The Revell 1/48 EA-6A build Thread

Hiya Fred!

Believe it or not, I'm actually at that very stage in the construction of mine.  I've glued the two fuselage halves together and have taken care of the seams.  Next I'll be attaching the IP hood.  I, too, have seen it in the instructions but I have not physically tried it yet.  I'll do that tonight and let you know what I encounter.

Eric

Hey Eric,

That would be great!  I'm completely at a loss as to how that part attaches.

BTW, if you didn't install the nose gear/ center section yet, remember to add weight to the nose, otherwise, she's a tail sitter.  I saw a note, pointing out the need for drilling a hole for the clear brace, back by the tail hook (which, BTW, is no fun trying to install).

I took 2 dead AA batteries and glued 1 into the nose itself and the other to the backside of that center panel.  Should be good and front-heavy, now.

I'll post a few pics tonight, or so.  We can have our own mini GB, LOL.

-Fred

LOL!  I love it!  You and I should come up with our own group build badge!

It's funny that just last night I was looking at that shroud on the instructions.  Now you're got me scared as to what I'll find when get home tonight and see how it fits.

The great thing about that kit is the cavernous area in the nose where one can place the weights!  I've already glued a few large fishing sinkers in there but now maybe I'll drop in a couple more just to be on the safe side.  Maybe I'll tape the wings and tail on to double check that it will, indeed, sit on the nose gear.

On a side note, I wish there was an easier way to display the plane with the gear up.  For those who aren't building the kit or have it in their stash, the nose gear doors are molded to the side walls in the open position.

Eric

echolmberg

LOL!  I love it!  You and I should come up with our own group build badge!

It's funny that just last night I was looking at that shroud on the instructions.  Now you're got me scared as to what I'll find when get home tonight and see how it fits.

The great thing about that kit is the cavernous area in the nose where one can place the weights!  I've already glued a few large fishing sinkers in there but now maybe I'll drop in a couple more just to be on the safe side.  Maybe I'll tape the wings and tail on to double check that it will, indeed, sit on the nose gear.

On a side note, I wish there was an easier way to display the plane with the gear up.  For those who aren't building the kit or have it in their stash, the nose gear doors are molded to the side walls in the open position.

Eric

It is that way for all the Revellogram A-6 series. probably about 90% of the parts are common to all three kits gear doors included.

Here's our badge

I took the pictures, but I'm going to need another day or two to get them uploaded

-Fred

Fred,

I sent you an e-mail...or PM...or whatever they're called.

Eric

PS.  I'm liking the badge!  For as long as I've been on this forum, I never thought I needed no stinkin' badges but this one looks like fun!

Got it and replied to

-Fred

Well, here's where she stands, right now;

Some cockpit shots

and how the counterweights are added

-Fred

If either of you need any bits or spares for your kits, I have one Im not going to build.

I wouldn't use batteries as weight. Eventually, the batteries will decay and start to leak juice.

Fred,

I just now realized that you're working on the EA-6A!  I'm working on the EA-6B.  I hope I can still stay "in the group"!

Eric

By the way, the cockpit looks great!  I'm going to wait until the plane is done before I drop in the seat backs.  For me, it'll just be one less (or in my case, four less) things to break while I'm masking off the cockpit for painting.

That's a great looking pit, Fred.  Eric, I'm also working on an EA-6B, but it's the Hasagawa 1/72.  I'm wishing I had the 1/48 version.  This thing is too darn small for on old guy.  I'm building it for a former Marine friend and might put up some pics, soon.

Ken

Hey guys, found this pic in my collection (cant remember where i got it from) which i thought could be of use to you.

Its just an A-6E but hopefully some of the faward detail should be pretty similar.

Thanks, guys

Scorpiomikey - that's a cool picture.  What size is the original?

echolmberg

Fred,

I just now realized that you're working on the EA-6A!  I'm working on the EA-6B.  I hope I can still stay "in the group"!

Eric

By the way, the cockpit looks great!  I'm going to wait until the plane is done before I drop in the seat backs.  For me, it'll just be one less (or in my case, four less) things to break while I'm masking off the cockpit for painting.

