Royal Navy F/A-18D 892 NAS 005

  
Available on the MP - CLICK HERE TO SEE!

This is my impression of what a F/A-18D Hornet would look like if the 892 Naval Air Squadron had adopted it to replace the Phantom F4K's were it not disbanded in 1978.
The livery has most of the old F4K elements down to the canopy ejection line and it also includes a homage to the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle that took place on the very day this livery was painted on the aircraft and flown for the first time as part of a 100 RAF group grid flight. You can find the inscription with the Royal Wedding crest on the aft door of the frontal landing gear. The date (19MAY2018) also shows on both "anvils" over the wing extensions.

Click images to enlarge!
 

With the Homebase at RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset, England, and the HMS Ark Royal as the Mother Ship, 892 Naval Air Squadron operated from 1969 to 1978. The first record of service places the squadron at RNAS Yeovilton from 31 March 1969 to 18 October 1969, followed by short sea trials aboard the USS Saratoga from 16 October 1969 to 24 October 1969. The last RN catapult launch was from Ark’s waist cat' at 15.11hrs. The honours fell to Flt Lt M.MacLeod RAF & Lt D. McCallum in Phantom F4K "012". McCallum was the deputy Air Engineer Officer (DAEO). It was his first flight in a Phantom F4K. On 04 December 1978 the Ark Royal returned to Devonport to pay off and 11 days later 892 Sqn disbanded at RAF Leuchars. This F/A-18D honors the Sqn and its Mother Ship, painted in the same colors as the 892 Squadron Phantom F4K’s. The Squadron's badge is prominent on the fin in red, white and black; the black letter "Omega" was chosen for the marking as it is the last letter of the Greek alphabet, and at the time of its formation it was thought that 892 would be the last fixed-wing Naval Squadron. The white letter "R" is the code for HMS Ark Royal and the white "005" on the nose is the individual aircraft identification number. The Squadron's Phantoms carried codes between 001 and 017.

From Eight Shades of Blue aircraft profile (included with the Paint Kit).

  
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JASDF Mitsubishi F-3B 8TFS (F/A18D)

 
Available on the MP - CLICK HERE TO SEE!

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What if the Japanese had chosen Hornets to upgrade their air self-defense force? Currently flying Mitsubishi license built F-16's, the 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron, based at Tsuiki, Japan, was the unit chosen to lend their colors to this WHAT IF series Hornet. Just as with the F-15 and F-16, had the F-18 been chosen the most likely manufacturer to produce them in Japan would be Mitsubishi, so this model represents a Mitsubishi F-3B (F/A-18D). The choice of the F-3 type comes after the real life F-16 Mitsubishi type, named Mitsubishi F-2A (single seat) and F-2B (two seat).

 

  

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First Look! Royal Navy F/A-18D 892 NAS 005

Coming VERY soon.

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 ASRA KRON © EIGHT SHADES OF BLUE 2018

  

Sneak Peek: Mitsubishi F-3B Hornet JASDF

Coming VERY soon.

Mitsubishi license built Boeing F/A-18 Hornet - Japanese Air Self Defense Force.

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 ASRA KRON © EIGHT SHADES OF BLUE 2018

Project F/A-18C & D Hornet "Tsunami"

 
Following a growing line of liveries inspired by the one used on the HS-14 Chargers Ocean Hawk SH-60F "610" (which prompted the first commissioned livery of this line applied on an Alternate Series SH-60 (the "618"), followed by a Replica Series for Third Fleet), my old friend Viks, aka CuriousMinette, got hold of Shana Carpool's Hornet and sure enough ordered an exclusive two pack with this type of design, this time a Fantasy Series paint job, unaffiliated with the military, but based on U.S. Navy Hornet designs.

Like the "Chargers" Ocean Hawk, this livery is inspired by the most famous work of 19th century Japanese artist Hokusai, "The Great Wave" (Kanagawa-oki nami ura, "Under a wave off Kanagawa") following this livery line tradition, which came to be named the "Tsunami" line. Both a C and a D model were executed and it gives me great pleasure to know they will fly the skies of Second Life in the hands of a great aviation enthusiast and long time friend.
 

Click images to enlarge.

Both models, C and D, were supplied with a "clean" version with no pods and under wing tanks, and a payload VICE version compatible with all payload options.

LIVERY COST:
The cost of a Shana Aircraft F/A-18C unique custom livery is 3,000 L$ with guaranteed exclusive and support for 12 months. Auto paint delivery system included. Pilot name modification by the client is possible, though usually included in the work. Additional liveries of this design licensed by the buyer to others will involve a 600 L$ fee due by each of the chosen recipients. A pack of two liveries ordered at the same time for this livery model applied to its F/A-18D counterpart varies from  4,000 L$ to 5,000 L$, depending on the work involved in the transposition of the C model to the D model. Same warranty applicable in all cases.

AIRCRAFT PROFILE COST:
The cost of a Shana Aircraft F/A-18C unique aircraft profile using the unique livery ordered is 500 L$. Supplied with frame. Permissions: no mod, copy, no transfer.

TIME TO COMPLETION:
48 hours from start, 72 hours with profile. Start depending on lined up and ongoing work.

AIRCRAFT INFO:
!SC : F/A-18C and F/A-18D Hornet - v1.3.5
Shana Aircraft does not have a SL Market Place store. You will need to find the F/A-18C Hornet in a vendor at Shana Carpool's store in Meridas (SLUR here).

Note: Color schemes for this aircraft without U.S.N. Third Fleet S.L. markings but using generic Navy markings are available on demand. U.S.N. Third Fleet S.L. orders have a special discount on this type. See Third Fleet price list here!

ASRA KRON © EIGHT SHADES OF BLUE 2018

Disclaimer:
All references in this entry refer only to the item illustrated. 

RCAF/ARC CF-18 "Battle of Britain"

  
Available on the MP - CLICK HERE TO SEE!

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The Battle of Britain started in 1940, and numerous events to commemorate the 75th anniversary of that epic battle took place around the world in 2015. Winston Churchill described the airmen that fought their German Luftwaffe foes as the "Few" in a famous speech. No. 1 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force, a fighter unit flying Hawker Hurricanes and Supermarine Spitfires, participated in the Battle of Britain as a Commonwealth squadron. Slightly more than 100 Canadian pilots flew combat missions with No. 1 Squadron and other units, while several hundred more Canadians served on the ground keeping the aircraft repaired and serviceable during the months-long air campaign. Today's Royal Canadian Air Force chose to honor the "Few" by painting their 2015 CF-18 Hornet Demonstration Team aircraft in a scheme reminiscent of a Battle of Britain era Hurricane of 1 Squadron. The design was created by veteran designer Jim Beliveau of the 4th Wing, at Cold Lake, Alberta. This was his 25th Demonstration Team design and painting project! The aircraft, serial number 188761, was sandblasted and painted by a team of 3 Wing technicians based at Bagotville Quebec. It captures the camouflage patterns on top of the aircraft, right down to the red guns patches along the leading edge of the wings. The vertical tails feature murals depicting Battle of Britain history, with Sir Winston Churchill, an unnamed Canadian fighter pilot, a Spitfire and St. Paul's Cathedral on one side. The other side depicts Battle of Britain ace F/L Gordon MacGregor, whose "YO H" letters (those of his regular mount during the Battle) are painted on the sides of the airplane, along with ME-109 and He-111 adversaries.

From "Classic Warbirds" (see complete article here). 

  
ASRA KRON © EIGHT SHADES OF BLUE 2018