1:32 F/A-18E/F/G Super Hornet exhaust nozzles (type 1) for Revell kit

The rear view of a twin-engine carrier aircraft

The Super Hornet family came about as a markedly enlarged successor to the original Hornet and today it serves as the backbone of American carrier aviation. The single-seat and two-seat combat versions and the specialized machine for jamming enemy radars all share the same tail with its pair of exhaust nozzles. On a parked aircraft they differ according to the state the petals were left in once the engines were shut down, and that is exactly how the manufacturer of the set distinguishes the first and the second version.

The package contains both nozzles, so that the model gets its whole tail at once and no second set is needed. The castings have a thin wall and a legible internal relief of the petals, which is precisely what a molded part will never offer in this place.

What kind of builder it is for

The work is of medium difficulty and calls above all for accuracy in positioning. Both nozzles have to be set at the same depth and at the same angle, or the tail will be asymmetrical when seen from behind, which a viewer notices sooner than any other detail. A flat surface and patient dry fitting until both sides seat identically is therefore useful. Only then does the glue come into play. Anyone who is only starting out with models and wants the tail finished with no risk can stick to the parts from the kit and settle for shading the inside with a dark color. The builder who likes the large scale precisely because the detail in it is legible from a distance, on the other hand, gets an immediate response for this swap.