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I'm pleased to present my most recent build, the 1/48 Hasegawa A-4F, wearing the colorful test livery of BuNo 154175, assigned to the Naval Air Test Center at NAS Patuxent River, circa July 1969 (reference photo). Decals come from the Caracal Models' A-4E/F Skyhawk sheet, and a handful of aftermarket rounds out the presentation. The build itself was mostly pleasant. The Hasegawa A-4 tooling as been around for almost twenty-five years, so it's strengths and weaknesses are well-defined at this point. I opted not to fix the step at the back of the slat wells; any scratch repair job on my part would have been far more noticeable than a subtle geometry error you have to know to look for. The only really iffy issues for me were with the engine intakes and the rear fuselage air brakes. The intakes are a bit of a mini-model in their own right; I had to paint, assemble, and mask them prior to fairing them into the fuselage. Because my reference aircraft didn't have the stiffening plate, I was able to remove it, which let me line up the intake to the fuselage without much bother -- otherwise, the two halves of the stiffening plate weren't going to match up no matter how much I sanded or prayed. It's an adage that if a part can be opened, the kit maker probably expects you're going to pose it open, and the air brakes are no different here. It took some (mostly) judicious sanding to get them basically flush with the surrounding fuselage area. Full marks for any kit maker that includes a bespoke closed part for anything that can be opened! The aftermarket for this one includes an engine exhaust plug from Phase Hangar Resin; intake FOD covers from Quickboost; and most notably, brand new Aero 1D 300-gallon drop tanks from Flying Leatherneck. The kit drop tanks are frightfully basic, lacking any detail whatsoever. These tanks have detail to spare, particularly with the characteristic fuel-filler cap towards the left front of the tanks. I fumbled a bit with the tank assembly, thinking the joins where the nose and fin attach were meant to have a visible seam; they were most decidedly not, and much filling, sanding, and swearing ensued, but the final result isn't too bad. They required a bit of surgery to fit on the kit pylons, but nothing too radical, and they don't affect the center of gravity sufficiently to turn a properly-weighted Hasegawa A-4 into a tail-sitter. (I did manage to drop one and snap off the fin, alas, after painting, so the starboard tank has a slightly cracked fin.) I tried to use a LP Models crew ladder, but I just couldn't get the mounting rod to match up with the matching hole I drilled before I bought it. Shame, because it's very nice. The ladder on the ground in some of the pictures is the LP version; the mounted ladder is from the kit. The figures are from the very nice ICM US Pilots and Ground Personnel (Vietnam War) set, and the base is a pre-made Zoukei-Mura model, which remains the best $20 I've ever spent in the hobby. Decals went down like a dream, just as you'd expect from Caracal and Cartograf. The only iffy decal issue arose when it came time to place the US insignia over the wing vortex generators on the port wing, the bane of any US Navy or Marine Skyhawk build. I erred on the side of caution and hoped that prodigious applications of MicroSol would get the decal to conform, but I needed to have been more aggressive with actually pressing down on the decal during the initial application, I think, as it's not a "painted on" look, with slight bumpy contours visible between the strakes. To their credit, the Cartograf/Caracal decals held up to the MicroSol, only tearing when I tried to force the issue (literally). A tiny piece of white decal from a spare on the sheet covered most of my sins, but it's the one weak point with the decals on the build, all due to the user. Paints are a mixture of Mr. Paint and Mr. Color lacquers, laid down over black and pink Mr. Finishing Surfacer 1500. The red landing gear bay door outlines were applied with a red paint pen. I went for a black-basing technique on the light gull grey uppers and white lowers, and I opted against a glossy finish. I really wanted a worn-down aircraft in this one, so I used an off-white instead of an insignia white and put down a final dull coat using Winsor & Newton Galeria Matt. Indeed, it's a heavily weathered bird, probably not to everyone's taste, but I wanted to work on my weathering skills. I went for an overall uniformity of grub, using a warm grey oil wash. Though I'm sure no crew chief would let his or her aircraft out of the hangar quite so scuffed up, I'm envisioning the end of a series of grueling test flights in the frankly oppressive summer humidity of southern Maryland, as well as claiming a bit of artistic license. This particular airframe went through so many changes of scheme that I wager it was repainted as often as it was scrubbed down. On the whole, this was an enjoyable project, one that really stretched my skills. Thanks for reading and for taking a look.

