From the sky to my Desk: 1/72 Minicraft CF-188 Hornet RCAF

Hey everyone,

Glad to see the numbers continuing to rise. Even if it is just people returning I am glad that you are. Anyways, I hope all is well in you modeling world and that some of my posts have helped make your models good.

1/72 Minicraft CF-188 Hornet RCAF

I made this one a long time ago and can't really say I remember what colours I used or how well the construction went. I do know that the decals did come with the model and that I painted it by hand as I hadn't yet discovered sprays.

The Hornet has served as Canada's only fighter/bomber for three decades and has participated in every combat mission since then including the Gulf War, peace keeping in the states of former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Somalia, and even the no fly zone over Libya.

The aircraft was first introduced in 1983 but was less than admirable to its pilots in the first years as they were used to the CF-104, CF-5 and the CF-101 which were relatively sluggish compared to this aircraft.

Also, since this aircraft was purchased right from McDonnell instead of through the USAF so the pilots didn't receive any training on this aircraft

But once the RCAF got used to it, the Hornet became one of the most reliable aircraft ever to serve in the Canadian Forces and finding a replacement will be tough.

General characteristics

File:CF-188B 410 Sqn with 60th anniversary paint.JPEG

Crew: 1 or 2
Length: 56 ft 0 in (17.07 m)
Wingspan: 40 ft 0 in with Sidewinders (12.31 m)
Height: 15 ft 4 in (4.66 m)
Wing area: 400 ft² (37.16 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 65A005 mod root, 65A003.5 mod tip
Empty weight: 23,049 lb (10,455 kg)
Loaded weight: 37,150 lb (16,850 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 51,550 lb (23,400 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F404-GE-400 turbofans, 16,000 lb_f (71.2 kN) each

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 1.8 (1,127 mph, 1,814 km/h) at 36,100 ft (11,000 m)
Combat radius: 330 mi (290 nmi, 537 km) on hi-lo-lo-hi mission
Ferry range: 2,070 mi ( 1,800 nmi, 3,330 km) (range without ordnance)
Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,000 m)
Rate of climb: 50,000 ft/min (254 m/s)
Thrust/weight: 0.89

Armament

Nine Weapon/ Store Stations (5 pylons: 1 Under Fuselage and 4 Wing Stations) (2 LAU 116 located on sides of fuselage: deploys AIM 7 Sparrow and AMRAAM Missiles)(2 LAU 7 located on the wing tips: Deploys AIM 9 Sidewinder Missile), carrying up to 13700 lb (6215 kg) of missiles, rockets, bombs, fuel tanks, and pods
1 × 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan internal gatling gun with 578 rounds, with a firing rate of 4000 or 6000 shots per minute
Missiles: