1/48th A-4K Skyhawk – 75 Sqn RNZAF Darwin Aust. 1984 - completed

[trickyrich]

6 hours ago, modelling minion said:

A very neat job Rich, well done.👍

 are you stalking me?   Didn't I just see you on another thread of mine?  Keep this up and people will start talking! 

 

Anyway like on my A-4N in the Skyhawk STGB I've started painting this one. I'm using AK Interactive Real Colour's, the same as I did on the Phantom. Which by the way I have received the first on the replacement decals.....plus 99% of the offending decals ( all, the upper and side decals) have been removed without damaging the paint at all....just the clear coat.

 

Back to this one, the paint is really thick, so I thinned it down with around 60-70% thinner, which means it's just goes on like a dream and gives a perfect finishes.

 

First up was the Grey (FS 36622) undersides, not too patchy as this scheme will be only a year into service so it should be still quite newish.....

 

 

Next after some masking Dk. Tan (FS 30219), again like with the N model I’m painting it completely rather than just where this colour goes in the scheme. It should help give the colour a slightly even finish and not require touching up the edges like I normally have to do.

 

 

I looks really dark like this but next to the Phantom it lightens back up (plus it’s lighter in daylight). 

So next more masking before the Greens, Green (FS 34102) & Forest Green (FS 34079), which is/was the standard USAF Tactical SEA scheme of the time. Unfortunately I need to do these colours freehand and the demarcation of the scheme on these early aircraft was really soft.

[trickyrich]

…. And the painting is done….well all the min bits and boy it was a bit stressful!!

 

The demarcation between the colours is quite soft and it is recommended that it be airbrushed freehand. Anyone that has seen my pre-shading knows what my freehand work is like!!! 

 

So with great trepidation I started the green. This time I was running a mix of 70% plus thinner and the pressure really low. The paint flowed on perfectly, my airbrush work….well it’s not too bad. 

 

 

This is my first camo scheme done freehand and it’s not too bad. The nice thing with using lacquer is that it was all done in one session, there was barely 5 minutes between coats and touch-ups. Basically, I could paint one wing, then a section of the fuselage, than hold the painted wing and paint then the other with no paw/finger prints.

 

 

There are a couple of touch-ups I need to do on the underside, but I could remove all the masks.

 

 

I’ll give a couple of days to properly cure then mask her up again for the red bits.

 

I have also decided to change schemes to this one which is really different. This aircraft was on exercise Pitch Black in 1984 up in Darwin. While there the boys at 75 Sqn (RAAF Mirage) decided to tags her with their squadron tail flash(some F-4 Phantom guys also tagged her but not to the same extent). A pretty impressive job to sneak that on overnight, records don’t confirm if the tail flash was on both sides….. but being very patriotic I’ll tag the other side as well!   Interestedly this is the same aircraft I originally was going to do in her 1971 scheme, now 13 years later and probably a little worse for where colour wise.

 

 

And finally with her big brother.

 

[modelling minion]

That is some very nice painting Rich, I can't get freehand spraying to work so your first try looks really good to me.

I like the choice of the new scheme with the Mirage squadron marking on the tail, it actually suits the Skyhawk very well.

I shall now go back to stalking you in the STGB.

[Col.]

Nice paintwork Rich and a good save on the slat beds.

[trickyrich]

Ok just a smallish update before I head off with work for another couple weeks.

 

Most of the work has been tiding up the paint job and doing all the minor painting…which as always involved lots more masking.

 

 

 

 

 

Only one doofus event….. I forgot to shape the intake lips before I painted everything!!!!   There is a wee bit of a lip but hopefully it’ll be less noticeable once the flat coat is on. 

 

As she sits now she’s ready for decals.

 

Most of the small bits have been painted along with stuff that goes bang.

 

 

Stores config….think it’ll be very basic like I’ve seen in quite a few photos, the centre BRU, empty, the drop tanks, and a pair of 500lb “slicks”…….. but I may populate the BRU as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway I’ll have 2 weeks to plan…….

[modelling minion]

Your stalkers back! 😁

She is looking really good mate, nice job on touching up the paint.

[trickyrich]

she does look a bit different with that really soft camo pattern. I must say I'm really enjoying building the Hasegawa Skyhawks! 

[trickyrich]

Oh well it was a wee bit more that 3 weeks since I last updated this build….. I have been busy just on other builds. Have been playing with my 1/35th M1A2 Abrams plus a pair of Eduard 1/48th Bf-109G-6’s (from the Royal set) for a club group build due in June.

 

 

Anyway this one is underway again and will be until she done.

