FIGHTS ON Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 here is my next project, the kit I've always wanted and now I have one. This is the much awaited TRUMPETER 1/32 A-6E, and despite some frequent criticism of other trumpeter shape/rivet issues, this kit seems pretty well on the money - WELL DONE TRUMPETER . The box is huge and comes with the option to either fold the wings or have extended with slats & flaps all hanging out. Whilst I'd like to tease the Northerners on this site to "how large our houses are down South".....even this kit will not fit in my house without folding the wings! problem #1: Although the colour scheme offered in the decals (shown on cover of box) is of a composite wing'd late A-6E, the wing fold option in the kit is of the original A-6A/E wing fold. Solution: i still have an unused Paragon 1/48 composite wingfold + numerous references, so I intend to be brave and scratch build the wing fold (more on this in later posts) problem #2: decal options.......Wow, here's the rub, the kit supplied decals are......crap . The catch 22 seems to be: that for such an expensive kit, by trumpeter providing such poor decals, few are buying it, thus the aftermarket dudes are not rushing forward to make anything for it (not enough potential sales). AOA seem to have made some excellent DESERT STORM low viz markings (tempting!), but I really want to do one of those final deployment schemes that are so well represented by Fightertown, Aeromaster, etc in 1/48 Solution: a colour scan of the Aeromaster sheet in my stash, scaled up to 150% and then carefully handpainted/spare decals cut/ masking etc onto the 1/32 kit. [insert link here to previous 1/32 kits] Those that have seen my 2 x F-8s (1/32) will see what is achievable. I am torn between the VA-196 (as shown on the box) and VA-75. I really love that VA-196 retirement scheme (and ZOTZ did a limited addition of it), but the kit supplied decals are just too awful to use (wrong colour/size....and more!), and I think it is too ambitious. So CVW-17's ("AA") VA-75 final A-6E markings it'll be. http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af195/FIGHTS-ON/IMG_06161.jpg(picture of hand painted F-4N) The standard opening post in "Work in Progress" with the picture of box & reference material to follow when I can find the camera! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboydim Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 I'm sure you will make a cracking job FIGHTS ON. Looking forward to seeing you progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIGHTS ON Posted December 22, 2015 Author Share Posted December 22, 2015 Right, here are some pictures - pretty standard for a WIP at this stage: You can see just out of colour register the TRUMPETER Decals are, (and the shape & size are all wrong) The decals are shown next to an enlarged copy of the Aromaster sheet....i know which company I think got it right! picture of the Drop tanks to show that finally they have got the shape right (for those who have built the A-7 with those.....torpedos? or were they meant to be drop tanks, I really couldn't tell) this link will take you to my 1/32 F-8J build with home made/masked/painted decals to show you (& remind myself!) what can be done with a kit at this scale that needs improvements to the decals supplied http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234994007-132-trumpeter-f-8j-vf-53/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggyfoos Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Looking forward to seeing the build, never see enough big A-6s built. Typical of Trumpeter decals. A pink spade, come on. The kit's 533 decals are equally horrible too - the hawk looks more like a chicken and also really odd is the whitish colored numbers/tail codes, plus fictitious outlines (everything should be dark grey). It takes effort to screw it up that badly, and 3 seconds of even basic google search to see real aircraft. Everything is wrong, even the basic common markings. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Your handpainted Sundowners Phantom was a real beauty. I hope you can get a similar effect for this one! Love an ambitious project Al 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIGHTS ON Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 Al, Ziggy, thank you for the comments. I have masked/hand painted the st'b'd side tail as the VA-196 and it has come out really well. Instead of FS Red, I have used orange! I will attempt the VA-75 CVW-17 final scheme on the port side this week, I will post pictures next weekend when I bring it home for the weekend from work. Question, as stated, I used orange instead of red, based on this photo (please goggle "159579" and look at images), the second spade on the tail from the top is clearly orange, and is the same as the markings on the rest of the tail. I would welcome your opinion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggyfoos Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 (edited) I never really looked at that VA-196 scheme in much detail before. I see there are some excellent close-ups of it at Davis Monthan after retirement but the tail colors are obviously very weathered/sun bleached. Strange that the color of CAG, NK, the spade, and BuNo almost look like a different shade of color at that time, something in between the 2nd and 3rd spades and the devil also a different shade of yellow than the center spade (but the green/blue spades also look pastel colored at that point). Maybe they’re applied in thicker or thinner coats than the spades? http://www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/102466/159579-usa-navy-grumman-a-6-a-6e-intruder/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49589823@N05/13137984075 https://www.flickr.com/photos/49589823@N05/22311843964 https://www.flickr.com/photos/49589823@N05/13137982755/ Looking at the actual scheme in service though, from only the few somewhat clearish pics I could easily find it does look (to me) that you’re right in that the CAG, NK, 2nd spade, and Buno are all the same orange (the spade looking a little more orange in pics because the other markings are only thinner orange outlines I imagine). http://www.masm.fr/Navycag/va/va196d.