Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
The venerable Airfix A-4 Skyhawk. A wonderful kit that fits perfectly, has lots of detail and is a joy to build.
Not!!!
I got this in the Falklands set.
And this is what it's supposed to end up looking like.
I had to set my camera to wide angle to get all the parts in the photo.
And look at this, page upon page of instructions......
And a lovely colour painting guide.....
Let's take a closer look at some or the kits' finer points, shall we?
Some lovely sink marks, which will be completely out of sight when the kit is assembled.
An amazingly thin canopy.
No flash at all.
And it sits nice and flat on the mat, so it's not at all warped.
There's some lovely intake trunking.
And lot's of detail in the cockpit.
Well there will be......
So I started with the seat. Filled and sanded.
And made a floor.
A quick dry fit showed it would also need a bulkhead.
So I made and installed that too.
And while I was at it I added an IP too.
Not perfect but better than the gaping void that was there before.
And with the perfectly molded seat.
Next job was to do something with the intakes, so I cut some straws and taped them down to try to make them a little less round.
A bit of superglue and we have the startings of something.
It still needs some work and some trimming.
So I do just that.
And doesn't it look a whole lot better. Still a gaping chasm in there though.
And a triangle of plasticard takes care of that!
A whole lot better.
Now to look at the back end. Just as I suspected, another gaping hole.....
It needs something shoving up its bottom. This bomb might do the trick.
So I chop it up.
But there's a joining pin.
Soon gotten rid of and that's going to look a whole lot better.
Out with the paints for the interior.
The seat.
And the IP.
And then it can all be closed up.
Perfect from the front.
And perect from the rear.
The wings were perfect too.
Look at this great fit.
And speaking of a great fit, I only needed a tiny bit of filler on the underside.
It was at this point in the build that I gave up taking photos as there is just so much that this kit needs to make a decect job of it. So after getting it all glued together it sat on a shelf on my desk for months.
Until Friday. When I decided that it needed to be finished and nothing at all to do with the fact I was running out of space....
So here it is, the finished product.
I know there's an anchor missing from the underside of the starboard wing. Little Ian used one when making my Fathers Day present. I have a whole box of spare decals but no, he had to use one I needed. Bless him. Couldn't be cross with him.
I would take close up pics of all the extra work I did but to be honest it's a waste of time. Airfix did the right thing in creating a new tool Skyhawk. Just a shame it wasn't in time to go the Falklands 25th set....
If you are ever tempted to build this old dog, walk away. A very long way away.....
Not!!!
I got this in the Falklands set.
And this is what it's supposed to end up looking like.
I had to set my camera to wide angle to get all the parts in the photo.
And look at this, page upon page of instructions......
And a lovely colour painting guide.....
Let's take a closer look at some or the kits' finer points, shall we?
Some lovely sink marks, which will be completely out of sight when the kit is assembled.
An amazingly thin canopy.
No flash at all.
And it sits nice and flat on the mat, so it's not at all warped.
There's some lovely intake trunking.
And lot's of detail in the cockpit.
Well there will be......
So I started with the seat. Filled and sanded.
And made a floor.
A quick dry fit showed it would also need a bulkhead.
So I made and installed that too.
And while I was at it I added an IP too.
Not perfect but better than the gaping void that was there before.
And with the perfectly molded seat.
Next job was to do something with the intakes, so I cut some straws and taped them down to try to make them a little less round.
A bit of superglue and we have the startings of something.
It still needs some work and some trimming.
So I do just that.
And doesn't it look a whole lot better. Still a gaping chasm in there though.
And a triangle of plasticard takes care of that!
A whole lot better.
Now to look at the back end. Just as I suspected, another gaping hole.....
It needs something shoving up its bottom. This bomb might do the trick.
So I chop it up.
But there's a joining pin.
Soon gotten rid of and that's going to look a whole lot better.
Out with the paints for the interior.
The seat.
And the IP.
And then it can all be closed up.
Perfect from the front.
And perect from the rear.
The wings were perfect too.
Look at this great fit.
And speaking of a great fit, I only needed a tiny bit of filler on the underside.
It was at this point in the build that I gave up taking photos as there is just so much that this kit needs to make a decect job of it. So after getting it all glued together it sat on a shelf on my desk for months.
Until Friday. When I decided that it needed to be finished and nothing at all to do with the fact I was running out of space....
So here it is, the finished product.
