hsr Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 This is Hasegawa's 1/72 Douglas EKA-3B Skywarrior. The EKA-3B was a multi-use aircraft that performed both in air refueling and radar tracking and jamming functions. The basic kit is from 1997 reboxed in 2008 with additional parts added for the EKA-3B version. Like many aircraft of its time period the slats were controlled by aerodynamic forces not hydraulics or mechanical actuators, so they would always be dropped on the ground. I wanted to drop them on and while I don't usually build kits with folded wings, but because they were available, had separate droppable slats, and to save shelf space I used a set of Folding wings from Wolfpack. I also used an interior from Obscureco, and and PrintScale decals. The kit was typical '90 Hasegawa with generally good fit and a somewhat simplistic interior. Obscureco makes a resin interior (OBS72023) that includes parts for several A-3 versions, including the EKA-3B. The interior was a pretty much drop in fit, had nice details and included very nice seats. I used it in conjunction with the kit control panel decals where possible. The Wolfpack wings were not as drop in as their F-18 wings were that I have used in the past. They required removing the upper wing halves from the kit one piece upper wing. The cuts were along panel lines were easy to make, and once done only requires a little sanding to fit them in. Here is a picture of them attached. The kit decals were not usable. In addition to "foxing" on the paper, even the control panel ones I tried to use mostly disintegrated even with a coat of Microfilm. After my previous success in taming PrintScale decals with Microfilm I ordered their 72-109 sheet confident that I would succeed again. However this time it was an epic fail with the decals curling up and refusing to stick or lay down even with copious amounts of Solvaset. So I frantically searched through my pile of used decals for something that would work only to find that I had another partial copy of the same sheet that I had used on a previous A-3 build, and that had all the EKA-3B markings intact. I tried these and they actually worked like normal decals should without the usual sticking like glue to the first position they touched and no rolling into a ball when moved. So here it is: Next up will be my attempt to build a Leonardo TH-73A using the Revell A-109 kit and parts from a die cast Agusta A119 . Wish me luck. Enjoy 29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 That's really nice work you've done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 Hi, another big one! I like your take on this Whale. Folding the wings must have been fun! I have this kit too, and I am surprised the decals on your kit failed. The ones on my kit look fine. but then, there is only one way to find out! Congrats. JR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted December 19, 2021 Author Share Posted December 19, 2021 5 minutes ago, jean said: he ones on my kit look fine. but then, there is only one way to find out! I got this kit used on Ebay, so who knows how and where it was stored before I got it. I usually have no problems with Hasegawa decals. Thanks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMCS Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 Lovley 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted December 22, 2021 Author Share Posted December 22, 2021 On 12/19/2021 at 4:38 PM, RMCS said: Lovley Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapam Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 Always been somewhat fascinated by this plane; and the Hasegawa kit. It looks quite bulky for taking off and landing on a carrier; but the imposing size is part of the attraction, I think. After all the decal problems you described, it's a great compliment that you stuck with it to produce such a nice model. Good idea to use the wing-fold to ease problems with display space (I have similar issues). Well done! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted December 22, 2021 Author Share Posted December 22, 2021 18 minutes ago, kapam said: it's a great compliment that you stuck with it to produce such a nice model One of my characteristics is that I never give up. This is not always a good thing, but it does mean that I have no shelf of doom Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remus389 Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 Looks phenomenal! 🙂👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcanicity Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 Great result, especially after such a slog with those decals 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted December 22, 2021 Author Share Posted December 22, 2021 It is just a lucky thing that I had the back up extra sheet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 Lovely job, I've got one at the decaling stage at the moment and two others in the stash. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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