k_sonn

My Feedback: (32)

One of my flying buddies took a BVM F-18 Super Hornet kit and modified into an EA-18GGrowler and painted it in the VAQ 141 Shadowhawks scheme.

Kirk

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkQ3hQ1onhU[/youtube]

FenderBean

I have two questions, when did BVM make a F-18 kit? and whats a EA growler vs a super hornet? Just curious never heard of that before.

Nice F-18 looks good

weasel33

http://www.naval-technology.com/proj...a-18g-growler/

http://www.bvmjets.com/Pages/XtremeJets/F-18F.htm

k_sonn

My Feedback: (32)

The EA-18G Growler is the replacement for the EA-6B Prowler. The first squadron to accept the EA-18G was VAQ-129 stationed up here in the Pacific Northwest at NASWhidbey Island. That was in 2008. We fly our RC jets at theNAS Whidbey Island Out Lying Field (OLF) where the EA-18G practices carrier landings. By the way, this is the same place where Jets Over Whidbey will take place.

Fender, you really are a newbie to RC jets . BVM and Tam had a thing going awhile back where BVM sold the same Super Hornet as Tam but with many improvements. BVM no longer sells these kits. The one in the videois not the Extreme F-18F.

Kirk

FalconWings

My Feedback: (57)

Short answer, Growler is the ECM version of the Super Hornet. Very bad ass version.

BVM does not make F-18s. Like KSonn stated, BVM used to carry Tams F18 kit with BVM made gear and some hardware. They are also distributors of Chinese made Skymaster and Extreme jets.

FenderBean

Thats what I thought, extreme/Skymaster are not made by BVM. BVM just sales them
The term newbie is always subjective [8D]

ddennison

My Feedback: (15)

Nice job Bill!!

Dave

DUCMOZ

Good Video Kirk. I knew the fog would lift off the minute I leave. See you Saturday.

Behzad

k_sonn

My Feedback: (32)

Fender, as I stated earlier, the F-18 in the video is not the Skymaster/Extreme F-18. It was distributed by BVM and Tamjets starting in Jan '05. On the BVM site, it was branded as the BVMF-18 and it had improvements over the one sold by Tam. This is no different than any jet distributed by Tam.When he sold (distributed) airframes, they were brandedas Tamjets (insert name of plane here), although he didn't make them.

Kirk

k_sonn

My Feedback: (32)

Thanks Behzad. Had a blast flying the micro mig with you. See you Saturday at Jets Over Whidbey.

Kirk

AFTERBURNER1

My Feedback: (80)

That is a TAMJETS SUPER HORNET airframe..

ianober

My Feedback: (12)

Wheres all the external stores?? Pretty much looks like a Super Hornet without them.

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

news flash Apple does not make iphones either.

k_sonn

My Feedback: (32)

Ian, Bill has all of the external stores but since this was the maiden flight he did put them on. Bill also made several changes to the airframe that are unique to the Growler although you may not be able to see them in the video frame capture I posted.

Kirk

kev-o

My Feedback: (1)

Nice job Bill , can't make JOW but maybe you can drag it up to Princeton in a month.

ianober

My Feedback: (12)

Gotcha, the stores will really make it stand out!! Hope to see some video of it fully loaded!!

ddennison

My Feedback: (15)

Bill,

Looks great! How many flights so far? Glad you will have it for your event.

I certainly miss mine, sold it this year. It is really fun landing this plane!

Dave

FenderBean

Pretty close, the chinese make them LOL
And as for the who made it, I asked when did BVM make a F-18 because I have never heard of them making one.

k_sonn

My Feedback: (32)

So back to the reason for the thread instead of arguing over something stupid like branding with someone who hasn't been in RC jets long enough to know about this F-18.

Great job Bill. I'm ready to do some more videos of your awesome plane. Maybe we can do a walk around to show all of the mods you made. See you on Saturday at Jets Over Whidbey.

Kirk

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

That would be cool.

Bob

FenderBean

I asked because I have followed BVM stuff for years and have never heard of them making a F-18, I think some people just like to take anything I ask or say and make it an issue. I like the Jet and read a jet mag issue that had this jet in but I didnt put 2 and 2 together until someone posted the articles above. It will be cool see the the pods on it.

reznor

My Feedback: (4)

Hi Dave,

Just a couple of flights. I did all of the mods you suggested. It flies much better than I anticipated. It looks rough in the maiden video, but once I got trims, throw, expo, etc. all dialed in its super smooth and nowhere near as scary to land as I thought. That first landing was hot because of all the horror stories I'd heard about it wanting to pitch up if it got too slow. It also does not pitch up on take-off. Comes up smooth and predictable with only take-off flaps. It slowed down nicely for subsequent landings.

Can't wait to fly it with all the stores and ordnance. A friend up here made me some awesome AN-ALQ pods that will have a functional RAT. I still need to finish those up. Currently completed and ready to go I have the AN-ALQ 218 pods on the wingtips (I made them from scratch, they are on the model in the vid), all 3 AN-ALQ hi/low band pods for underwing and centerline, 2 drop tanks, 2 AGM 88 HARMs on the outer pylons and 2 AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles for the fuse. All pylons/ordnance/stores have been fitted and are ready with the exception of the AN-ALQ pods. Should be interesting! And oh yes, the talhook is functional.

Thanks Dave for all of your help as I assembled this thing. I really appreciate it.

Bill

reznor

My Feedback: (4)

Here are a couple of shots during construction. It's not complete (missing antennas, etc.) but close. The day we did the maiden was pretty overcast and it doesn't show up well. This should show the markings better. The photos I had of the actual aircraft were taken before the Squadron deployed for Japan a month or so ago, so it doesn't have the most current markings but close. If you guys are interested in more details - I took a fair amount of pictures while I customized and built this plane that I could post. May not be able to get to it until after Jets Over Whidbey, but I should have some better pix from the field by then.

Bill

weasel33

Sorry my mistake forgot all about the tamjet tie up.
This is the Tamjet version i took these some years back at Fresno jets
pilot is Dave Presta best landing ive ever seen,take away the aerial and it could be the real thing

smchale

My Feedback: (67)

Bill,
No matter the source, congrats on your new ride and successful first flight(s).
Nice to see someone sprucing up a kit after researching a scheme and some unique details to break from the cookie-cutter out of the box ARFS. Thanks for sharing.