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+++Restarted+++ Golden Scooter – 1/48 RNZAF TA-4K 50th Anniversary Special


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Ok this is my 4th build on the go at once, must be totally mad!! :banghead:

I decided to bring a bit of :bling: to this group build and build RNZAF TA-4K done up in a special "one off" colour scheme to celebrate their 50th Anniversary in 1987

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For the base I’m going to try and bash a Classic Airframes TA-4J into some sort of shape so as it at least looks like the RNZAF TA-4K. Not too many mods required to do this luckily so it will be pretty much out of the box build.

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This box looks like it's been through the wars!

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It even comes with resin bits! :D

The only extra of course is the Model Alliance decals, which are execllent and now very rare so I'd better not stuff this one up!!!

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Special care though will be needed on the base finish as the gold is bound to show any minor blemishes. Should look pretty spectacular once it’s done, hopefully a nice quick simple build......maybe!

Plus if there are any experts on the TA-4K that would like to help provide info on the mods required, they'd be gratetfully received. I have info but am always happy to receive expert advice.

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Nice one Rich, I have the CA kit and the same decals to build one day. I saw this jet at the 50th Anniversary air shows at Ohakea and Whenuapia when i was over there with 77SQN.

Just take note the decals are not quite 100% correct. If you compare your picture with the decal sheet you will see there is a missing slab of white between the red and blue on the rear fuselage below the blue horizontal line. Easy fixed with a piece of white decal film cut to shape.

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Did this one a while ago. I used the AZ models kit. That was a mistake. Looks like the same resin though.

Good luck.

One piece of advice. Along the sides theres the little ram air intakes (ill put a photo below, i dont know what theyre actually called) i recommend leaving them off until after the major decals are on. I put them on first and the decals bunched around them. Just paint them white and you'll be fine.

Also, the nose is wrong on the decals, the decals are blunt, but the real aircraft blended into a point.

Also (sorry) the colour was officially called "Benson & Hedges Gold" It was the same colour as the B&H cigarette packets. If you need a reference ill see what i can rustle up, my partner smokes so im sure we can get an empty packet to send your way.

Bittoputonlast_zps80875154.jpg

Credit to whoever took the photo, ive modified it for this purpose.

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As much as I hate to say it, there are a significant number of changes to the kit to model the RNZAF Anniversary jet.

Vent mast beside arrestor hook needs to be moved from port to starboard

Nav light on the landing gear fairing needs to be moved from port to starboard

Squared off fin tip needed

Sharkfin antenna behind cockpit needed

Clear nav light at rear of base of tail fin needed

Fill the small NACA vent just in front of the port speedbrake/behind the small protruding square intake

No chaff/flare dispensers

Add brake chute under rear fuselage

150 Gallon drop tanks (not the 300 Gallon ones in the kit - the jet never carried them and no 300 gallon tanks were painted for the scheme - 2Mikes resin 150 Gallon ones are perfect shape and fit)

Those are the ones I can remember off the top of my head.

For the gold paint, I spent an afternoon in the local model shop with paint chips of the original paint used on the jet and Italeri Gloss Brass (4672AP) was an exact match - all other gold model paints were either too silver or too coppery.

As much as I hate to say it, if you want an accurate model, the Model Alliance decals are not useable. Despite a friend of mine giving them a huge amount of references from our time working on and around the real jet, they messed up all of the decals. Apart from the missing white section, shapes and fonts are not correct on any of the decals, the stripes on the fuselage and stars on the tail are noticably too small, the RNZAF font on the wing is too anemic and the wrong font, and the scroll under the canopy is too flat. The forward stripes should end in a point at the black radome line, but the MA ones don't.

I have just finished masking the stripes for my own build of this jet, and sold my set of MA decals many years ago as not fit for purpose.

Edited by Talon
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Its a shame theyre the only ones available. Maybe time for a new set?

