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RAN TA-4G Skyhawk


abat

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I've decided to upscale and start work on my first ever 1/48 build - a RAN TA-4G. This is running in parallel with my yet-to-be-finished Bristol Sycamore and 1B Huey - both in 1/72 or thereabouts for the Sycamore.

First up, as always, the cockpit. I've really enjoyed the additional detail available in 1/48, picking out all the raised detail on the control panels. I do have some aftermarket resin seats that needs some trimming to fit - a little too wide. I may, or may not use those. As it is, I've added a hose or two to the kit seats but have yet to paint the black bands on the ejection handle.The kit belts do look unconvincing though.

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One of my favorite airplanes-- one I've always thought of as difficult to model - will enjoy watching you tackle this one- you are off to a great start- I like that cockpit!!

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Before you seal it up, the seats should be black and the two throttle levers should be light grey.

Other than that, nice job.

Which one are you going to do? Personally I like 881, damn fine aeroplane til some bonehead kiwi dumped her in the ocean.

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Before you seal it up, the seats should be black and the two throttle levers should be light grey.

Other than that, nice job.

Which one are you going to do? Personally I like 881, damn fine aeroplane til some bonehead kiwi dumped her in the ocean.

Thanks for the tips Steve. The seat frame is black then? What about the cushions? I chose red for the throttles because it looked good, but grey they shall now be. Hawkeye decals do a 1/48 TA-4G. I was thinking of an 80's camo scheme - 880, but I could still be swayed.

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Thanks for the tips Steve. The seat frame is black then? What about the cushions? I chose red for the throttles because it looked good, but grey they shall now be. Hawkeye decals do a 1/48 TA-4G. I was thinking of an 80's camo scheme - 880, but I could still be swayed.

Seat cushions are fine as is.

80 was the first RAN scooter to hit Mach 1 and did the very last RAN Skyhawk landing at NAS Nowra in 1984.

She's now in the FAA Museum.

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Brilliant photo's of what was a truely awful day, must have been the same when the poms gave the Harriers away.

Keen viewers will note the Sea Venom hiding behind the A-4's in the second photo, thats "my" WZ-895 (NAVY 870)

I had the prviledge to be in the observers seat as we led the FAA out onto the strip. We did a fast taxy, blowing the

doors of Firefly 245 in the process and the Skyhawks took off over the top of us.

A never to be forgotten moment.

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With John's permission, I've done a bit of Photoshop work to try and restore the original colour balance. Thank you again John for sharing these.

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SEAVENOM1984_zpsb39b2774-L.jpg

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Abat..

NEAT start.... I think I am going to SO enjoy this as I do have an admiration for Skyhawk...

the photos look great* your work*

The extra links and NAVY870 ....those photos are AEESOMEA..

GOOD story too..

keep up the :goodjob: abat. .

:clap2:

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Sitting quietly in my stash is the 1/32 Hasegawa offering, with a set of Aussie decals with the chequerboard fin superimposed by a Knight's chesspiece.Hmmm.....

Go on, you know you want to ...

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  • 5 months later...

Why thank you Houston. The pressure is now on.

John's photos are excellent. I'd love to see one of these aircraft flying.

Resurrecting an old thread, but while 880 (or NZ6255 as it's more known on my side of the ditch :) ) is in the FAA museum, if you fancy a trip to Florida you can see some of the other ex RNZAF (and ex RAN) A-4's and TA-4's still earning their keep as privately operated advesaries:

http://www.drakenintl.com/aircraft-inventory.html

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Brilliant photo's of what was a truely awful day, must have been the same when the poms gave the Harriers away.

I was at Ohakea for the 75, 2 and 14 disbandment display in 2001, so know the feeling.

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