Scale Aircraft Conversions 1/32 F/A-18C/D Hornet Landing Gear First Look
By Michael Benolkin
Date of Review | August 2009 | Manufacturer | Scale Aircraft Conversions |
---|---|---|---|
Subject | F/A-18C/D Hornet Landing Gear | Scale | 1/32 |
Set Number | 32021 | Primary Media | White Metal |
Pros | Stronger gear struts for the Academy kits | Cons | None noted |
Skill Level | Intermediate | MSRP (USD) | $14.95 |
First Look
Scale Aircraft Conversions (SAC) produces an impressive array of white metal replacement landing gear for a variety of models. Some of these sets correct different issues that appeared in production kits, while others are simple common sense replacements to have stronger landing gear on your model.
This release is one of more than 30 landing gear sets available in 1/32 scale and is targeted for the 1/32 Academy F/A-18C and F/A-18D kits. The set provides a pair of white metal main gear struts that are drop-in replacements for the kit parts. These white metal castings will provide stronger 'legs' for the Academy kit as the styrene struts in the kit are going to be subjected to lots of stress during model handling.
One nice aspect of aftermarket landing gear like these from SAC is that you can make the change anytime, even after the kit's gear buckles for whatever reason. Unlike an aftermarket cockpit or other details that need to be incorporated during construction, you can easily extract the old styrene gear and plug in these replacements once you've got them primed and painted. Of course you can plan ahead and use them during your build-up and avoid the problems in the first place.
You can obtain SAC landing gear from your favorite hobby retailer or online hobby shop. If your retailer can't get these for you and you can't this set at your favorite online retailer, then you can get quick service from Scale Aircraft Conversions directly.
My sincere thanks to Scale Aircraft Conversions for this review sample!