMES

[GreyGhost]

Nice Rhino ...

Good fix on that coaming ...

Gregg

[speedlimit]

Nice and pretty neat work there!

Eric

[Janissary]

Thank you very much all! I am luke warm about this model. On the one hand, I love the Black Aces. On the other hand, I feel the camouflage is going to be somewhat boring I am also having some major issues as I will indicate below. I would appreciate any help.

Here is the model primed with Surfacer 1200. I then dry-sanded the entire model with a 2000 grit sandpaper.

Edited April 25, 2010 by Janissary

[Janissary]

The problem I am having is with the rescribing of the front of the fuselage. After losing a lot of detail to sanding at the front of the fuselage, I tried to reopen those details. I am using mostly the Hasegawa scriber and the flat razor saw (bottom left) for scribing. I try to use a dynamo tape with both tools to keep the scribing as straight as I can:

However, the results look quite awful to me. First, the lines were unrealistically deep and prominent:

I thought priming would fill the gaps a little bit and make them reasonable. It did not work that well:

With that, I filled the lines with Tamiya Liquid primer, and cleaned the excess with alcohol. I then applied another coat of primer. Here are the results:

Now, the lines are not as deep but still pretty bad. Compared to the rest of the model, this front upper/side fuselage looks out of place. Any suggestions what I can do to salvage this part of the model? The problem is a mix of things: the lines are not very straight, their width and depth are not uniform, they do not form clean junctions at their intersections, and they look strange and inaccurate to my eyes (though I tried to rescribe the lines that already existed).

I could possibly fill all lines with super glue, sand them flat, and then rescribe the lines but I am dreading that option. Any and all suggestions for this issue or other problems you may see are most welcome. Thank you in advance!

Edited April 25, 2010 by Janissary

[Honza K.]

Hi Men, for firts, you must take the sendpaper and grind this :

maybe you can add a little bit of putty there....

For grinding you can use something like this: sandpeper 800 + prism of wood 8x8mm.

Better is, when is the sendpaper wet.

But please be carefull, because when you grind with this, It´s easy to make a flat plase...

After grinding you can check the surface with surfacer or scribe, If you will thing,

that surface is without some "step".

And for scribing I use only this:

you must gradually cut. Ever line 3-4x. Slowly and have a light hand.

Head up men. This will be very coom model. I am looking forward for some other photos!

Cheers. Honza

Edited April 25, 2010 by Honza K.

[Janissary]

Honza, I so much appreciate the thought and effort you have put in to my problem! Your visual demonstrations are very useful. I understand all of it. I have always tried to use my hand/fingers during sanding. Is there an advantage of using a stick for sanding? Also, in your latest F-14, the rescribed lines look very nice:

Is some of these lines freehand or do you always use some form of guide (like dynamo tape or ruler)? I have found the vertical lines on the rounded but tapered surfaces (like the nose cone) be very difficult even when using the dynamo tape. Finally, when rescribing rounded corners like in your picture below, I have always found it diffucult to do this with the scriber. Do you use the same razor saw you showed for these as well?

Your builds are very inspirational to me and I study them carefully. I am so excited about your HB F-18.

Thanks!

[Honza K.]

Is there an advantage of using a stick for sanding?

yes, it´s a difference. becauese when you using only fingers, you can crease a paper more to puttied place and make a radius...

Try this skica :-D :-D :-D (I am sorry for this, but it´s 2 minutes in windows paintbrush)

Is some of these lines freehand or do you always use some form of guide (like dynamo tape or ruler)

most of them are under the original panel lines. Freehand. And where are no panel lines (after big grinding) I must use DYMO tape...

[MarkW]

Another suggestion, and a little too late in this case, is to pre-trace panel lines before sanding them away. Especially on curves, lightly deepening the lines before grinding away can make it a lot easier to restore. Also, I would not CA glue and rescribe the whole nose--there are only one or two lines that would really benefit from that. You also might want to try the surfacer/alcohol bit again--the first application did a very good job of fixing he depth/width issue.

[Janissary]

Thank you Honza and Mark. I took the plunge and sanded off the seam. I then rescribed a few more lines, tried to cleanup the existing ones, primed it again.

Finally, I airbrushed the two base colors of GSI H-307 and H-308. I will next do some shading. Overall, I think I am happier than the way it was before, but still lots of things I could have done better:

[Jonathan_Lotton]

Much better!!!

Looks good now!

[twhite80]

Wow, I am working on my Echo hornet right now and this is the second Hasegawa super hornet I have done and you really hit the problems on the head. Your putty and sanding work is great! It is looking very good.

[Honza K.]

Good job!

[infideon]

GREAT JOB!