1:48 F/A-18 A/BC/D

The real subject

The F/A-18 Hornet is an American carrier-based aircraft built so that a single type would handle both jobs: air combat and strikes against targets on land and at sea. A sturdy airframe designed for landing on a carrier deck goes with that, meaning a strong landing gear, an arrestor hook and a folding wing. Power comes from two turbofan engines, which give the machine good agility at a high angle of attack. The A and C versions are single-seat and the B and D versions two-seat; the two-seaters serve for training and for combat tasks in which a second crew member is useful.

What the model covers

This is a plastic model in 1:48 scale, that is in the most widespread aircraft scale. A finished Hornet works out at roughly thirty-five centimeters long in it. The parts list, the range of markings supplied and which of the versions named in the title can be built are given in the instructions from the manufacturer.

Building and painting tips

Follow the instructions and dry-fit the parts before gluing. Paint and finish the cockpit and the nose wheel well before you close the fuselage. Carrier aircraft wear low-contrast gray surfaces, so after spraying the model easily looks flat; lightening the centers of the panels slightly and picking out the engraved lines discreetly will help. Coat the surface to a gloss before applying the markings, otherwise a pale edge will show around them.

• 1:48 scale, plastic model of a carrier-based aircraft
• the subject is the American F/A-18 Hornet
• the range of parts and markings is given in the instructions from the manufacturer

Terms of supply

Paints, glue and tools are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.