Does anyone know if there is an ATFLIR pod for an F-18 available in 1/48? I picked up the Hasagawa weapons kid d, and it’s got two flir pods, but neither is carried by the Hornet. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen one in an accessory kit ever, but I haven’t really been looking for it either. Anyone have any info on targeting pods for the F-18, and the ATFLIR in specific?
madda
I know the old Monogeams A-18 kit has the old FLIR pod but I don’t think that’s the pod you are looking for, also You might have to scratch build one for the kit or modify the one you got in the Hasegawa weapons kit to fit, I know that most of the FLIR/LANTRIN pods are now in their second generation and the electronics & sensors are now in only 1 pod(LITENING II Pod) and this pod might be the pod your looking for,[:)]
Well, I’ve got a LITENING II pod in the kit, but as I looked it up on fas.org, they say that the F-18 doesn’t carry that one at all, nor does it carry the LANTIRN pod, which also came in the kit. According to everything I’ve been able to find, the F-18 only carries the ATFLIR, which looks rather like a LANTIRN, so it might be feasable to modify it somehow, I’d just rather not.
I’m not confident that I can scratch anything, I’ve never done it before. I could just put one of the other pods on, nobody would probably know the difference. Except me.
madda
if you have the dimensions of the pod and they are the same diameter as the LITENING II pod but the length is longer or shorter then your in like flint, just cut the pod at the head then cut there and add a section to this area with styrene if you need to extend the length, but to shorten it cut at the same place and go back until your length is good, the fill the gaps and paint, it a piece of cake, or if the pods on the mongram’s kit are the correct you may want to bid on it on EBay for penny’s on the dollar(instead of buying one from the store) and graft them onto the Hasegawa kit
I’m actually building the old monogram kit, I bought the Hasagawa weapons kit to outfit it, as the plane only came with aim-9s and 2 dumb bombs,mark 82s I think. My kit didn’t come with any flir pods, I wish it had. It’s not bad except for raised panel lines, and some fit issues, it is monogram after all, but the price was right. I’ve kinda been on the lookout for a hasagawa kit though.
madda
hey madda;
Okay now I know where you’re going to the old Monogram A-18 kit has the pods you might be looking for, I got both the monogram A-18A & R/M’s F/A-18C(which I think you have) the pods on the A-18’s are located on the AIM-7 rails between the main gears & engine inlets if you want to try to get this kit for the pods on E-Bay(also I know the Monogram F-18 Blue Angles) has the parts your looking for if you get that kit then you could use the B/A rails for the F/A-18C and then the F/A’s rails to the B/A airplane(Blue never have any pods hung on them)
I know it’s a little more cash going out but I think you will love your out come on both kits
Hmmm, hobby lobby has a sale this week, maybe I’ll look to see if I can pick up that blue angels model on the cheap. I screwed up the canopy by spilling some tenax on it anyway, so I do need a new canopy as well. Two birds, one stone. I wouldn’t really mind building a Blue Angels model either. I think you’ve solved my problem there cuda. Much thanks sir!! I appreciate all the help.
madda
Of all the pods Hasegawa put in their weapons sets, I wish they did the FLIR for the Hornet. I have the weapons set too that has the SLAMs JDAMs and the pods and was thinking of modifing one of the types that comes close. All that cutting doesn’t sound too fun right at the moment.
hey reb,
try this if your doing an Revell/Monogram F/A-18C
That might work, and sounds a lot better too! Thanks!
Well, I just came back from Hobby Lobby, they had the Blue Angels F-18, and the pic of the plane on the box has the pod. When I opened the box, however, there is no pod in there, so I’m back to square one, except that now I have a nice blue angels Hornet. I’ve been wanting to do a gloss paint job anyway. I’m somewhat bummed about the lack of a pod in the kits though. Maybe I could email monogram and see if they would send me one. Crap.
madda
madda;
sorry for the bad info, when I ck’d the kit a few years ago they it was the same kit as the A-18 and on the box’s side pix even showed the pods on the model, please ck the intake side flares & missile rails near the main gear bays, if that part has the pods then your still in like flint, but if not, I guess that R/M may have change the parts when they came out with the F/A-18C, Sorry again, but I got an Idea, Email me at this address
72cuda@gimail.af.mil so I could get some info, I’ll get you the exact part #'s so you ask R/M for the corrected parts, and please tell me you haven’t put the missile rails on because you’ll need to remove them carefully for the parts you need to replace them with, it’ll be awhile before I could get you the #'s because I’m still in Iraq and will be home by Oct
Oops, my bad too. I should’ve warned you but I didn’t catch it, the current Revell/Monogram F-18C and Blue Angel are the same kit, just different decals (as you found out).
Yep, the kits are the exact same, except for the color of the plastic. What really irritates me is that before I bought it, I looked very carefully at the pics of the model on the sides of the box. All of those pics showed a plane with the pod that I need. Crap! I’ll email you when I get home later cuda, If you could find that part # for me, I’d be eternally greatful, you’d be my hero in fact.
What are you doing in Iraq?
madda
hey Madda;
sorry for the long wait, I’m with the 442 FW, 303FS, Deployed for Iraqi Freedom, we are an A-10A unit of 2 inwhich is in country of Iraq(no other AF Fighters are in country except the 23rd FW’s A-10’s beside us) we are looking for the Ace of Spades, and his cronies to rid this country of his evil doings, if you have a chance read my profile, that should give you some better info on which we are doing,
just keep in touch and E-mail me if you need any more info
No problem about the wait man, you’ve got more important, real world, stuff to be occupied with. I have been looking for the earlier f-18 to pick up, so I could get the atflir pod, but with no success. When you get back to the air conditioned part of the world, if you could find that part number, I’d be enernally greatful. Until then, I appreciate all the help you’ve given me. Keep up the good work man!
madda
Hey Madda;
I was just nosing through EBay and found a couple of A-18 kits for under $5.00 and they look like they may go cheap you might want to ck into them
cuda
Will do. I always forget about ebay. Thanks!
madda
Hey Madda;
I thought it’ll be quicker for you to get the kit then for me to get back to the States, and the wait wont be as long for a reply, then when you do get the kit then you could make it into a Aggressor A/C out of Marimar (Top Gun)
cuda
Yeah, I was looking all over for good paint schemes for the Hornet. That ghost grey scheme is pretty boring. I compensated for this one by picking up that CAG decal set from twobobs, the one with the flag flames on the nose. Yippe! I wanted to do an aggressor paint scheme, but couldn’t find a good example of one. I’ll jump on ebay later to see if I can’t place a couple of bids. I tuly do appreciate all your help on this one Cuda, you’ve been great. Be sure to stay in the ac when you can, and stay safe over there.
madda