Magic Factory is to release a 1/48th Douglas A-4M Skyhawk kit - ref. 5002 Sources: https://hobby.dengeki.com/event/2090005/ https://twitter.com/HobbylandOsaka/status/1707652780444541185/photo/2 Design model V.P.

Next Kinetic's 1/48th kit project will be, after the F-18 Hornet, another (USN?) classic naval fighter. All bets are off - Douglas A-4 Skyhawk? - LTV A-7 Corsair? - Vought F-8 Crusader? - Lockheed S-3 Viking? etc. or a Grumman F-14 Tomcat... I would prefer a Grumman F11F Tiger, a North American FJ-3 Fury, or a McDonnell F2H-3/4 Banshee. Not a fighter but also in my 1/48th wishlist is the North American AJ-1/-2 Savage... Source: http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=287539&view=findpost&p=2808958 V.P.

Hello fellow modellers It's not exagerating to say that it's a pure joy to publish this topic, since it's my first finished model since last century !!! ( in fact my previously finished kit was a 1/48 Heller Rafale A completed in 1998 or so ... before this kit was even released ) . The famous 2001 Hasegawa kit is splendid in some areas , and bizarre , really inaccurate or approximate in others . To me , it's the exact link between vintage and modern kits . Anyway I fell in love with this kit , not to mention the aircraft itself and I plan to build at least ten more ... No aftermarket parts were used or hurt during the building , I tried to upgrade the model the old way , the modifications are as follows : - Model entirely rescribed - Cockpit / Canopy upgaded with PC , metal sheet , copper wire , tamiya tape etc .... - Seat almost totally rebuilt with head knocker , reshaped head rest , harness etc ... - Landing gear and doors modified and wired , front wheel visually detached from gear . - Scratch built landing lights well in left leading edge . - Slat wells reshaped to be flush with the extrados. - Canons drilled. - Armament pylons rescribed , modified with scratchbuilt sway bars and connections - Fuel tank rescribed and " welded " , drain added . - Shrike missiles and Mk82 bombs detailled with scratched parts . - RBF and pins . The WIP is located in the Skyhawk STGB here : https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235091381-a-4f-va-55-uss-hancock-nam-1972-hasegawa-148/ And now , here are the pics : Hope you like it . for passing by § Cheers !

Hi all! Another Israeli build complete as part of my little project (Next up is an F-4E). WIP below: This is Esci's A-4M/N kit from 1979, its not very accurate to the A-4N at all (wrong canopy shape, wrong exhaust- the list goes on) but it looks like a Skyhawk so it does the job. Apart from some minor warping to the avionics hump and wing slats the fit was pretty good considering the kits age. All OOB, though I painted the canopy frame to resemble the A-4N's more closely. The kit even comes with a fictional IAF squadron. Painted with AK's 3rd Gen IAF paint set and they were superb to brush paint with and the colours look pretty spot on. Thanks for looking in!

Source: https://www.facebook.com/JETMADS2016/posts/pfbid02EsFZDAqgLmZd2MBJUTx1KW33JW71YgRNA5AMMzBRpqptU3qL3APQki4CxsWtKZQol V.P.

HobbyBoss is to release in late February 2019 a 1/72nd Douglas A-4E Skyhawk kit - ref. 87254 Source: http://www.hobbyboss.com/index.php?g=home&m=article&a=show&id=129&l=en It'll be the first of a 1/72nd Skyhawk family. - ref. 87254 - Douglas A-4E Skyhawk - ref. 87255 - Douglas A-4F Skyhawk - ref. 87256 - Douglas A-4M Skyhawk V.P.

Ok……I am having too many work in progress build here and none completed. Here’s another one, my first 1/144 and a tiny one too. The big 1/144 B777-300ER will have to wait for next year. My inspiration came because of one top view picture of the plane blending with the ground. So I will build this tiny plane flying with a blur background, all mounted in an enclosed picture box. So, here’s the plane; a New Zealand A-4 Skyhawk. The kit came with 2 planes, so I may build 2 planes with different camouflage.

