A-4C Skyhawk

[Enzo the Magnificent]

This is my second Skyhawk in this GB again using markings from Xtradecal sheet 72154, this time for an A-4C.

 

C-321 was operated by IV Grupo de Casa, San Julian in May and June of 1982.  It had an odd camouflage of white and olive drab together with tactical markings in blue.

 

I will be using the Hobby 2000 kit, which is a rebox of the Fujimi kit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fujimi put a lot of thought into the moulding of their Skyhawk range and made it modular.  There were at least four single seat noses pluse a two seat nose.  There were three different fuselage sets.  This meant that almost any Skyhawk variant could be produced.

[heloman1]

This looks a nice little kit, I wasn't aware of them. I'll be watching...

 

Colin

[Enzo the Magnificent]

A nice simple kit which builds up quickly and easily. 

 

 

Plenty of room for ballast.

 

 

The flap operating rams on this kit are very flimsy indeed.  So flimsy that you can barely see them in this shot.  I very much doubt that they will all survive the build process... 

 

 

 

The dorsal avionics bulge was added from an unused component from a previous Airfix kit build.  The A-4C bulge was a slightly different shape to that of the A-4P so I modified it accordingly.

 

 

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Primed with grey plastic primer from a rattle can.

 

 

The airbrake, slat and flap interiors have been prayed with Vauxhall Power red from a rattle can.

 

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Windscreen fitted and masked and the model was given another coat of primer ready for spraying.

 

 

Sprayed overall with Lifecolor UA-776 Rough Light Grey.

 

 

The disruptive pattern was then masked with my usual technique of Blutak worms, masking tape squares and Copydex sealant.

 

 

I have often mentioned the difficulty of masking a yellow surface using Tamiya tape.  Well, masking a white surface with normal masking tape is just as problematic.  One cannot see which areas need to be sealed with Copydex.  You will see the results of that problem in the next thrilling instalment.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

As you can see, I missed some bits with the masking, so there will need to be some touchups.  The green is Lifecolor UA-248.

 

 

The lowersurfaces have been sprayed with Lifecolor UA-033.

 

 

The recognition markings were then sprayed using Lifecolor UA-542.

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Decals applied.  There were minimal markings on all the Argentinian Skyhawks.

 

 

All the greeblies have been painted up, ready for fitment.  I always feel that the model doesn't reallly come to life until the greeblies are fitted.  In this case, there are quite a few of them.

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

And we're finished!   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ad-4N]

I’m building this exact same machine when it served with the USN 147741, 501 AK from VA-46 aboard the USS Shangri-La, 1965.  Using the 1/48 Hasegawa kit and the Bullseye Decal Fleet Hot Rods II.

 

https://imgur.com/a/Ky0s2c5