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GbPcI30qhvQ/S7unWlMqnVI/AAAAAAAAApg/0gV020zSy7I/s1600/A-6+Trap++M+Morgan.jpg In this pic it almost looks like the devil face is a little more yellow/orange compared to the middle yellow spade: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/A-6Es_CAG_1996.JPEG Agree on orange rather than red. my 2cents Edited January 8, 2016 by ziggyfoos 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIGHTS ON Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 Ziggy, thank you for posting the hyperlinks - I'll try and get permission from one of those Davis Monthan Flickr authors to publish here. (tried using my wife's phone for post#6 hence not a hope of posting hyperlinks. i will attempt the VA-75 scheme this week (as per your last hyperlink) but that "vomiting seagull" (?) on the rudder will be a b*tch! (awaiting someone from CVW-17 to retort and suggest that it represents a beautiful bird of prey or something!) Concur with your assessment that there is an element of sun fade AND perhaps a hue nearer orange......well I've done orange now, and I ain't redoing it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 picture of the Drop tanks to show that finally they have got the shape right (for those who have built the A-7 with those.....torpedos? or were they meant to be drop tanks, I really couldn't tell) Is there any way of getting just those sprues for the tanks? , could do with a pair for my 1/32 Harrier build. Shaun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwinism Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Coincidentally a pair of Marine Prowlers did an approach into the base where I live yesterday. I've always had a soft spot for the A-6 family so I'll be following this build with interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper_city Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Can't go wrong with an A-6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIGHTS ON Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 Coincidentally a pair of Marine Prowlers did an approach into the base where I live yesterday. I've always had a soft spot for the A-6 family so I'll be following this build with interest. Am I right in saying it's just the marines that are still flying the Prowler now? I was lucky enough to spend a few weeks at sea on the Big E about 5 years ago, and CVW-1 where still flying then then. I think the poor maintainers had their work cut out for them, whereas the newer Rhino's always seemed pristine. I stuck my head into the wheel well of one of those prowlers in the hanger - wow, it was probably "white" once, but this one was just wiring and almost a yellow from all the oil streaks etc ......and "no", I won't be getting that much detail into my wheel wells. Hangar was also full of crated J75(?)'s - I guess the end was in sight for Grumman's beast even then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIGHTS ON Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 Is there any way of getting just those sprues for the tanks? , could do with a pair for my 1/32 Harrier build. Shaun. Having built. Trumpeter's A-7 some years ago, with what. I thought were torpedoes rather than drop tanks, I can confirm that these are the right shape. I'll check tomorrow, but I think there are enough supplied for a centreline + 4 wing tanks......and I ain't doing a tanker. PM inbound when I get 5 mins tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggyfoos Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 I thought it had three tanks, maybe I'm wrong on that. Yes marines are the only ones still using the EA-6B. They're all based at Cherry Point and their days are unfortunately numbered too. (J52 engines by the way) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIGHTS ON Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 The danger of posting on forums whilst the kit you're working on is sitting 90+ miles away at your place of work! However, i am pretty convinced that the A-6E kit has provided double sprues for the Drop tanks....here is the link to www.1999.jp (or what ever they're called, and a phot of the sprues in the bag. If you look at the instructions at step 35 it tells you to make 4 drop tanks + a centreline tank. I think Fisher Models (resin ) make a version of the ubiquitous 300gallon tank as well. (seems to have served at sea on A-1's, A-4's, A-6's, A-7s and the Harrier II's - somewhere there is a photo showing river locals ibn Loas or Vietnam using old Drop tanks as canoes!) http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10287090n4/40/4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggyfoos Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 (edited) And here I was only about 30 ft from the kit and I got it wrong. A little annoying they provide 5 tanks but only (I think!) 2 MERs. Personally I'd rather have more MERs in the kit rather than a full load of tanks if I had a choice. But they provide 4 MERs in their A-4 kit... Edited January 9, 2016 by ziggyfoos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 i am pretty convinced that the A-6E kit has provided double sprues for the Drop tanks....here is the link to www.1999.jp (or what ever they're called, and a phot of the sprues in the bag. If you look at the instructions at step 35 it tells you to make 4 drop tanks + a centreline tank. http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10287090n4/40/4 Thanks for the PM, hopefully we can sort out a trade. Shaun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIGHTS ON Posted March 21, 2017 Author Share Posted March 21, 2017 A year on! - (mind you I've been away in "warmer climes"). Some updates. Both tails are hand painted. the VA-75 still need tidying up. Top of tail fin sanded to provide correct profile (seems to be an issue with the Hobbyboss 1/48 kit as well I hear). Just started on wing fold modification. I'll update later with more detail 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboydim Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 Excellent hand painted tails Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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