Hobby 2000 is to rebox the Fujimi 1/72nd Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk kit in IDF/AF service - ref. 72052 Source: https://www.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=95825&start=13185#p2473385 V.P.

Hello everybody, now i will show you my sixth A-4 Skyhawk and my second A-4F. It's also from Fujimi. The Decals wasn't good (too much orange), so i bought me some from camdecals.com. also i used a Nozzle and Wheels from Aires.

The decision has been made. This is going to be my entry 1/48 scale but still small enough to fit in my ever diminishing space. I have no idea on how this will go together having not experienced Hobby Boss kits before, but it looks fairly doable in 24 hours. Selected scheme will be As these always look clean in photos so weathering is going to be minimal. Start date will be tomorrow afternoon after the last family leaves and I get my bench back.

About 6 weeks left and I reckon it's not too late for another entry - or two in this case. A pair of Hasegawa 1/48 Skyhawks. First up is an A-4C. This will be a Naval Air Test Center aircraft, using Two Bobs decals: The NATC used Skyhawks to test ordnance at China Lake in the 60s and 70s so it needs something to test. I found a photo online of the aircraft in question carrying an orange and black Walleye guided bomb, so I'll be using a Daco resin Walleye. Other aftermarket will be a Quickboost seat and Hypersonic corrected nose undercarriage door. The second one will be a Brazilian Navy TA-4KU, known as an AF-1B in Brazilian service. This is the Hasegawa TA-4J with a resin conversion by Phase Hangar. I built an OA-4M using the Phase Hangar conversion late last year - it was pretty straightforward, this should be the same, if not easier, as it's slightly simpler as i don't have to replace the kit's nose. I'll be using Quickboost seats on this one, and decals from FCM. I've made a start already - a bit of paint on the interior, fitted the jetpipes and so on. Nothing that's really worth photographing yet - will post an update soon. cheers Julian

Hi all, here is the third installment of 'pictures edited in lock down', this time from the amazing National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola which I was lucky enough to visit during November 2018. Sadly the tour of the storage area wasn't available that day as the volunteer who drives the buggy was unwell, which meand I'll just have to go again I took loads of shots which are all here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/65364952@N06/albums/72157703428076121/page1 SabreLiner by tony_inkster, on Flickr B-25 Mitchell by tony_inkster, on Flickr SeaKing by tony_inkster, on Flickr A-4 Skyhawk (Blue Angels) by tony_inkster, on Flickr F-14 Tomcat by tony_inkster, on Flickr Bearcat by tony_inkster, on Flickr Douglas SBD Dauntless by tony_inkster, on Flickr AF-2S Guardian by tony_inkster, on Flickr RF-8 Crusader by tony_inkster, on Flickr S-3 Viking 'Navy One' by tony_inkster, on Flickr CH-53 Sea Stallion by tony_inkster, on Flickr F7U Cutlass (2) by tony_inkster, on Flickr F3H Demon by tony_inkster, on Flickr TV-2 T-33 Shooting Star by tony_inkster, on Flickr A-1 Skyraider by tony_inkster, on Flickr F11F Tiger by tony_inkster, on Flickr Photo Banshee by tony_inkster, on Flickr F2H Banshee by tony_inkster, on Flickr Prowler by tony_inkster, on Flickr

Greetings everyone ! This will be a fast project ! The Hasegawa kit is an old one with no detail . Fitting is acceptable . I decided to paint the model with a cute green camo that i found on the internet . I don't know if it's historically valid but i don't care much . This is my progress so far . Hope you like it ! IMG_20200412_123651 by Dionyssis Vacalas, on Flickr IMG_20200412_123641 by Dionyssis Vacalas, on Flickr IMG_20200412_123631 by Dionyssis Vacalas, on Flickr IMG_20200413_193236 by Dionyssis Vacalas, on Flickr IMG_20200413_193217 by Dionyssis Vacalas, on Flickr IMG_20200413_193245 by Dionyssis Vacalas, on Flickr

Phase Hangar Resin Accessories is to release a serie of sets for the 1/48th Hasegawa Scooters. Among others are parts to convert the Hasegawa TA-4J into 1/48th Douglas OA-4M and TA-4KU Skyhawk! Sources: https://www.facebook.com/PhaseHangarResinAccessories/posts/10156828722443802 https://www.facebook.com/PhaseHangarResinAccessories/photos/a.10151770899413802/10156825579588802/ V.P.

