Kiwi A-4K Skyhawk - FROG 1/72

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Tarkas
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Re: Kiwi A-4K Skyhawk - FROG 1/72

Post by Tarkas »

gengriz wrote:The underlying kit is a FROG issue of the Hasegawa mould - I am told that there are shape issues, particularly around the nose, and that the hump is too rounded, but it is a good kit to assemble and it looks OK to me!

[...] for comparison, I built the same kit a few years back as an A-4G, without a hump, but with decals courtesy of Modeldecal:

Image
I've got that same decal sheet and, IIRC, the instructions say that you need to trim the leading edge of the fin (because it's too broad) of the Hasegawa kit before you apply the red-and-white checks. Did you do that? The checks look to fit perfectly, and I can't imagine the Frog kit being any different to the original Hasegawa boxing.

Either way, it's an excellent rendition of the A-4G. Both models look great, for that matter.
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Re: Kiwi A-4K Skyhawk - FROG 1/72

Post by gengriz »

Tarkas wrote: I've got that same decal sheet and, IIRC, the instructions say that you need to trim the leading edge of the fin (because it's too broad) of the Hasegawa kit before you apply the red-and-white checks. Did you do that?
I honestly can't remember because it was quite a few years back (mid 2012), but I don't think so as I didn't mention it in my build notes. I've checked the sheet and it does suggest trimming 2mm off the leading edge, mainly at the lower end to make it a steeper rise.

I did trim the A-4K fin, but mainly to square off the top.

A closer look shows it is a good fit either way:

Image

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Re: Kiwi A-4K Skyhawk - FROG 1/72

Post by FAAMAN »

That nose is so off, inflated even, almost as bad as the Airfix A-4B which is atrocious :shock:
Pity Hasegawa didn't provide the L/Edge slats as separate items, they spend most of their life in the extended position unless strapped up.
Where did you get the AIM-9B's colours from?
There was only two Oz A-4Gs in this scheme when I joined the squadron, a single seater (876) and a T-bird (881), all the rest were wrap around camo.
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Re: Kiwi A-4K Skyhawk - FROG 1/72

Post by Tarkas »

gengriz wrote:
Tarkas wrote: I've got that same decal sheet and, IIRC, the instructions say that you need to trim the leading edge of the fin (because it's too broad) of the Hasegawa kit before you apply the red-and-white checks. Did you do that?
I honestly can't remember because it was quite a few years back (mid 2012), but I don't think so as I didn't mention it in my build notes. I've checked the sheet and it does suggest trimming 2mm off the leading edge, mainly at the lower end to make it a steeper rise.
I wonder... is the rear edge of the checks supposed to run down the rear edge of the fin, i.e., where the rudder starts? If so, then yours looks a bit far forward with a white gap between checks and rudder. That would explain it, but frankly, I don't really think it matters. That is a very nice A-4G in USN-like colours, which has always been my favourite scheme for aircraft of that era.
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Re: Kiwi A-4K Skyhawk - FROG 1/72

Post by gengriz »

FAAMAN wrote: Where did you get the AIM-9B's colours from?
.
Definitely agree about the LE slats - I modified my ancient Airfix one to show them dropped, but the Hasegawa breakdown does not make this easy.

The Sidewinder colours came from a photo on Airliners.net of this aircraft at Greenham Common in 1977:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Australi ... X8vdLcQ%3D
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Re: Kiwi A-4K Skyhawk - FROG 1/72

Post by FAAMAN »

There are two very good photos of 886 at the Greenham Common Airshow in 1977,

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Australi ... pp2z7tlj6i;

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Australi ... pp2z7tlj6i;

Carrying Zuni Rocket pods and a buddy store, note the nose radome is a lighter colour and yes the checker tail follows the vertical stab/rudder demarcation line. The checkered decals are too 'sloped' to sit properly. All the RAN's A-4Gs were in high gloss paint by this time.
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