 

First job a nice gloss coat, which surprisingly went one nicely and gave me a reasonably shiny finish.

 

 

Next was the decals……after my last failure I was a bit hesitant with decaling……and in this case rightly so. These Gekko Graphics decals are nice and I have used them before on my F-16JK…this time however….. some of the smaller important ones split into a billion pieces!

 

 

It looks ok here, but she is missing a few of the smaller decals, they were unsaveable… but unless you know you would know they’re missing. The first 2 on the nose split up, the RHS tail code completely disintegrated and I had to chop up a couple of others to make a new one up, so no spares for the front!

 

And yes the tail flash is usually seen on a 75Sqn Mirage. This aircraft needed an engine change during the 1984 “Pitch Black” exercise, and didn’t return home with the others. While awaiting a new engine she was “visited” and tagged by the RAAF and USAF (there is a wee Phantom above the tail flash of the LHS). It is considered one of the biggest tags ever done.

She’ll rest for a day before I do the panel lines and final flat clear coat. Basic weathering will be done after that. Hopefully I’m in the final stretch!

[Greg Law]

Looking good Rich. These were great plans to have around. Pity the stupid government turned our air force into a rescue and supply service. Having come from an RNZAF family it felt personal when I heard about it.

[basket]

Very nice , the f... problem with lips is hardly visible , partly due to the fact that the whole part is red ! Lucky you !!

 

I love this camo ... mine is on it's way and it might appear on my bench shortly !!

[JOCKNEY]

On 30/04/2021 at 05:39, trickyrich said:

 

 

 

 

Looking great Rich,

Although I think making the plane a soft top to enjoy the great weather you get down under is rubbing it in ! 

Nice one mate 

 

cheers Pat 

[modelling minion]

Looking really good Rich. even with the issues you have had with the decals. At least they didn't behave as badly as the ones on your F-4.

[trickyrich]

 

All righty…. well I didn’t quite get to finish her on the weekend but I can safely say this is the last update……thank god!

 

Still a bit of fighting going on with decals in general but no silvering!!!  Well ok in a couple of wee spots but in those cases there are decals on decals!!!

 

The matt finish has really helped with giving her the right look. 

 

 

Those spoilers were/are a right pain! I broke a 3rd mount off on the IDF beast. How much simpler would have it been to mount these supports to the spoilers instead????

 

 

…anyway, I’m only going to lightly weather/dirty her up, just a few stains underneath and on vents on the fuselage sides.

 

 

No weapons will be fitted, maybe only the centreline BRU as she would have been “un-armed” when 75 Squadron boy’s “visited” her! 

 

Ok just some final bits to finish and she’s done and in the gallery.

 

 

[modelling minion]

Looks great Rich, very nearly done now mate.

[trickyrich]

Well after a wee bit more fighting and some serious model distractions (more new goodies arrived plus sorting out future builds) she is done!!

 

Just minor bits needed to be fitted and some small spots of paint here and there…plus finishing off the ejection seat, but I can finally call it quits.

 

I have to admit I don’t think she’s anywhere near my usual standard, I lost quite a bit of mojo with the Phantom decal disaster, so it has been a bit hard to get back into the swing of things.

 

No stores are on her as I doubt she would have had any fitted, as she would have only had the “zapped” tail while she was non-airworthy, awaiting an engine change. 

 

 

The Hasegawa model is a real gem, just a few minor things that need fixing, but it’s so nice it includes just about everything you need to mid-series Skyhawks.

 

Additional photos will be in the RFI section….thank you for following.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.... plus with her brother....

 

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Well done on both of your scooter’s Rich. 

[modelling minion]

Another fantastic result Rich.

Very nice subtle weathering, but that zap is anything but subtle and it looks great against the camo scheme.

Very well done mate.

[Greg Law]

That looks excellent Rich.  Good to see a  a camo one instead of the late green version. 

[trickyrich]

1 hour ago, Greg Law said:

That looks excellent Rich.  Good to see a  a camo one instead of the late green version. 

thanks, I have a soft spot for the SEA scheme, as that's the one I grew up to know.

[tonyot]

I do like that Rich,.....I`ve really enjoyed following this second A-4,..... the model is beautifully built and painted and the zap`s bring it a level more,...... great modelling and a great story too,...... I`ve zapped a few aircraft in my time but that is well up there on the ballsy side,..... premiere league zapping for sure!!

This has to be my favourite model in the GB so far,.....

Cheers

           Tony

[helios16v]

Love it.   

 

Got my RNZAF A-4K earmarked for Euro1 colors.  My SEA scheme Skyhawk will be a Singapore AF A-4SU.....eventually.