Plenty of reference photos from in the paint shop about half way down this page.

http://a4-alley.x90x.net/A4-Alley/RNZAF-Skyhawks-page-2.html

Ill second Talons recomendation of 2mikes 150 gallon tanks. Theyre nice tanks. Dont throw out the kit tanks though, i think you need the tail fins from them (cant quite remember if 2mikes tanks come with them or not)

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Thanks for all the information, makes me wonder if I really should even be bothered!! :shrug:

From what I can gather the Classic Airframe model is the same as the AZ, so I have that fun ahead for me as well! :wall:

Oh well it looks like I have a bit of a challenge, days gone by I built 100% accurate replicas but these days I prefer to build more for enjoyment so we go only for 95%!

Thanks for the info, I’ll add this to the all the other reference material I have, hmmm a lot to read.

Have got a set of Red Roo 150gl drop tanks, have heard they are not quite right but will see.

The colour, are yes that was always going to be an issue, as I haven’t seen the real thing and I don’t have a colour swatch to compare with. Plus an exact match would not be right anyway, colour scaling to 1/48th would lighten the actual colour by about 10%. I know that doesn’t sound a lot, but when comparing colour swatches with the real thing the colour difference is quite noticeable. So I’ll have to colour match as best I can.

Whatever happens it’ll be fun and a lovely addition to the collection. plus who can't love :bling::D

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Plenty of reference photos from in the paint shop about half way down this page.

http://a4-alley.x90x.net/A4-Alley/RNZAF-Skyhawks-page-2.html

I found this site which has lots of info plus the actual process of the paint job, even when they got the LHS fuselage marking facing the wrong way!

http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/RNZAF_50th_Anniv_Skyhawk.html

Plus they have some good info on building the model, plus the issue with the Red Roo tanks.

Just wish I could get original colour correct photos!

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Yes, you need the kit droptank tailfins to go with the TwoMikes tanks.

The issues with the Red Roo tanks are that they are far too skinny and the tails have a funny cross section (though can easily be replaced with the kit tails). Bought the Red Roo tanks before the 2MR ones were available and they just never quite looked right.

BTW, both 2MR and RR 150 gal drop tanks are missing the tank hookup points and no real representation of the fuel filler caps either (all easy enough to add).

Mike's right - at the end of the day as long as you are happy with it, build it how you want. However, as I spent quite a bit of time around the real thing, thought you might like to know what I found that needs changing, so you can make an informed decision about what you chose to change or not. Most of it is reasonably easy.

FWIW, the AZ and CA kits are the same plastic, and the CA is about 75% reproduction of the Hasegawa single-seater kit, with the two seater bits added.

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Hi Rich,

Really cool subject, I would like to do one in 1/32 scale but the Hasegawa TA-4's are

becoming sparse.

I can't comment on the kit you have, but if I can point you in a right direction, by checking out

this forum here in New Zealand.

http://rnzaf.proboards.com/

There are guys on here that are ex RNZAF Jet techs, and Ron Sims (also wrote a book on RNZAF A4's)

who frequents the discussion boards is a great help.

And as Mike said in an earlier post above

Rich, at the end of the day if you are happy with what you build that is all that matters, and as you said you will have a great model for the collection

I second that, group builds are about having fun and to be honest in a 3-4 month group build you really can't

go totally AMs or you'll never finish :banghead:

Looking forward to seeing your progress.

I'd enter this Group build, I have the 1/32 hasegawa A4 kit, that I will build as one of the RNZAF A4K's in the

markings they served in for 6 months after their arrival in 1970.

I'm already in the US Navy build plus other builds requiring my attention.........

Regards

Alan

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The information I have already posted in this thread is an succinct summary of all of the information all of us "ex RNZAF Jet techs", including Don Simms, have put together to help anyone wanting to model the jet.

FWIW, here is the artwork I finished for a set of custom decals for mine and comparison with the MA sheet. Happy to print off another sheet for the cost of postage if you were interested Rich, but it would require masking and painting of the stripes, or else just using the MA ones. I would have done new roundels as well to replace the misshapen Kiwis on the MA sheet, but will be painting the blue and white of the roundels and using a set of Kiwis from a Gekko Graphics sheet.

decals_2013-08-19.jpg

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As to finishing the kit "with AMS" in 3-4 months, it's a no brainer. The Hasegawa A-4/TA-4 kits are some of the easiest kits to build, and apart from seats, are pretty detailed out of the box. Given that the CA/AZ model is a copy of the Hasegawa kit with resin seats included, and the changes for this RNZAF jet are minor, this can be done in 2 months easily.

