VX-23 Salty Dog 400 F/A-18E

[Adam Baker]

So decided to pull a kit out of my stash for the first time in a very long time.

Kit is Hasegawa's 1/48 F/A-18E Super Hornet, and will be built using Fightertown Decals VX-23 Salty Dogs decal sheet. I will be building Salty Dog 400.

Contemplating an aftermarket cockpit, but a friend made the good suggestion to look at a resin seat and an Eduard Zoom detail set.

VX-23 is the US Navy's testing squadron. Any time a new ordnance is developed, they're the ones that do release testing & such, to ensure the weapon leaves the aircraft properly.

Already started working on cleaning & sanding parts. Unfortunately my glue has gone MIA, so until it shows up, I'll just keep cleaning and prepping.

 

[sharkman]

Looks like fun Adam!!

 

[moon puppy]

Hey Adam, good to see ya!
OK so what's with all those dot things?

 

[sharkman]

I wonderif they are for filming missle launches from another aircraft?

 

[Flyingbabydoc]

That Looks like an excellent Project. Good luck with the decals.

 

[Adam Baker]

I'm not sure how exactly it works, but it is for filming the ordnance leaving the a/c. The test plane itself has several cameras mounted on various locations pointing toward the ordnance being tested. My guess it's to determine angles and that sort of thing.

Here's a shot of a VX-23 a/c testing Mk-83 bombs. You can see the bombs also have the markings, and if you look at the wingtips, where missile mounts would normally be, it's painted orange and it has cameras pointing toward the hardpoints. There are also cameras mounted just forward of where the arresting hook is mounted, looking forward, and then there are cameras underneath the cockpit, pointing aft.

Hey Adam, good to see ya!
OK so what's with all those dot things?

 

[sharkman]

probably also assists in measuring speed and other physical aspects of the ordinance.

 

[Adam Baker]

Found this picture this afternoon that explains the bow tie symbols. Makes a lot of sense.

 

[Frank]

Can't wait to see this one completed.
Frank