Fujimi 1/72 Douglas A-4M Skyhawk

[hsr]

This is the Fujimi 1/72 Douglas A-4M Skyhawk. The A-4M was the last single seat version of the Skyhawk and was build specifically for the US Marines. This is the second of 4 Fujimi A-4s I am building. The first was the OA-4M and the next will be the TA-4J. Compared to my T-34C build last month  this was a pleasant, trouble and drama free build, and a big mojo restorer. Fit was generally good and it used a minimum of filler. The cockpit was nice with decal instrument panels. I am not a big fan of Fujimi decals so I used the Wolfpak 72-073 decal sheet. The decals worked fine with a minimum of silvering that was easily fixed. I did the front slats open, and left the rear flaps closed. Note that with this color scheme the area under the slats and the edges of the landing gear doors are not usually painted red. 

 

Not much else to say, so here it is:

 

 

Next up will be the Fujimi TA-4J.

 

Enjoy

 

[kapam]

Nicely done, Mate!

The lo-vis look is something I haven't much seen on an A4.

She's quite a beefy looking plane with the avionics hump and all the wing-mounted items.

 

[klubman01]

Very nice.  Always got a soft spot for a Skyhawk.

Trevor

[Wulfman]

Super Scooter, great work !

 

Wulfman

[alhenderson]

Really nice - do like an A-4!

 

Al.

[hsr]

8 hours ago, kapam said:

She's quite a beefy looking plane with the avionics hump and all the wing-mounted items.

I think the hump gives it more of an aggressive look. All the Fujimi renditions seem to have the same set of stores. When I work on the A-4F next year I'll have to switch them out with some aftermarket ordnance for some veriety,

 

Thanks 

[Bejay53]

The Fujimis are sweet kits. I wish I had picked up a few more before they really become “rare”. 
Hasegawas offerings aren’t bad either. I haven’t seen the new airfix offerings yet.

 

There is something about the “scooter “ that just looks fun. 

[hsr]

2 minutes ago, Bejay53 said:

I haven’t seen the new airfix offerings yet.

The new tool Airfix  is a fantastic kit with the best fit I have ever seen.

[72modeler]

The M's don't get the same love and attention as the other Scooter versions, but they are handsome and nasty-looking little beasts. Yours is a beaut, and the first one I can recall seeing in quite a while. Well done!

Mike

 

Yes, you are correct- the speedbrakes are usually not open on the ground; if they are, just barely Nice catch! That being said, the stabilizers were almost always seen nose down after shutdown, which on the Fujimi kits is a real pain in the bum to do! (This was pointed out to me by the late Bob Davies, an incredible scratch builder and modeler, many years ago, who did a contest-winning Fujimi A-4E.) Not meant in any way as a criticism of your outstanding A-4M, but as a way for you to take your OA-4M up another notch. If you Google A-4 photos, you can see what I'm talking about.

Mike

 

@Tailspin Turtle might have covered this in one of his Tailhook Topics blogs- he could confirm, or more likely, correct me!

[Vultures1]

Very nice low viz Scooter - well done!

 

And a top tip on the speed brakes from @72modeler - I'll remember that, thanks

[112 Squadron]

This is indeed a nice Scooter! I love the late version Skyhawks in low vis scheme.😍 In my opinion, you made the right choice to use the Wolfpak decals instead of those that come with the original Fujimi kit. I got the A-4M Fujimi in my stash. Whereas the decals for the gull-grey and white schemes seem to be ok the color of the stencils and digits for the low viz versions are really somewhat off. The new Hobby 2000 releases of the A-4, however, have nice and pristine sheets and are in contrast to the Fujimi boxings, which are sold out according to the company´s homepage, still available.

[hsr]

1 hour ago, 112 Squadron said:

In my opinion, you made the right choice to use the Wolfpak decals instead of those that come with the original Fujimi kit. I got the A-4M Fujimi in my stash. Whereas the decals for the gull-grey and white schemes seem to be ok the color of the stencils and digits for the low viz versions are really somewhat off.

