I've had some planes I would call my best builds, first it was the AN-2, then it was the MiG-23, then, the MiG-29. Now, that honor falls to this one.

Description

The F/A-18 Hornet is perhaps the most infamous carrier capable fighter jet of all time, designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop for the United States Navy and Marines Corps. It is a single-seat, twin engine, twin tail midwing, tactical multirole combat aircraft made for carrier-borne operations. Its dual GE F404 afterburning turbofans gave it a maximum speed of Mach 1.8, along with a combat range of 460mi (740km) and a service ceiling of 50,000ft (15,000m). The Hornet could carry a wide range of armaments, from Sidewinders, Sparrows, and AMRAAMs, to Mavericks, Harpoons, and HARMs. Its trapezoidal wing and canted tails coupled with a digital fly-by-wire system enables it to be controable even in high angles of attack, making it one of the best dogfighters amongst its contemporaries. The aircraft would prove itself especially during the Gulf War, as well as in other deployments such as Kosovo and Afghanistan.

The F/A-18A is the earliest variant of the Hornet, equipped with the older AN/APG-65 radar, it can be armed with the AiM-7F Sparrow, AiM-9L Sidewinder, AGM-65E Maverick, AGM-62 Walleye I/II, AGM-88 HARM, and AGM-84 Harpoon. Other notable details includes a unique antenna configuration, analog fuel displays, and the lack of wing fences on top of the leading edge extensions. Upgraded examples are still in service with several countries worldwide, including Spain, Canada (CF-188A), and some US Marine squadrons.

In This SimplePlanes Version,

As is typical as of late, this aircraft wasn't initially meant to be this well made, I was going to make a 250ish parts no cockpit plane at first then got carried away building the landing gear, the rest kinda just followed suit and I ended up spending a bit over 13 days making the entire thing (and then some 4 days making that cinematic I posted, which includes an additional few hours making a whole 'nother jet to play as the enemy in that vid).

Features

• Semi-realistic performance - it can sustain a 24 degs/sec turn rate, reach Mach 1 at sea level, and accelerates realistically (to me at least).
• Highly detailed cockpit with functionality - Boy, there's so much to put in here, so I'll just-

• Buttons that are replicable are replicated, like the jettison button is roughly where it's supposed to be on the real thing.
• Simulated G-Load, camera go boing boing.
• Working displays, such as radar screens, weapons page, RWR, so on.
• Decorative buttons, so that the cockpit feels more alive (even though it's innaccurate).

• Semi-realistic weaponry - Missiles have accurate G-load and effective range, cannon damage is buffed to heck, and the Snake Eye bombs deploys fins (Courtesy of Kendog84)
• Custom accurate landing gear - This has to do with the rear landing gear, irl the gear arm extends until it is almost straight, and then folds when the aircraft touches the ground, this build replicates that, it breaks USS Beast's hook connection tho.
• New minor details - Antennas, servo fairings, and the vent on the leading edge extensions.

Armament

• 2x AiM-7F Sparrow
• 2x AiM-9L Sidewinder
• 4x Mk. 82 Snake Eye (with deploying fins)
• 1x 20mm M61A1 Vulcan
• 60x Chaff & Flares

Controls

AG1 = Drop tanks
AG2 = AoA limiter
AG3 = Jettison weapons
AG4 = Open cockpit
AG4 + AG2 = Wing fold
AG5 in air = Fuel probe
AG5 + gear = Tail hook
AG6 = Lights
AG7 = Formation lights

Credits

Striderxxl for displays (HUD, radar)
Ku for RWR
Kendog84 for retard-bomb fin system

Notes

• Slight inaccuracy on the countermeasure, it should've been a single ALE-47 on each nacelles as opposed to the two ALE-39 installed on this.
• The plane tends to roll very slightly backwards while on the ground, idk what causes that, and braking doesn't help.

SIMPLE VERSION (294 PARTS)