F/A-18 Hornet tailfin modification

After getting this lovely set of Superscale decals at a model show in Hornchurch, I set my heart on getting a Hasegawa F/A-18A to make the VMFA-531 'Grey Ghosts' Hornet. (VMFA-531 between the VFA-113 'Stingers' Hornets)


The Hasegawa F/A-18A is quite hard to find and subsequently expensive. Easier to find and cheaper by half, is the P26 boxing of the F/A-18C.
When Hasegawa made their moulds they cleverly made 98% of the A and C models the same, needing a few specific pieces (ECM anennae on nose/fuselage, antennae below nose) to be added on to make a C model hornet. Problem is, the C tails come with the middle ECM antennae moulded on.

So, after putting up a 'wanted' request on Britmodeller with no responses, a guy suggested just modifying the C fins by removing the ECM antennae on the taildfins.
So I did.

The offending ECM antenna


I masked off the top and bottom antennae with some masking tape to prtect them, then cut or shaved off the plastic with a new no.11 blade to remove the excess plastic.


Then using some 1500 grit wet and dry sand paper (available from hardware stores - you can get a sheet A4 size for about £2/EUR 2.4) I smoothed the surface out.


There you have it, A model tailfins. Sometimes when checking your references you may notice something that can be rectified, so it is worth the effort to get it right.