Hot on the heels of the release of the new Kinetic 1/48 F-18C, Scale Aircraft conversions has released a set of replacement gear in white metal. The set comprises 12 parts and includes both the main and nose landing gear.

A couple notes on the SAC parts: The kit nose gear leg has several ejector pin marks and the top of the main strut is two parts. The SAC kit has no ejector pin marks and the main leg is a single solid part. You will need to drill out the main leg to attach the top section but that’s simple. Second, that main gear are complete replacement parts, but the nose gear will have to have several parts added, such as the nose gear light and the landing lights.

Assembly is straightforward except as noted above - follow the kit instructions. I smooth sanded all the parts first with fine grit sanding paper, and it came out perfectly shiny. The fit is exact, and once done I primed each gear with Alclad gray primer, and then sprayed with Tamiya acrylic white gloss. Once dry, I added the decals from the kit, and there are a lot, but they really make things pop out nicely. I painted the cylinders silver. You also could have polished the actual metal, masked the cylinders, and sprayed the white.

The F/A-18C has an unusual landing gear arrangement, and the kit has replicated it well, which means smaller attachment points holding up the weight of the plane. This is a good reason for adding metal gear which can provide stability and strength. And if you lose a part, this also gives you another option.

Definitely recommended. Ease of fit and simplicity is top notch and will keep your Hornet on its legs. My thanks Ross at Scale Aircraft Conversions and to IPMS/USA for the chance to review this great set.