EA-18G Growler ‘VAQ-141 Shadowhawks’

[Paul A H]

EA-18G Growler ‘VAQ-141 Shadowhawks’

1:72 Hasegawa

The EA-18G Growler is a specialised electronic warfare aircraft developed from the successful F/A-18F Super Hornet. Designed to replace the ageing EA-6B Prowler in US Navy service, a total of 114 EA-18Gs have been ordered by US Department of Defense. The design features a number of important differences when compared to the F/A-18F, including changes to the wings to improve stability for electronic warfare missions.

As was the case with the EA-6B Prowler, the EA-18G Growler is capable of carrying out Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) missions and can carry two AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles as well as two AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles for self-defence. The 20mm M61A1 cannon carried by the Super Hornet has been deleted and replaced by additional avionics for the electronic warfare role. To this end, the Growler can be equipped with both high band and low band AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System pods as well as other associated equipment.

Hasegawa’s EA-18G belongs to the latest generation of kits from the Japanese manufacturer. The mouldings are clean, crisp and richly detailed. Surface detail is represented by fine, engraved panel lines and recessed rivet and fastener detail. The kit is made up of 177 parts spread across a box full of light grey sprues and one clear sprue. The cockpit tub is slightly disappointing as it is devoid of raised detail on areas such as the instrument panels and side consoles. Decals are provided to represent instruments and controls instead. The Martin Baker NACES ejection seats are fairly basic too and would benefit from a spruce up with photo etched parts or replacement with resin equivalents.

Things pick up with the rest of the airframe, however, and areas such as the landing gear bays feature some very convincing moulded detail. The undercarriage itself is similarly well-detailed and should look excellent under a light wash of thinned paint to bring out all the delicate detail. The wheels are nicely moulded but are not weighted, so you may want to sand some small flat spots onto the tyres prior to painted. The engine intakes are pretty much full length, but open out into the hollow fuselage shell, so you will probably want to blank them off with a piece of plastic card before joining the upper and lower fuselage halves together.

The additional parts necessary to represent the wings of the EA-18G are included, as are various other antennae and lumps and bumps unique to this variant of the Hornet. As with the Prowler I also reviewed this month, the builder is required to undertake a bit of scratchbuilding in order to create an accurate mode of a Growler. There are a couple of access panels on the nose (presumably relating to the 20mm cannon that has been deleted) that must be filled and, slightly more tricky, a new panel line that must be scribed around the circumference of the nose cone. Not an ideal situation, but I guess at least Hasegawa provide clear instructions to explain what needs to be done.

A very good selection of ordnance is provided, including 2 x 480 gallon fuel tanks, 2 x AIM-120 AMRAAMs air-to-air missiles, 2 x AGM-88E AARGM anti-radiation missiles, 2 x ALQ-99 High Band Jammer Pods, 1 x ALQ-99 Low Band Jammer Pod and the pair of ALQ-218(V)2 pods that replace the sidewinder launch rails on the wingtips of the Growler. I can’t think of anything that should be here but isn’t, so full marks to Hasegawa on this front.

The large canopy is very thin and very clear, although it does have a mould seam down the middle that will have to be polished out with a nail buffer or similar tool. Optional parts are provided which allow you to pose the canopy in the open position too.

Decal options are provided for two aircraft:

500 of VFA-141 ‘Shadowhawks’, USS George H. W. Bush, US Navy, 2010 and

510 of VAQ-138 ‘Yellow Jackets’, COMVAQWINGPAC, US Navy.

The decals are printed (by Cartograf) and are exceptionally sharp, with bold colours. They appear to be nice and glossy, so they should settle down well.

Conclusion

This has all the features you would expect to find in a modern kit from Hasegawa. Overall detail, and particularly the engraved detail on the surface of the airframe, is very good. The only exception is the rather spartan cockpit. A good selection of ordnance is provided too, allowing you to build your EA-18G in pretty much any operational configuration. Overall this is a high-quality product and it should be possible to build a very pleasing model straight from the box.

Review sample courtesy of UK distributors for