Edited by Talon
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Rich,

Forgot to mention, I also have spares from a number of Hasegawa A-4 kits you are welcome to if they are of any use.

Edit: Come to think of it, you're also welcome to my Red Roo tanks if you want them too.

Edited by Talon
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So as not to hijack this thread with Negativity, I did read my thread, and read your posting

on the Golden TA-4K also.

I simply wanted to encourage Rich to enjoy his build, AMS or not and as to posting

the RNZAF Proboards in a right direction, there is nothing wrong with encouraging

modellers from other countries to visit our forums there, and ask questions and if that's

wrong then I'd better find a new hobby.

However, as you point out that you had already posted sufficient info to assit Rich,

I'll leave him in your capable hands and profer nothing further.

Edited by LDSModeller
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talk about over the top!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I must say for what is meant to be a fun thing for a group of modellers to get together and enjoy building a few models of a similar subject, I'm amazed at some of the comments!

. But it's probably a bit pointless pointing Rich that way, if he plans to "have fun" anyway and not worry about making changes. So glad my posts offering help were of no use so as to need the same info from a "different" source.

I do take great offence to these comments and would ask that they be removed. Just because I intend to “have fun” making this model does not mean I will not attempt to produce something accurate! Just because I may not be able to produce something 100% accurate is no reason for these comments. I very much doubt anyone who builds in these GB’s can ever say they’re in it to produce 100% accurate models, rather they’re in it for the enjoyment.

If you do not have something positive to say in future threads I would encourage to keep your comments to yourself as there are other members on this site who’s response to comments like this would be quite harsh!

I simply wanted to encourage Rich to enjoy his build, AMS or not and as to posting

the RNZAF Proboards in a right direction, there is nothing wrong with encouraging

modellers from other countries to visit our forums there, and ask questions and if that's

wrong then I'd better find a new hobby.

Alan,

Thanks for your comments and help, please feel free to add anytime. Would have been nice to have seen a 1/32 Scooter in this build., but I know what it’s like to have multiple builds on the go!! :banghead:

WOW lucky I didn't plan to paint it pink!! :poo::bleh:

Edit; Plus forgot to mention, that I am a member of the RNZAF Proboards, though under a different name. B)

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I very much doubt anyone who builds in these GB’s can ever say they’re in it to produce 100% accurate models, rather they’re in it for the enjoyment.

That's my view of modelling these days, I took a 12 year break due to having major meltdowns over accuracy and never being satisfied I had produced a good kit. I quit my local club because I would complete a model, take it along and often get picked up on something (non constructively :weep: ). It just made all my efforts seem worthless and in the end felt there was no point continuing and sold off most of my stuff. I got back into it in December and now I just enjoy myself. I love building so I switched to 1/144 & 1/200 because they are quick and easy (most of the time) and as long as the pointy bit is at the right end and wing aren't on backwards I'm happy. :D

Edited by Speedman
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Wow, this went south quick.

Apologies to trickyrich. My comments were intended to prepare for the task ahead.

Good luck with this one, us kiwis tend to get a little heated about our heritage. :oops:

Considering this is a unique bird that no longer exists (the real thing, after being repainted back to camouflage, splashed down off the coast of australia) Close enough is good enough. Ignore the critics and have some fun.

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I apologise to Rich if you took my post as a put down of your modelling skills etc. My post was never meant to imply you could not have fun or build it your way or that you were able to correct it if you chose, hence why I put "have fun in quotes". The offer of the decals and parts is still there.

All I got to say is that for all the critics on this post is get your kits out join the GB build something and show us how it is supposed to be done

Would love to join the GB, but my build is too far advanced and would break the rules about amount of completion at start date.

Edited by Talon
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