Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

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Ian
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Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by Ian »

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.
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And this is what it's supposed to end up looking like.
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I had to set my camera to wide angle to get all the parts in the photo.
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And look at this, page upon page of instructions......
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And a lovely colour painting guide.....
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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.
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An amazingly thin canopy.
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No flash at all.
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And it sits nice and flat on the mat, so it's not at all warped.
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There's some lovely intake trunking.
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And lot's of detail in the cockpit.
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Well there will be......

So I started with the seat. Filled and sanded.
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And made a floor.
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A quick dry fit showed it would also need a bulkhead.
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So I made and installed that too.
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And while I was at it I added an IP too.
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Not perfect but better than the gaping void that was there before.
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And with the perfectly molded seat.
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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.
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A bit of superglue and we have the startings of something.
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It still needs some work and some trimming.
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So I do just that.
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And doesn't it look a whole lot better. Still a gaping chasm in there though.
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And a triangle of plasticard takes care of that!
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A whole lot better.
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Now to look at the back end. Just as I suspected, another gaping hole.....
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It needs something shoving up its bottom. This bomb might do the trick.
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So I chop it up.
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But there's a joining pin.
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Soon gotten rid of and that's going to look a whole lot better.
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Out with the paints for the interior.
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The seat.
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And the IP.
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And then it can all be closed up.
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Perfect from the front.
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And perect from the rear.
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The wings were perfect too.
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Look at this great fit.
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And speaking of a great fit, I only needed a tiny bit of filler on the underside.
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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.
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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....
shangos70
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Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by shangos70 »

Well you have made a damn good job of a real clunker. Nice one.
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Sissel
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Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by Sissel »

Excellent introduction, Ian!
I really enjoyed it. Glad I'm not building this. :ha:
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...
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Ian
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Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by Ian »

Blast! Just noticed I haven't painted the black stripes on the arrestor hook.
Another perfect model ruined.....
I'm a mostly full-time modeller put a part-time poster....
shangos70
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Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by shangos70 »

Ho ho, I hate that job, never looks right.
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Sissel
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Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by Sissel »

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. :-D
Confused as always, and somewhere in hiding on the Scandinavian peninsula...
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Ian
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Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by Ian »

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....
vacant
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Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by vacant »

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.
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despondman
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Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by despondman »

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.
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BlohmWolf
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Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by BlohmWolf »

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...
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Clashcityrocker
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Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by Clashcityrocker »

Agree with all previous comments. Nice use of an old credit card? and drinking straw.

Nigel
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Chris
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Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by Chris »

Great job on a craptacular kit.
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Eric Mc
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Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by Eric Mc »

Phew - I assumed at first the build was of the new kit.
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Ian
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Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by Ian »

Thanks guys. You are all terribly kind.
I'm a mostly full-time modeller put a part-time poster....
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Nax
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Re: Airfix 1:72 A-4 Skyhawk

Post by Nax »

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.
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