Trumpeter's 1/32 scale
A-4E Skyhawk with A-4C conversion
by Inima
|
Douglas A-4C Skyhawk |
Trumpeter's 1/32 scale A-4E Skyhawk is available online from Squadron
This model depicts a Douglas A-4C Skyhawk (BuNo 145143), from Attack
Squadron VA-172 Blue Bolts, touching the flight deck of the aircraft
carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42) off Vietnam 1966. This
aircraft was lost on 2 December 1966, when it was shot down by a North
Vietnamese SA-2 missile during a night reconnaissance mission over the
Red River Delta. The pilot, Commander Bruce A. Nystrom, VA-172's
Commanding Officer, was killed.
I used AMS/Zotz 32056 A-4C conversion plus Argentine version with
decals. I also used Eduard 32304 for the flaps, 32305 for the slats
and 32730 for the exterior. The tail hook bar was replaced with piano
wire in the down position. Pilot was hired among available TAMIYA's
F-4 jokes. Primers were GUNZE Mr.Surfacer 500 and Mr.Resin Primer
Surfacer (not to be used on plastic), both sanded with 1200 grit wet
sandpaper.
Aluminum tubing was used to extend the main landing gears
oleos. Resin was glued with CA and plastic with TAMIYA Extra thin
cement. For painting and post-shading, I used car laquer mixed to the
FS. Wash was done with artists oils diluted in turpentine. Pastels
always help dirt. The cockpit and pilot were painted with Vallejo
Model Colors.
Bilding models is fun and it gets even more rewarding when you depict
a particular object with a history record. You can put a cherry on top
of it if your model displays action. That is what drove me on this
project. Trumpeter offers a nice kit and AMS allows you to backdate it
to A-4C guiding you on the details. Among all the fun, assembling the
wind wiper was exciting, second by the slats.
On the other hand,
dealing with multimedia (resin and plastic together) requires planning
and patience. On the learning side, I think Zotz could have made decals
thinner. It may not show but I provided a telescopic assembly for the
IRP, in order to prevent package hazard. The base is a simple MDF box
top cover where I glued a wood reinforcement underneath to support the
piano wire.
Enjoy the photos!
Model, Images and Text Copyright ©
2013 by Inima
Page Created 21 January, 2013
Last Updated
21 January, 2013
Back to
HyperScale Main Page
|