The low vis starts on my sheet where just gray blobs void of detail. I also find that the hi vis stars are more off-white or cream rather then white. I have seen the Hobby 2000 boxings , but I already had the Fujimi so didn't get them. 

 

Thanks

 

Howard

[Tailspin Turtle]

On 9/15/2021 at 9:52 AM, 72modeler said:

The M's don't get the same love and attention as the other Scooter versions, but they are handsome and nasty-looking little beasts. Yours is a beaut, and the first one I can recall seeing in quite a while. Well done!

Mike

 

Yes, you are correct- the speedbrakes are usually not open on the ground; if they are, just barely Nice catch! That being said, the stabilizers were almost always seen nose down after shutdown, which on the Fujimi kits is a real pain in the bum to do! (This was pointed out to me by the late Bob Davies, an incredible scratch builder and modeler, many years ago, who did a contest-winning Fujimi A-4E.) Not meant in any way as a criticism of your outstanding A-4M, but as a way for you to take your OA-4M up another notch. If you Google A-4 photos, you can see what I'm talking about.

Mike

 

@Tailspin Turtle might have covered this in one of his Tailhook Topics blogs- he could confirm, or more likely, correct me!

The A4D/A-4 horizontal stabilizer was movable for pitch trim. Nose-up trim (stabilizer leading edge down) was desired at approach speeds. The pilot generally left the stabilizer that way after landing: if I remember correctly, that was desired for post and/or preflight visual access to the stabilizer control mechanism. However, that was too much trim for takeoff and it’s not unusual to see the stabilizer positioned horizontally. Repositioning it also closed the very noticeable gap in the fin underneath the stabilizer to preclude birds from setting up house inside. The gap, by the way, resulted from the addition of the sugar scoop over the aft end of the fuselage above the tailpipe opening. Since the stabilizer is one piece, there is a large opening in the fin to allow its motion for trim. A sheet metal fairing attached to the upper and lower sides of the stabilizer closed the gap, the same as on the AD Skyraider and the A3D Skywarrior. However, when the sugar scoop was added, the bottom of the lower fairing had to be trimmed to clear it and therefore no longer covered the gap through the full range of stabilizer nose-up trim.

[hsr]

@Tailspin Turtle What about the lower wing flap. Many pictures show it lowered (opened?) on parked aircraft, but I also see it closed?

 

Thanks

 

Howard 

[112 Squadron]

2 hours ago, hsr said:

The low vis starts on my sheet where just gray blobs void of detail. I also find that the hi vis stars are more off-white or cream rather then white. I have seen the Hobby 2000 boxings , but I already had the Fujimi so didn't get them. 

 

Thanks

 

Howard

I totally agree with you. That is indeed a wide-spread problem with decals from Japanese manufacturers. The Stars and Bars of the US insignia as well as the white in the UK roundels is cream or even ebony rather than white such as in many of the old Hasegawa boxings. It seems to have been an odd choice of design by Fujimi and in particular Hasegawa back in the 1980s and 1990s. However, in recent years at least Hasegawa has moved away from that cream US Stars in its later boxings.

[Tailspin Turtle]

1 hour ago, hsr said:

@Tailspin Turtle What about the lower wing flap. Many pictures show it lowered (opened?) on parked aircraft, but I also see it closed?

 

Thanks

 

Howard 

The split flaps would begin to slowly droop after engine shutdown.

[Anatol Pigwa]

On 15/09/2021 at 14:31, Bejay53 said:

The Fujimis are sweet kits. I wish I had picked up a few more before they really become “rare”. 
Hasegawas offerings aren’t bad either. I haven’t seen the new airfix offerings yet.

 

There is something about the “scooter “ that just looks fun. 

I beg to differ regarding the Hasegawa kit, the Italeri offering, though - quite good in my eyes (particularly for that price).

[hsr]

11 minutes ago, Anatol Pigwa said:

I beg to differ regarding the Hasegawa kit, the Italeri offering, though - quite good in my eyes (particularly for that price).

The one thing the Fujimi kits have is the separate slat can be displayed dropped 

[F-32]