Kits: Hasegawa 1/48 PT33(07233)
Decals:

• Two Bobs 48-092 Low-Vis “MIKES” part 1: VMA-311 option used

• Two Bobs 48-093 : Low-Vis “MIKES” part2:VMA-211 option used

• Two Bobs 48-086: U.S. Air to Air Markings: used on sidewinders for VMA-311

Enough is known that the A-4 series by Hasegawa builds straight from the box quite well. Building these two planes was relatively easy with minor modifications. S-Airbrakes were glued shut, sanded flush and panel lines rescribed.

- Ejection seat was replaced with True Details ESCAPAC seats. These were shaved down on the sides so that they would fit properly.
- MV lenses were added on the landing gear doors.-MV lenses glued in nose and painted over with a mix of food coloring and Future floor polish.
- Centerline fuel tank on VMA-311 plane was acquired from a Hobbycraft A-4M (Note: I believe I smelted the rest of this kit into a little plastic ingot and sent it to Hasegawa for recycling cause they would make better use of the plastic ;^). Modification to this tank included cutting off the end and sanding out the inside so that it was round and thin at the edge. Flat spare plastic was cut to size of opening using a digital caliper for measurement. Plastic was rounded and glued just short in distance from the inner edge of the fuel tank end so that a lip remained. Holes filled and new one drilled to center tank properly on it’s respective mounting rack.

- Dimpled brake fluid level window on nose (port side, right above modex numbers) with a drill bit and filled with black paint. Hasegawa simply represents this as small scribed circle but it is actually a small window. -Used Hasegawa AIM-9’s from their Harrier kit release. Applied Two Bob decals to them.
- Rescribed panel lines where detail was lost seam from sanding.
- Cut, replaced and masked landing signal lights lense on port leading edge with acetate. This looks better than the thick distorted piece given that hides seeing the lights clearly. This was masked before painting. Area surrounding light is white with amber, green, and red lenses painted. I used a fine drill bit to drill these lights lightly refining their shape. A seam line down the middle makes them look rough.

- Pitot tube E20 (included with kit) is placed on vertical stabilizer. Before gluing the fuselage halves together, clean out the plug that fills its location point. This replaces part F-24 for those “Mikes” without this arrangement so check your references.
- Extended part F22 with styrene to represent this part more accurately. Hasegawa supplied these parts originally for the A-4F “SPIKES” on the bottom, aft of the nose gear, but “Mikes” ALQ-126 antennas were of a different shape slightly.
- Wiring was added to represent landing gear hydraulics. Nose gear tie-downs replaced with wire (originally looked like stubs.
- Arrestor hook masked and painted with appropriate number of stripes and color(decals didn’t cut it here).

Photos and text © 2005 by John Smith

June 05, 2005

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