A-4K Wing

Opened up the cannon ports and mounting holes for the pylons.  Then clamped everything down for the glue to set.

Also swapped over the lower anti-collision light with the fuel dump.  Carefully sawed off the light base to move it.  The fuel dump was easy in comparison.

A-4K Cockpit

 Added the little pouch and put paper in it.

Stock Hasegawa cockpit except the Escapac ejection seat.  It is a True Details resin one with scratch-built lap-belts and ejection handles made from thin wire.

Kiwi A-4K

So started yet another Skyhawk build.  Took the Pro-Modeller A-4E that is a re-box of the Hasegawa model kit out to build an A-4K of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.  I have decided to model one early in their service which means the reinforcement plates on the sides of the intakes must be removed.  Here I have removed one.  The separate inlets also have part of these plates, so they have to be sanded away also.

Masking Maybe in Order

I tried to free-hand with the airbrush the Tan and Pale Green patterns.  Did not turn out too well. 

TA-4H 544 Camo

I might have finally figured out the pattern used on 544.  As the two photos show I spent a bit of time with a pencil marking up the model.  The problem is 544 even on the left side as displayed at the museum does not follow exactly the 1999 symmetrical pattern and the right side is similar to a pattern seen on some A-4Ns.  The wing patterns also reflect this schizophrenia. 

 Right side pattern that is a mix of an earlier TA-4H and A-4N while the wing pattern is based on the original 1968 pattern and xnir.com's photo.

Left side that is close to the 1999 symmetrical except that the intakes are painted brown on both sides and that stripe of brown on the trailing edge that extends to the wing.  

Actually I just looked at the photos again and the left wing pattern has a brown leading edge slat which means on this side it seems the Symmetrical pattern extends to the wing except for that one variation on the trailing edge.

Glad I am using a pencil to sketch this all out.  Once satisfied, will cut out masking patterns for the Dark Tan FS30219 and Pale Green FS 34227.  Erase everything, clean up surfaces, and then re-shoot Sand FS 33531 as the upper base coat.

Are we having fun yet?

Battle of the Coral Sea

In early May 1942, the warriors of the US Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy squared off in what would be the first all aircraft carrier battle.  Japan wanting to take New Guinea and the Americans trying to stop it and save their sea link to Australia.

There would be many heroes on the American side in this battle.  Butch O'Hare throwing his VF-3 Wildcat fighter at a formation of G4M Betty bombers would earn him the Medal of Honor.  Aboard VS-2 two others would be catapulted to fame - Eng Leppla and ARM3c Liska who would use their Dauntless dive bomber to shoot down seven Japanese aircraft.

The model kit is the Accurate Miniatures SBD-3 Dauntless in 1/48th scale built almost straight from the box and using kit decals.

Playing in Photoshop to give it a real feel.

Overall view of kit on the Squadron carrier flight deck.

A peek into the pilot's cockpit.

Used Model Master paints for this project.  Diluted the Intermediate Blue with Light Gray to fade the top side paint.  Then dry brushed a Flanker Blue/Gray or used undiluted Intermediate Blue to represent touch-ups.  After sealing the paints used a silver pencil to make worn areas and tiny drops of black smeared front to back to represent spilled fuel on the wings or grime.

The tri-color propeller tips are decals I made.  In the -3 run this was how Douglas painted the propellers.  The TBD from Douglas had similar propeller tips.

Tried to scratch build the canvas cover for the canopy, this cover was used to protect the cockpit area from the elements but most importantly to prevent all that glass from reflecting sunlight and giving away the aircraft carrier.  Used diluted white glue on a white napkin to make a rough form.  Then painted it with Dark Earth which soaked into the napkin that gave a rough texture.  Once dried I cut it down and shaped it to represent how the canvas cover would look as the flight crew were going to move the plane on the deck.

All bombed up and ready to launch.

Change of Plans

IAF A-4E 819 build has been shelved.  Instead will build this model when they were in late Indonesian service.   I have found better pictures of these A-4Es.  Notice under the nose what looks like a radar altimeter in top picture and on the right side offset is a large blade antenna in bottom picture.

Luckily have the FCM decal sheet and very advanced on the build.  Will just have to scratch build the blade antenna, a few other sensors, and the radar altimeter.