1:48 Boeing F/A-18F Hornet

Photo-etched set for the F/A-18F in 1:48 scale

A photo-etched fret is a thin metal sheet with an etched relief. The individual parts are separated from it, formed and glued onto the model. Metal holds its shape even at a thickness that injection-molded plastic cannot reach, and that is exactly why photo-etched parts are used wherever the plastic part is necessarily thicker than the real thing: on seat belts, grab handles, brackets, grilles and surfaces with a fine relief. The exact extent of the set and the order of assembly are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

The real subject

The designation F/A-18F belongs to the two-seat version of the carrier-based multirole aircraft of the Super Hornet series from Boeing. Against the older machines of the Hornet series the Super Hornet is distinctly larger and can be told apart by, among other things, its rectangular air intakes. The rear seat of the two-seat version is taken by a second crew member who operates the systems of the aircraft. For the modeler that means a cockpit with a pair of instrument panels and richer equipment, which is exactly the place where photo-etch pays off.

Working with photo-etch

• separate the part with a sharp blade on a hard surface, not by snapping it off between your fingers
• make the bends in a bending tool or between two blades, so that the edge is crisp along its whole length
• glue with cyanoacrylate applied on the tip of a toothpick, as polystyrene cement will not join metal
• before painting, wash and degrease the metal and lay down a primer
• finish the interior before you close up the fuselage, as there is no getting inside afterward

Terms of supply

A photo-etched set is supplied. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the delivery, unless stated otherwise.