Hornet fans: How hard is it to make a F/A-18B out of a -D? Could you just use decals for a -B on a -D and be done with it? Or is some modification involved/needed. There used to be a kit or two of the -B, but I can’t seem to find it, even on ebay. Was thinking of taking the two seat pilot tub from a -D and sticking it in the body of an A (the Hobby Boss A kit, has the opening for the two seat, but not the actual parts for the rear seat, looks like they where going to make a B but never did), since they’re the same family like the C/D, and E/F are.
I got all the other versions of the Hornet (A-F), and need a B to complete the set. Oh a new EA-18G kit is set to be released in July, so that’s covered (heard the Italeri version is not all that great and accurate, so avoiding that one). Its one of four jets that I like (A-10, A-6, F-14, F/A-18).
Just curious on how to make a B. I’m a WWII guy so don’t know much about jets.
Most of the differences are small, but noticable. It would be possible however. The differences mostly concern anntenna, panels, and different sensors added / changed from the B to the D. There are other major differences in the details around the vertical tails. There is a lot of ref. available on the exact changes.
Which kit are you building? I could be wrong but I think the Hasegawa F/A-1D kit is basically a -B that you add all the antennae and greeblies to. Just look at some reference photos to see what goes on and what gets left off.
Don’t have a kit for it yet. Still trying to figure that out. Would it be better to take a cockpit tub from a D and put it into the Hobby Boss A kit, or convert from a D [8-)]. If the only thing needed to make B from the Hasegawa D, is leave off some antenna, and rearrange others, then I’ll go that route. Though I heard the tail fins are slightly different.
I don’t know for sure if the Hasegawa F/A-18D is basically a -B or not but the Hasegawa F/A-18C is an -A that you build up into a -C. Based on this I’m guessing that Hasegawa did the same thing with their -D kits, too.
I’d imagine that the basic dimensions of the vertical stabs are the same though. The difference is probably just some reinforcement plates or an antenna or something easy to fix.
I can’t tell you anything about the Hobby Boss kits. I guess that the tubs would be interchangeable with some minor work since the HB is basically a clone of the Hasegawa kit. The one difference is that the HB kit didn’t include the parts to put the flaps in the down position for some reason (but it does have the separate flaps).
But if you decide to get a HB kit why not get the -D and convert it to a -B?
I was thinking that if the tail fins and antenne are slightly different from the -D and the HB -A as the opening for the two person -D cockpit tub then, just swap the two cockpit tubs and you’ll get the correct tail fins and such cause you used an -A airframe. But I’m leaning toward taking the Hase -D and turning it into a -B
It looks like a -B that you build into a -D. Heck, I think you would be fine getting either a Hasegawa or Hobby Boss F/A-18D. But…I think you’d be better off getting a -D instead of an -A kit just to make sure that you get the correct canopy.
The Hasa 1:72 D is a B with extra sprues for the D convertion. I don’t think the tubs are the same. I think the back seat in the B has flight controls where the D doesn’t.