The A-4H was developed specially for Israel, it was A-4E which featured improved avionics and the improved thrust J52-P-8A engine. Armament consisted of twin DEFA 30 mm cannons. Later modifications included the avionics hump and an extended tailpipe, implemented in Israel by IAI. Pics thanks to Dov.

Douglas A-4F Skyhawk, an improved A-4E. Pics thx to Dov.

Got this from a longtime friend, model builder, and former college classmate. Some classic USN props/jets, including S2F's, A-4's, F-4's, F8U's, A-5's, and SH2 Seasprites. I noticed none of the A-4's, F8U's, or A-5's had red-edged landing gear doors, but slat coves, flaps, and speedbrakes did appear to have red applied. I hope you enjoy this British Pathe video! Mike https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl-aUcOWFME

A-4E Skyhawk Update sets & masks 1:48 Eduard for Trumpeter Kit Eduard now bring us an update set, seatbelts, Airbrakes and a set of masks for the new Trumpeter A-4E Update Set (49871) Inside there are two frets, one coloured and one not. The coloured parts are mainly for the cockpit including a new instrument panel, sides panels, and various levers. A new floor is provided along sides for the ejection seat, also new HUD parts are provided. For the airframe new parts are provided for the gear doors, and gear bays as well as the jet exhaust and rear chaff launchers. New parts are provided for the inside of the canopy and the fillers on the fuel tanks. If the modeller only wants the coloured cockpit etch then this is available as a zoom set. Full Set ZOOM Seat Belts (FE872) This contains a full set of seatbelts for the kits ejection seats It also contains ejection seat handles. All in the newer Eduard flixible steel, in full colour. Airbrakes (48939) This contains a full set of replacement speed brakes and interior well parts for the kit. Masks (EX569) Eduard provide two sets of masks. These are for the canopy and the wheels. Review samples courtesy of

A-4C Bu No.147715 at the Fort Worth Aviation museum. Pics thanks to Nigel Heath.

Today (May 13th) is official Top Gun day! Don't believe me? Take a look here: http://www.topgunday.com/ As I browsed the hobby shop looking for a new model, it occurred to me that now would be an excellent time to build an F-14, something I've wanted to do for a while. Nearby I spotted Airfix's A-4 Skyhawk and realised that with some extra decals (currently en-route), and decided to put together a trio of aircraft. The thought for now is to pose them "in flight", lined up to represent the conclusion of this scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC976fuQm4E Not much progress yet, but I wanted to prove that I started it on Top Gun day. The Skyhawks will need a bit of cosmetic work to turn them into "E" models, but they were the only type I could find in the shop, and close enough. I've built that kit once before and very much enjoyed it. F-14 Contents A-4 Contents. This should be fun!

Finished on the last day of the year. Venerable ESCI kit, still holding itself I used Mr. Paint lacquer colors. Alclad Aqua Gloss varnish Decals came from an old microscale sheet (72-114) and worked still well (puhh..) Wheels from Aires Target from Hasegawa Weapons Kit nr. IV Happy new year! Ben

Thanks Luis. Condor Decals Is to release a 1/32nd Douglas A-4Q Skyhawk conversion and decals set for Argentina Navy birds - ref. 32059 Source: http://www.condordecals.com.ar/condordecals/home.php V.P.

A few pics from a quick visit at Wittmund air base on last week. The Discovery Air A-4N Skyhawk are acting as target towing a/c for the seven Austrian Luftstreitkräfte Eurofighters currently deployed on Air Practice Camp in Lower Saxony. . V.P. With all my thanks to Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 71 Richthofen - Stab S1 InFü/Pr/ÖA

Hi all, A few baby jets for those out there who love them ... TA-4F Atlanta NAS, Georgia - October 1980 TA-4J Meridian NAS, Mississippi - October 1980 A-4F? - Memphis NAS, Tennessee - May 1982 TA-4F? - Memphis NAS, Tennessee - May 1982 Martin