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1:72 A-4M Skyhawk II "The Last Skyhawk" BuNo. 160246


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This will be my initial entry for the GB, If I get time there will be a second and maybe a third!

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This McDonnell Douglas A-4M (BuNo. 160246) was the last of 2460 A-4's built. Initially delivered to VMA-331 in February 1979, it was reassigned to VMA-223 in December of the same year. One of only two A-4's wired to carry and deliver Maverick missiles, the aircraft was sent to NAS China Lake in February 1981. She remained at China Lake, participating in various test programs for ten years, until in February 1991 she was further reassigned to VMA-133 at NAS Alameda, staying ther till May 1992 when she was again reassigned. This time to VMA-131 at NAS Willow Grove where she stayed until July 1994 when she ended her active service and entered museum life. She currently resides at the Flying Leathernecks Aviation Museum although owned by the National Museum of the Marine Corps

I will be using old Italeri moulding

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I'll be using an out of production set of Microscale decals

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I guess thicker tyres were installed? Necessitating doors with more clearance?

Yes, I found a photo of the aircraft thought it was cool and searched till I found the decals for it (Thanks Lloyd)

Interesting photo you found there Talon. Thanks, but I'll stick to how she looks in the museum.

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I always find it funny when a company researches something, goes to all the effort of putting it into production and makes a daft little mistake. Check out the Microscale decals, the Australian and New Zealand flags on the starboard strip are facing the wrong way compared to the real aircraft :blink: I'd love to know how many sets of eyes missed that during design.

I wouldn't worry about it though, it's just one of those quirky things that let you know not everyone's perfect. :D

Edited by Speedman
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I guess thicker tyres were installed? Necessitating doors with more clearance?

Beefed up main gear legs to handle increase in weight and higher stores loading from increased thrust output.

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I always find it funny when a company researches something, goes to all the effort of putting it into production and makes a daft little mistake. Check out the Microscale decals, the Australian and New Zealand flags on the starboard strip are facing the wrong way compared to the real aircraft :blink: I'd love to know how many sets of eyes missed that during design.

I wouldn't worry about it though, it's just one of those quirky things that let you know not everyone's perfect. :D

Flipping 'eck I didn't spot that :doh: Sadky not a lot I can do other than only look at one side of the model :D

Beefed up main gear legs to handle increase in weight and higher stores loading from increased thrust output.

That makes sense, thanks.

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I always find it funny when a company researches something, goes to all the effort of putting it into production and makes a daft little mistake. Check out the Microscale decals, the Australian and New Zealand flags on the starboard strip are facing the wrong way compared to the real aircraft :blink: I'd love to know how many sets of eyes missed that during design.

I wouldn't worry about it though, it's just one of those quirky things that let you know not everyone's perfect. :D

Its funny, because theyre backwards on the real aircraft, but the right way round on the decals.

Im gonna watch this with interest. Little bit of home far away from the motherland :tease:

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Its funny, because theyre backwards on the real aircraft, but the right way round on the decals.

Im gonna watch this with interest. Little bit of home far away from the motherland :tease:

That was going to be my next comment as well

Hasegawa got it right on their 2005 rendition of the same aircraft.

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Actually, it would relatively easy to fix for both. Cut out NZ and Aussie flags so they are separate decals. Make a cut in each from the inside edge of each decal directly down and butt the cut sections with the Union Jack (and in the case of the Aussie flag - the 6th star underneath) to the opposite end of the flags when applying. Then you just have to paint out the 5th star in the Aussie Southern Cross (bloomin' Aussies would have to be awkward :shutup: ) and put a small white dot on the opposite side of the southern cross to mirror the existing one - bet no one would ever notice in 1/72.

Interestingly, the beefed up gear legs also featured something unusual for the A-4 - they had scissor links added.

I've got the 1/48 Hasegawa kit to build in this scheme at some stage as well - will be following this build with interest too. :popcorn:

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 years later...

I want to revive this post because i have a little doubt of the wings position to the fuselajen in the Italeri kit, the Fujimi kit are different, more ahead than the Italeri one. Who's right?

Regards,

Javier

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