Overwhelmed by building Vietnam-era aircraft

It gets easier as you go along. Not to mention that paint scemes and decals can vary from simple to exceptionally complicated. I personally love Vietnam era arcraft and am quite comfortable building and painting them. And since you chose one the hasegawa state of the art kits, it is gonna be more complicated that other companies versions of the same bird, or some of it's contemporaries.

Don't forget to put weight in the nose...

So should I start with Revell kits?  I have a Thunderchief and an Intruder.  The F-105 seems easier to build.  Painting is very similar to 3-color armor painting and the number of decals is low.  But it's big compared to 1/35 armor.  

Well, the USN jets are a bit easier, since they are only grey and white (except for where they're not :)- )

Really, you could pick up something a little less that state-of-the-art to practice upon.  I'd suggest an out-of-bob Monogram 1/48 Skyraider.   Do it up in gull grey over white.  Do the stores separately, just as you would an armor kit.   Remember that the a/c people always start with the cockpit, because those are right hard to finish once assembled in the fuselage.  Later on, you could use it for a practice bird to get your SEA camo skills up to where you want them.

My 2¢

I think that the experimental land camo schemes that the Navy used in '66 are probably the easiest schemes. Minimal markings...

Build a major warship (especially a sailing one).  You will never again complain about complexity or building time.  One of my sailing warships (still unfinished) has well over 2000 parts in the kit.

Chrisk-k

So should I start with Revell kits?  I have a Thunderchief and an Intruder.  The F-105 seems easier to build.  Painting is very similar to 3-color armor painting and the number of decals is low.  But it's big compared to 1/35 armor.  

Yes I would recommend their kits to cut your teeth on in that subject area and scale. You may want to look at their A-4E as it has the simplicity of a single seater along with the simplicity of a Navy/Marine Corps two tone paint scheme. And a far lower parts count than the Hasegawa kit. Which it is about 20+ years older than. And aside from a few subjects, most of the Vietnam era fighters and fighter bombers were medium to large aircraft.

If I may, the Hasagawa F8 Crusader isn't a difficult build.  Single engine, single intake and the fit is great. I agree that the decals are overwhelming.  One thing about Hasagawa kits are instructions.  They are busy, which makes the build look at lot more complex.

Also, although not quite Vietnam era, but Hobby Boss FJ4 Fury is a nice little build.

Good luck.

John

I've done Skyhawks, Corsairs, Crusaders, Intruders, Broncos, Hueys, Cobras, and other Vietnam era aircrafts. I usually like doing Carrier-based aircrafts due to their colorful decals and 2 colors schemes. Of course choppers are usually in olive drab colors.

For me,the best prt of A/C is laying on all those decals on a bare plane,and watching it come to life.The decals take time,but they are worth it

john087

One thing about Hasagawa kits are instructions.  They are busy, which makes the build look at lot more complex.

John

I agree. The parts count of the Hasegawa A-4M is very low compared to that of some of the Dragon AFV kits I've built and painted.  But the Hasegawa instructions look very busy.

But in Hasegawa's favor you never have or hear of the problems with directions that you get with Dragon. None of those ambiguities or flat out errors to be found.

You think Hasegawa's instructions are busy, try reading Ark Model kits. They're in Russian. As long as you get the gist of how a kit comes together, you'll do fine.

I've done tons of Hasegawa kits in my younger years and never had trouble following them step by step.

I know the A4E, F, and C as well as the TA4F saw service in SEA, but did the A4M?

A-4Ms entered fleet service in 1971. I do believe that they may have equipped the last Marine squadrons in Vietnam at the time of the cease fire in 1973

Ranger, the A-4Mike missed Vietnam.

Marine line units received A-4M on the following dates.

VMA-211 September 1976, El Toro

VMA-214 Early 1973, El Toro, first deployed to Japan July 1977

VMA-223 May 1975

VMA-311 Established September 1974 with the assets and personnel of fromer VMA-324

VMA-324 April 1971 (first A-4M unit), deactivated August 1974, no Oriental deployments

VMA-331 1971, Beaufort, first deploying to Iwakuni Japan in 1980

all the remaining A-4M squadrons were USMC Reserve squadrons, so those did not deploy, either

Closest an A-4M USMC unit came to deploying were the weapons deployments and the CarQuals

hope this helps

Rex (literally the Black Sheep in my family, lol)

Ahhhhh, so they were in service, but not with squadrons in theater. I had a feeling that you would have the answer Rex.

So the A-4M didn't serve in Vietnam.  This is a good excuse to buy an A-4E or F.  

Another good reason is that there will be a much larger pool of decals for the three versions of long nosed Skyhawks that did serve in Vietnam. (three versions, A-4E, A-4E Super Echo, A-4F), and some of the units had vastly different markings at different times.

4 USMC and 22 USN squadrons, some of them from the LantFlt deployed to Vietnam or South China Sea carriers with those three versions. Vs 6 A-4M line units in total.

Rex

The last USMC A-4 squadrons in-country, VMA-211 and VMA-311 were flying Es (1972-73). Ms didn't go operational until May 71.

those two actually had Super Echoes (you build an A-4F without the wing spoilers or nose wheel steering)

thanks for the back up on the M missing the fight

For post Vietnam era aircraft go get several bottles of light and dark ghost gray. Because that seems to be the standard color for fighter aircraft post 1985.

Super Hornets:

MIG-29:

UAV

Don't worry you'll be back to doing Nam era planes in a jiffy.

Their Phantom kits aren't all that bad.  Compared to the newer 1/72 Phantoms Hasegawa has put out they are easy.    

Chrisk, would you like a list of aircraft that served in SEA for the U.S.? Fixed wing jet and/or prop, rotary wing, light aircraft, cargo aircraft, recon aircraft, gunships, etc. Navy, Marine, USAF, USA. USCG, CIA? Do you have a specific collection in mind?

A friend of mine had some problem with weight in the noses of some models he built.   Surprised me but the landing gear bowed on one and just seem to collapse on a couple of others.  These were 1/32 models.  Don't know if that's a common problem.

I've built a swarm of Hornets