US Navy and Marine Super Hornet Model: A BHPian asked this question online, and another member shared a clear answer with simple examples using 1:72 scale models from JC Wings. This comparison makes the differences easy to see and understand. The full quote appears as it was shared: “What are the visual differences between a legacy hornet and a super hornet, apart from the air intakes? Is the airframe bigger?”
BHPian skanchan95 then showed two models. One was the F/A-18E Super Hornet VFA-81 “Sunliners”, US Navy. The other was the F/A-18A+ Hornet VMFA-115 “Silver Eagles”, US Marines. By placing both models next to each other, the differences became very clear even for someone new to fighter jets.
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US Navy and Marine Super Hornet Model
Size
The Super Hornet looks larger and bulkier than the Legacy Hornet. The writer explained that the Super Hornet airframe is about 20% to 25% bigger in length and wingspan. This simple size increase makes the Super Hornet stand out right away.
Air intakes
The Legacy Hornet uses small rounded intakes. The Super Hornet uses big rectangular intakes. The quote said it clearly: “Engine Intakes – As you correctly said, the Engine Intakes are the primary differentiator between the Legacy Hornets and Super Hornets.” These shapes tell you instantly which plane you are looking at.
LEX sections
These are the small wing-like pieces near the front of the jet. The Legacy Hornet has a thin LEX with a strong double curve. The Super Hornet has a wider LEX with one smoother curve. On the Super Hornet nose, there is a box-shaped part called the “Pizza Box” that holds the AN/APX-111 IFF system. The Legacy Hornet has the smaller “bird slicer” antennas instead.
Wings
The Legacy Hornet keeps a straight outer wing edge. The Super Hornet has a little sawtooth cut in that area. The Super Hornet wings and tail surfaces also look bigger. Even the canopy looks different. The Super Hornet has a wider and more angled canopy shape. The writer joked that the pilot position on the model is wrong, saying it is a known issue with this JC Wings Super Hornet.
Other Small But Important Differences
The speedbrake is also not the same. The Legacy Hornet has a normal pop-out brake between the two tails. The Super Hornet does not have a separate brake. It uses its other control parts to slow down.
The landing gear on the Super Hornet is strong and heavy because the jet is bigger. The models do not show this well, but it is true on the real aircraft.
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The number of hardpoints changes too. The quote explains: “The Super Hornet has 11 Hardpoints compared to the Legacy Hornet’s 9.” The Super Hornet can carry two drop tanks under each wing on the inner pylons. The Legacy Hornet can only carry one on each wing. The Super Hornet also tilts its pylons outward because early tests showed problems with straight pylons. Changing the angle fixed the separation problem even though it added more drag.
The last question asked about the display base that looks like a carrier deck. The reply said: “These days it comes as part of the package in JC Wings 1:72 carrier based models. This one is from an EA-6B Package.”
