Top Gun Maverick's F/A-18E Super Hornet & F-14D Tomcat

Jason F
Bought this kit on whim from a local hobby shop in Atascadero, CA. I was excited to reboot my efforts after completing a rudimentary build of Revell's 1/48 F-14A "Maverick's Tomcat." I upgraded from spray cans to my first airbrush, improved my sanding & putty skills, and dabbled in some basic weathering on the 1/72 movie set F-14. At the time it turned out to be one of my best builds. It went together well overall- there was some issues with gaps/fit with nose to fuselage. The variable swept wings are tricky but turnout pretty well. They can lose connection if you're not careful, however. It was a great template for practicing new airbrushing techniques.

The F-18 was a different story. I was certain I would be able to up my game after my improvement on the F-14. For some reason, this build was fraught with issues from the beginning. Many were of my own making- I had to strip the primer because I used airbrush cleaner instead of thinner, I sprayed Tamiya Flat Base instead of Flat Clear, I bungled the re-scribing of panel lines and rivet detail, over and over again. There were major issues with construction- gaps in cockpit wall, huge seams on the nose, rear fuselage, air intakes, poor fit of restrictor cable, fragile wingtips (one broke off during weathering) ... and worst of all, the decals were terrible. I used micro set/sol but the blue stripes along the spine would not cooperate. Very difficulty to get them placed with proper continuity. If you have the skills I would recommend painting the stripes instead. I'm disapointed in my own effort but the above mentioned issues certainly made things tougher.

Overall, I would recommend the set for the $$ (I paid $55 US). An experienced modeler can really make a nice/detailed looking movie display (ie pictures above). Someone who loves the subject but is lacking in skills will be challenged with the overall builds but can turn out a decent model.