Hi guys, I've been asked to build a Kinetic 1/48 F-18D. You know how little I know about jets but my recent Seahawk has thrust me into this genre.
The kit is state of the art as it says in some reviews...so far I don't trust the destruction sheet having found a few discrepencies and there are many duplicate parts from the F-18C. Fit is not bad and molding seam lines are nearly non existent...jet builders will like this as both the intakes and exhaust are deep until the engines and ejector pin free.
The packaging is impressive with matt lamination. Parts sprue are all neatly sealed in self adhesive polythene bags which are good for resealing parts that are not used. The mold details are fine with tiny recessed rivets and panel lines. Surprising that a kit with the latest tooling still has bits of flash, mostly on undercarriage doors...nothing that a sanding stick or a sharp blade is needed to clean it up. The decal sheet is impressive but only the basic stencils for the ATARS F/A-18D Bengals standard and Tigermeet are given. No decals for the ordnance which is quite odd as the Marines used their F-18 ATARS equiped reconnaisance compliment as combat frontline fighters bombers as well. The destruction sheet/booklet is something to be wary as some arrows and paint numberings are quite vague and a worthy challenge even for the experience modeler. It is advised to study and cross reference the booklet before starting.
I didn't get shots of the sprue though as I delved into dry fitting right on opening the box...thats how tempting it was even if jets aren't my thing. And on saying that I'll be doing a BOOB as I wouldn't know how to improve or take this the extra mile. What am I saying...I'm hoping it'll build nicely.
The cockpit itself is going to be one crying for paint. Here it is dry fitted with the ejector seats...
The kit had the odd ejector pin marks seen here covered in green putty for the front undercarriage.
The fuselage halves fit just nicely. Most of the joints will be hidden by the watchamacallit along both sides of the cockpit.
I usually print out as many picture references large enough so I can better detail paint the cockpit.
All the innards are given a coat of paint...Mr 317 for the cockpit tub and dash...Tamiya white for the undercarriage inside doors. I think the ATARS compartment shouldn't be white...will have to check reference as the sheet doesn't say.
Undercarriage being sprayed with Tamiya white halfway ran out of paint ... the filled ejector pin marks not visible under the paint on the rear landing gear.
The front undercarriage bay in white...
So was the main undercarriage bay.
Kinetic give you the intake shaft all the way to the engine fins with no ejector pin marks. It's painted white.
They also give you the exhausts all the way too. Although the instructions call for white I painted the interior gunmetal. If you see the reference pictures I printed you will see its dark all the way in and only white at the nozzle edge which unfortunately is gunmetal in the instructions. You will see the nozzle after I have done with it.
Apart from some decision making the build is smooth so far.
Cheers,
Richard
The kit is state of the art as it says in some reviews...so far I don't trust the destruction sheet having found a few discrepencies and there are many duplicate parts from the F-18C. Fit is not bad and molding seam lines are nearly non existent...jet builders will like this as both the intakes and exhaust are deep until the engines and ejector pin free.
The packaging is impressive with matt lamination. Parts sprue are all neatly sealed in self adhesive polythene bags which are good for resealing parts that are not used. The mold details are fine with tiny recessed rivets and panel lines. Surprising that a kit with the latest tooling still has bits of flash, mostly on undercarriage doors...nothing that a sanding stick or a sharp blade is needed to clean it up. The decal sheet is impressive but only the basic stencils for the ATARS F/A-18D Bengals standard and Tigermeet are given. No decals for the ordnance which is quite odd as the Marines used their F-18 ATARS equiped reconnaisance compliment as combat frontline fighters bombers as well. The destruction sheet/booklet is something to be wary as some arrows and paint numberings are quite vague and a worthy challenge even for the experience modeler. It is advised to study and cross reference the booklet before starting.
I didn't get shots of the sprue though as I delved into dry fitting right on opening the box...thats how tempting it was even if jets aren't my thing. And on saying that I'll be doing a BOOB as I wouldn't know how to improve or take this the extra mile. What am I saying...I'm hoping it'll build nicely.
The cockpit itself is going to be one crying for paint. Here it is dry fitted with the ejector seats...
The kit had the odd ejector pin marks seen here covered in green putty for the front undercarriage.
The fuselage halves fit just nicely. Most of the joints will be hidden by the watchamacallit along both sides of the cockpit.
I usually print out as many picture references large enough so I can better detail paint the cockpit.
All the innards are given a coat of paint...Mr 317 for the cockpit tub and dash...Tamiya white for the undercarriage inside doors. I think the ATARS compartment shouldn't be white...will have to check reference as the sheet doesn't say.
Undercarriage being sprayed with Tamiya white halfway ran out of paint ... the filled ejector pin marks not visible under the paint on the rear landing gear.
The front undercarriage bay in white...
So was the main undercarriage bay.
Kinetic give you the intake shaft all the way to the engine fins with no ejector pin marks. It's painted white.
They also give you the exhausts all the way too. Although the instructions call for white I painted the interior gunmetal. If you see the reference pictures I printed you will see its dark all the way in and only white at the nozzle edge which unfortunately is gunmetal in the instructions. You will see the nozzle after I have done with it.
Apart from some decision making the build is smooth so far.
Cheers,
Richard
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