I know there's an anchor missing from the underside of the starboard wing. Little Ian used one when making my Fathers Day present. I have a whole box of spare decals but no, he had to use one I needed. Bless him. Couldn't be cross with him.
I would take close up pics of all the extra work I did but to be honest it's a waste of time. Airfix did the right thing in creating a new tool Skyhawk. Just a shame it wasn't in time to go the Falklands 25th set....
If you are ever tempted to build this old dog, walk away. A very long way away.....
I'm a mostly full-time modeller put a part-time poster....
-
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
- Posts: 4421
- Joined: May 1st, 2011, 11:14 am
- Location: Doncaster, Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire.
Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
Well you have made a damn good job of a real clunker. Nice one.
- Sissel
- Modelling Lady and Scholar
- Posts: 4097
- Joined: October 31st, 2011, 12:39 pm
- Location: Island in Norway
Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
Excellent introduction, Ian!
I really enjoyed it. Glad I'm not building this.
You've done a great job with it and the extra work you put in sure paid off. It came out looking really good in the end!
I really enjoyed it. Glad I'm not building this.
You've done a great job with it and the extra work you put in sure paid off. It came out looking really good in the end!
Confused as always, and somewhere in hiding on the Scandinavian peninsula...
Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
Blast! Just noticed I haven't painted the black stripes on the arrestor hook.
Another perfect model ruined.....
Another perfect model ruined.....
I'm a mostly full-time modeller put a part-time poster....
-
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
- Posts: 4421
- Joined: May 1st, 2011, 11:14 am
- Location: Doncaster, Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire.
Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
Ho ho, I hate that job, never looks right.
- Sissel
- Modelling Lady and Scholar
- Posts: 4097
- Joined: October 31st, 2011, 12:39 pm
- Location: Island in Norway
Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
I really dislike arrestor hooks. Always looks odd when I'm painting them.
If you hadn't said anything I wouldn't have noticed.
Just calmly take it down, find a tiny small brush easily dipping the tip in black paint and carefully go over.
And while you're at it, have a double Cognac then paint the anchor free hand.
If you hadn't said anything I wouldn't have noticed.
Just calmly take it down, find a tiny small brush easily dipping the tip in black paint and carefully go over.
And while you're at it, have a double Cognac then paint the anchor free hand.
Confused as always, and somewhere in hiding on the Scandinavian peninsula...
Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
Forget it. The hook and the anchor are both on the underside, so I can't see them. If I can't see them, they don't matter and can be ignored!
I'm a mostly full-time modeller put a part-time poster....
Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
It all brings new meaning to what it means to be 'venerable'. You have, however, taken a very old kit and got on with improving it. The result is a fine looking model that would stand proudly on any shelf.
- despondman
- Active Participant
- Posts: 773
- Joined: July 15th, 2013, 6:49 pm
- Location: Lincolnshire
Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
Nicely done. I understand why you stopped taking the photos but I really enjoyed the sequence of photos, as a relative newcomer to modelling I always find I learn so much from more experienced modellers doing a bit of good old scratchbuilding. The work on the intakes is especially smart.
- BlohmWolf
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
- Posts: 2355
- Joined: May 15th, 2013, 11:21 pm
- Location: Down under, TAS.
Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
That's quite nice. Especially from the OLD airfix kit.
"Can not finish a model at all"
"You can get more of what you want, with a kind word and a wallet, than just a kind word".
Currently Building: FROG Wildcat, Fokker DR1 Red baron and some other things...
"You can get more of what you want, with a kind word and a wallet, than just a kind word".
Currently Building: FROG Wildcat, Fokker DR1 Red baron and some other things...
- Clashcityrocker
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
- Posts: 10808
- Joined: May 1st, 2011, 12:31 am
- Location: Adelaide. South Australia
Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
Agree with all previous comments. Nice use of an old credit card? and drinking straw.
Nigel
Nigel
- Eric Mc
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
- Posts: 4807
- Joined: May 3rd, 2011, 8:27 am
- Location: Farnborough, Hants
Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
Phew - I assumed at first the build was of the new kit.
Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
Thanks guys. You are all terribly kind.
I'm a mostly full-time modeller put a part-time poster....
- Nax
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
- Posts: 1193
- Joined: December 26th, 2011, 2:09 am
- Location: Wagga, Australia
Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk
Looks fantastic Ian, I love your build review, love the fact you used bits and bobs for your detailing with a great result.
Steve/Nax
Enjoying trying to make them look real.
Enjoying trying to make them look real.