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1/72 - Douglas A-4E/F/M Skyhawk by HobbyBoss - released


Homebee

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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

 

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5c287414e1b4f.jpg

 

V.P.

 

Matt-Memory2.jpg

Edited by Homebee
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4 hours ago, PhantomBigStu said:

Good news, a gap that needed filling 

How so? The Fujimi A-4s will still be the best in this scale. And the HobbyBoss kits still don't appear to have separate slats.

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2 hours ago, VMA131Marine said:

How so? The Fujimi A-4s will still be the best in this scale. And the HobbyBoss kits still don't appear to have separate slats.

But how many fujimi a4s are sitting on the rea and virtual shelves of peoples hobby shops? Just the old raised panel line italeris and hasegawas 

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9 hours ago, PhantomBigStu said:

But how many fujimi a4s are sitting on the rea and virtual shelves of peoples hobby shops? Just the old raised panel line italeris and hasegawas 

The Fujimi kits do appear to be OOP at the moment. Thankfully, I probably have enough of them stashed away that I won't even have to think about buying this HobbyBoss kit.

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On 12/30/2018 at 3:51 PM, NAVY870 said:

Slats down on the ground FFS.

 

99% of the time, yes! There were straps available to pin them up out of the way when working on the weapons hardpoints or loading/unloading ordnance. The Blue Angels aircraft had their slats wired shut to ensure an asymmetric slat condition did not occur during a display. 

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1 hour ago, Meatbox8 said:

How difficult would it be to convert this to an A-4G?  I really want to build an Aussie aircraft.

Not difficult.  The major difference between the 4G and the 4E was that the G was wired to carry Sidewinders on all four underwing pylons, unlike the E and F before it.  The E has the longer nose compared to the earlier versions.  The F had an overfuselage "hump", which the G was missing.

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Their French Jaguar release was a similar porridge - no air brakes open option which ruled out a realistic depiction of the Jag on the ground!!!

 

Shame about their Scooter depiction missing slats (and I don't see air brakes open either though not as critical for the Scooter on the ground) not to mention wing spoilers and flaps would have been an outstanding addition. But lets wait and see what they actually release in the kit as opposed to judging them on 3D renders - we can always live in hope they make changes! 

 

Fujimi would make a small fortune if they re- released their Scooters, I even sent them an email (albeit in English) one or 2 years ago, never received a reply!

 

Perhaps an Airfix Scooter wing graft on the Hobby boss model might work - but I do not know if A-4B and A4E wings were the same???

 

The Fujimi Scooters go for a small fortune on Evilbay...

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8 hours ago, rickshaw said:

Not difficult.  The major difference between the 4G and the 4E was that the G was wired to carry Sidewinders on all four underwing pylons, unlike the E and F before it.  The E has the longer nose compared to the earlier versions.  The F had an overfuselage "hump", which the G was missing.

Thank you.  Sounds possible, even with my limited modelling skills although the lack of open slats seems a much bigger hurdle.

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1 hour ago, Uncle Dick said:

Perhaps an Airfix Scooter wing graft on the Hobby boss model might work - but I do not know if A-4B and A4E wings were the same???

 

I was wondering the same thing ... 

 

Hopefully an A-4 guru will let us know 🙂

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10 hours ago, Meatbox8 said:

How difficult would it be to convert this to an A-4G?  I really want to build an Aussie aircraft.

Ours were based on the F so you'd need to start with that

Differences between a G and an E include lift spoilers, nose wheel steering avionics fit out (different antennaes and I would think you only get the straight probe in this one.

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15 minutes ago, NAVY870 said:

Ours were based on the F so you'd need to start with that

Differences between a G and an E include lift spoilers, nose wheel steering avionics fit out (different antennaes and I would think you only get the straight probe in this one.

Thanks.  So it seems what I need ideally as a starting point is an F with no hump?  Having said that what I need ideally is the Esci kit of the G but, having trawled the internet off and on for a couple of years it seems that kit is a rare as unicorn dung.

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4 hours ago, Meatbox8 said:

Thanks.  So it seems what I need ideally as a starting point is an F with no hump?  Having said that what I need ideally is the Esci kit of the G but, having trawled the internet off and on for a couple of years it seems that kit is a rare as unicorn dung.

 

There was one only a couple weeks ago from a UK dealer on a well known auction site offered for £ 6, just checked and unfortunately it's gone now .

Said that, Esci decals are not the best when it comes to resist the test of time, several in my older kits just exploded on first contact with water and aftermarket markings may have been required anyway..

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1 hour ago, Giorgio N said:

 

There was one only a couple weeks ago from a UK dealer on a well known auction site offered for £ 6, just checked and unfortunately it's gone now .

Said that, Esci decals are not the best when it comes to resist the test of time, several in my older kits just exploded on first contact with water and aftermarket markings may have been required anyway..

Thanks Giorgio.  Timing is everything.  Haven't looked for a little while.  As luck would have it I have an old Modeldecal sheet with an 805 Sqn set of markings

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21 hours ago, Uncle Dick said:

Perhaps an Airfix Scooter wing graft on the Hobby boss model might work - but I do not know if A-4B and A4E wings were the same???

 

I dont know how it would fit onto the HB kit but the Airfix wing would be ok on a later version.

The basic wing structure was the same right the way through all variants with detail changes and the addition

of lift spoilers and two extra weapo racks.

I do vaguely remember some issue with the vortex generators on the Airfix wing (probably couldnt find a wiring schematic 😎) if you worry about such things

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4 minutes ago, Meatbox8 said:

Thanks Andre.  I shall see if I can find one.

 

Glad to be of help.

 

And should you be unable to find one, I may have one set of the Australian markings somewhere in the decal dungeon. Let me check.

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

 

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8 minutes ago, Hook said:

 

Glad to be of help.

 

And should you be unable to find one, I may have one set of the Australian markings somewhere in the decal dungeon. Let me check.

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

 

Thanks Andre but don't worry.  I have a set for 805 Squadron that I will use.

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1 hour ago, Andre B said:

Any chanse to build an IAF Skyhawk of one of these HB kits?

 

Cheers / André

I don't believe there is any 1/72 A-4 Skyhawk kit that has the extended jetpipe featured on many of the Israeli aircraft. I don't know if there is an aftermarket conversion, though I wouldn't be surprised if there is.

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