abat Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 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. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darby Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 I see what you mean about the belts, the look like parachute rip chords but the rest of looks fine and dandy. As for a RAN bird, keep going, never seen a two seater RAN before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavDoc Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 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!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAVY870 Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 Thanks Darby, Navdoc. I'm hoping the build will be fairly straightforward. Its the painting that always tests my patience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAVY870 Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Will be watching this one Do the camo scheme yeah....nice Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Nice start but those belts have to go. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOHN ELLIS Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 (edited) Here are some photos of 880 and one of 881 in 1984 John [/url]">http:// http://http://http://http:// Edited November 15, 2014 by JOHN ELLIS 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 Great photos, thanks John. Would have been brilliant working so closely with these aircraft. I really do like the camo scheme. Another great source of info and photos is adf serials: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Skyhawk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAVY870 Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 Great story Steve and you do have a keen eye for a venom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOHN ELLIS Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Flight line from the other end showing the Sea Venom. John http:// 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darby Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 I feel enlightened at having seen these RAN Skyhawks Thank Ye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 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. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAVY870 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 There's my girl! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSTON Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 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 abat. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 Why thank you Houston. The pressure is now on. John's photos are excellent. I'd love to see one of these aircraft flying. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 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..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 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 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumbles Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumbles Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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