Hasegawa 1:48 F/A-18A Hornet BuNo. 161986/DN-12, VMFA-333
The Story
VMFA-333 was the last regular Marine squadron to operate the F-4 Phantom but transferred to the F/A-18A Hornet in October 1987.
Deployed to Sheik Isa Air Base, Bahrain, as part of Operation Desert Storm, the Shamrocks flew more than seven hundred combat missions without loss and delivered
more than two million pounds of ordnance against Iraqi forces. VMFA-333 was deactivated effective March 31, 1992.
The Kit
This kit was built with little modification from what is given in the box.
The exception being the ejection seat which was replaced with a Black Box resin seat.
As with typical Hasegawa kits and their lack of weapons, the weapons came from other sources.L
oadout for this build consisted of: two AIM-9 Sidewinders, two fuel tanks, one AIM-7 Sparrow, one FLIR pod, and five Mk.83AIR bombs.
Some of the kit decals were used; but they were too light so they were darkened by painting them FS36118 Gunship Gray.
To represent bureau no. "161986" and aircraft no. "12" markings, decals were printed with my inkjet onto clear decal paper.
