The Rebuild (thread) of a YA F-18 twin

[Thomas_W]

here's some recent pics of the project. I got started on stripping paint off the thing, after 5 hours, this is all i've gotten done.

[Thomas_W]

Here's the past 4 days progress on the plane while i wait for a $500 parts order for the gear system and the stuff to finish the bulkheads and wings. Then all the fun gets to start. Anyone wanna but a 90 size heli so i can get my 2nd turbine? lol

[Thomas_W]

36 hours of labor later, this is what i have come out with.






The paint is all stripped off that i'm taking off. the playes you see left over are stubborn areas that wouldn't lift or scrape off, so those will have to be sanded off by hand. the verticals wont strip off either, so those will get sanded down by hand along w/ the horizontal stabilators. I've got a fairly large order of parts coming in possibly tommorrow, so if that happens i'll be able to rehang the doors so they fit properly and install the forward bulkhead for good. then i'll be able to install the main spars in the wings and get the control surfaces cut out and ready for hinging. I've got to place an order for fuel tanks and tail pipes now, as i'll have to start sorting radio gear placement and turbine stuff out so i can get the balance just right. then it'll be time for paint. wow, i was expecting this project to last till the end of the year, doesn't look like its gonna last that long, but i "might" be able to have it ready for the Joe Nall this year. I think 55-56lbs of thrust in a 50ish pound airplane should fly it fairly well

[RADRICH]

I've been lurkin' on your thread man. Don't leave NOTHIN' out!! (Want to own and fly a jet one day...probably in the next life tho. hehehe)

[Andrew Bird]

Trust me - still plenty of mileage in this one. Doing a good job there, 36hrs of stripping is impressive. It'll be a good challenge when you have to set up the plumbing - lots of wires, air lines and a twin turbine fuel and power set up. I love that bit!

[Thomas_W]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Andrew Bird
	Trust me - still plenty of mileage in this one. Doing a good job there, 36hrs of stripping is impressive. It'll be a good challenge when you have to set up the plumbing - lots of wires, air lines and a twin turbine fuel and power set up. I love that bit!

you definately have that right. I'm on step 2 of 200. haha. 36 hours of sheer terror stripping all that paint off, but it'll be worth it to save a few pounds on the finished product. trying to get the jet to weight in around 46lbs w/ 200oz of jet-A on board.. so that leaves me w/ a 35lb dry weight i have to end up with... should be interesting to see if i can achieve it.

[Thomas_W]

after 4 hours of sanding today, i finally have the fuselage stripping complete. i got most of it pretty good, and some of the area's good enough. some of it was just stubborn and wouldn't come off, so it'll all get blended in with a few coats of primer.

40 hours and the fuselage and verticals are done. now if my package would arrive so i could start doing air system plumbing.

[zoomer260]

Looking like a lot of progress even though you have a lot hours in it. I'll never own a turbine if my Lotto #'s don't hit !

Still enjoying the thread keep it up. Ive always been partial to the F-16 and the T-28 trainer. Or is it T-38 ? Old minds have problems especially mine ! I'm going with T-38. I remember it escorting the shuttle on landings.

[mavacpjm71]

Thomas, go man go...i have one hanging in the garage, its seens its day.....this thread has given me new excitement to tear it down as well and strip all the stupid over painting i did on my first build....YA F-18 rules.....keep up the great restore my friend...

[Thomas_W]

Thanks for the good word fella's, its definately a work in progress thats getting done fairly quickly.

zoomer, i'm pretty sure your thinking of the T-38, thats another one of my favorite jets. I'd like to use that as my next inspiration for a project.

mavacpjm71,
get that think down and start stripping! haha. If you do decide to do so, go to walmart and in the paint chemicals section, their is a product called "citristrip" its kind of a pinkish orange color. They sell it in 1/2 gallon and quart bottles. I bought a 1/2 gallon thinking id need it, well i only used 1/4 of that bottle. So I think a quart should do fine. You have to let it sit on the paint for a few hours (atleast in my case i did), then get a fairly rigid plastic scraper to scrape the paint off.

i'll get some pics of the finished product in a few to post up

[Thomas_W]

I got all my doors back on and started plumbing the main gear doors tonight. the main doors were pretty easy, except for the ones that didn't fit worth a crap that i had to redo, the rest weren't "too" bad. haha. Anyways, here's a few pics of the Hornet as it is right now. I'm going to finish plumbing the nose gear door cylinders and go to bed. then i've got to start building a equipment tray for all the servo's and valves.

[Thomas_W]

here's a few pics of one of the equipment trays. this one is showing all the air valves (minus one) for the wheel brakes, gear, gear doors and speed brake (the one thats missing).






i've got a bit more done since those pics, so i'll get those tommorrow to post up. so far the speed brake is ready to be hinged to the fuselage and the air cylinder for it is tack glued to the airframe. the doors and gear are working properly and ready for final gluing, the forward "air" equipment tray is done minus installing the one valve and servo and putting the jet-tronics sequencer in. I'm in the process now of finishing up all the "little" stuff, and am looking for places to stuff all 6 air tanks in the plane.