F/A- 18 Super Hornet that was built by Havoc Hobby, a city-based RC and Aero modelling group

Although the F/A-18 Super Hornet did not take part in the aerial display at the recently concluded Aero India 2019, a glimpse of its static display at the airshow was enough for a team of city based Aero modellers to develop and operate a Remote Controlled (RC) model of the American twin engine multi role fighter aircraft. 

Rohit Dey, a city-based drone and RC developer with his team in Havoc Hobby had built scaled model of the F/A-18 Super Hornet and tested it in a test site in Anekal, about 30 kilometres from Bangalore. 

“I went to the Aero India show on the inaugural day and was fascinated with the F/A-18 Super Hornet. Though it was not part of the aerial displays like the Rafales or the F-16’s, I found it to be the most interesting among all other fighter aircraft on display. So we decided to build and test fly it,” Dey said. 

Dey who is also the technical director of Havoc Hobby which provides RC and Aero modelling training for students added, “This project (to build the F/A-18 Super Hornet) was done with Havoc Hobby as part of rapid prototyping which means to build scaled models which are 90% identical to the actual live model. By developing and testing this prototype we wanted to showcase before students and budding Aero modellers how an actual plane flies.” 

Further explaining the specifications of the scaled model of the F/A-18 Super Hornet he said that it weighs around two kilograms with a wing span of 1.7 meters. “The aircraft has a IC Glow engine which runs on special fuel called nitro fuel. Besides it can hit a top speed of 80km/h. The testing was done in accordance with the DGCA’s testing rules for RC operated aircraft,” he said. 

Dey said that in the coming days there would be further enhancements to the F/A-18 Super Hornet model. “We want to incorporate a turbine engine replacing the IC Glow engine which will enable the aircraft to operate at higher speeds,” Dey said.