Well, after a full few days of work, my second F-18 is complete. This time built from the Kinetic 1:48 kit, this model replicates a Swiss Air Force jet and so the challenge this time was to create an interestingly weathered matt finish without going over the top (this particular aircraft was pretty much immaculate…) and then add the gloss red trim and blend the whole lot together to replicate how the actual aircraft looks, or rather looked, in service. Thanks to a number of mistakes (one of them pretty much terminal…), this is a most definitely a 3-foot model, but in the end I’m happy to have finished it and happy that I now have this aircraft, in this scale, in my collection.
See what you think…
THE KIT BOX 
Lovely model Spencer, I like the subtle streaking and ott weathering avoidance strategy. So often good models are marred by huge attacks on weathering which is great and a display of skill, but they fail due to the uniformity of the effect. Many fail to see that most subjects have a variance in sheen and surface texture. Great photography, hope you are well, Cheers.
Thanks very much – I’m pleased that you like my approach to this model! 🙂
I like it! Can’t see any terminal mistakes from here (though I’m substantially further than 3 feet way…).
You would if you saw it in the flesh!
Yeah, but only because I have new glasses now!
It looks great in the photos. Can you please share what the “terminal” problem is?
Yeah, when I was painting the model, some overspray crept into the windscreen through the open refuelling bay (the hole was tiny so I didn’t think about it!). Cleaning up the inside of the glazing I damaged it and then the upper coaming and then to make matters worse, couldn’t get the HUD in place and that added more damage. Fortunately the issues can’t be seen in the pictures, but I will discuss them in the feature… 😦
That’s not “terminal”. That’s standard for me.
But not for you. Great model, love the finish.
Looking so good…the subtle weathering effects are perfect !
Luiz
Nice overall build. How was the fit of this kit compared to a Hasegawa 1/48 kit? I’ve heard good & bad on these particular kits but they look like Hornets in the end.
Cheers
Collin
From memory, it’s a lot easier to build that the Hasegawa kit, but the fit is still patchy, the nose and underside of the LEX being particularly troublesome! It’s fun, but not shake and bake, but remains the best 1:48 Legacy Hornet available to the modeller…
HI Spencer, very nice, especially the understated weathering that adds so much more interest to the finish, (not Finnish as it’s Swiss… I’ll get my coat…). Nice recovery, wish mine were as good. Where will it be published?.
Christian