Of course you're still welcome in the group.

2500x1636 pixels, so fairly big.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know what kind of weapons the EA-6B carried besides the Shrike missile?

Thanks,

Eric

echolmberg

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know what kind of weapons the EA-6B carried besides the Shrike missile?

Thanks,

Eric

As far as I know the EA-6B never carried the Shrike only the A-6A, A-6E, and the EA-6A carried the Shrike. The EA-6B carried only Jamming pods and fuel tanks on its hard points. And the Shrike was only used in Vietnam and was replaced by the AGM-88 HARM and the EA-6B was I believe developed just as the war was winding down and probably didn't see action. 

EA-6Bs have used HARMs over Iraq '91 and "03, Balkans 96 and 99, Afghnistan "01 and probalby Libya in '86 as well (the HARM's combat debut).

Well, I finally got the wings on - she's starting to look like a plane.  Thankfully, the wings fit good and tight on the top side - no gaps at the roots.  But underneath, no two angles match the curvature of the fuselage.  I'm just glad the landing gear should block most, if not all, of that from sight.

But man, that center section that has the nose gear and belly - what a terrible fit.  The directions are so vague as to how it goes together.  I think my piece may have been warped, because there is no way that thing should have fit that badly.  It took an hour of sanding, a couple applications of Mr. Surfacer 500 and another hour of seam clean-up - just to get it to about 75% acceptable.

I'll try and post pics of this later, so stay tuned sports fans.

-Fred

Hi guys.  I apologize if I'm intruding into your mini-group.  I've just finished(?) my Hasegawa EA-6B and wanted to show it to someone, blemishes and all.  It's not museum quality but I hope my marine friend will enjoy. 

Thanks, Ken

Ken,

It looks great to me!  How was that Hasegawa kit?  It looks like you did it justice.

Fred, it's interesting that you said the underside center section was so horrible!  I just test fitted the one on my EA-6B tonight and, I hate to say this, it seems like it's going to fit like a glove.  If I do it right, I might be able to get by with no filler whatsoever.  At the very least, I'd have to use some Mr. Surfacer 500 on it but that's about it.

Here are some pics so far.  I'm not happy with how the flash washed them out but to take them without the flash made it look like I was in a cave.  Tonight I dry fitted the wings and I'll have to use a miniscule amount of putty on the top where the wings meet the fuselage.

:550:0]

In the cockpit, I'll wait until after I've painted the plane before I drop the seat backs in. 

For anyone who hasn't yet built the 1/48 EA-6B, this picture doesn't convey how big the kit actually is.  I think it's due to the angle at which I took the picture.  It's, for me anyway who's used to building 99% WW2 single engine fighters, a huge plane and model!  Right after I took this picture, I sanded away the putty on top.  It really didn't need all that much.  So far, it's been a user friendly kit.  But it ain't over till it's over, right?  LOL!

Eric

 PS.  Thanks to those who corrected my gaff.  Yes, you are correct.  I should have said HARM, not Shrike.  I knew something was wrong when I posted that....

I can imagine how big this is, ive got a Tamiya 1:72 A-6E waiting in the wings and thats a bit of a beast. At least 25cm long (just over 8inches for you imperial fullas)

echolmberg

Here are some pics so far.  I'm not happy with how the flash washed them out but to take them without the flash made it look like I was in a cave.  Tonight I dry fitted the wings and I'll have to use a miniscule amount of putty on the top where the wings meet the fuselage.

:550:0]

In the cockpit, I'll wait until after I've painted the plane before I drop the seat backs in. 

 

 

looks like the flash made the radar screens look like they were turned on. BTW I believe darkness would be a Prowler crewmans natural habitat those radar screens were better seen in the dark anyways.

Yeah the screens are a bit too bright even without the small nuclear detonation that is my camera flash.  I plan on adding a top coat of Tamiya smoke to dull it down a bit. 

Thanks, Eric.  Your ship is looking good!

The Hasegawa kit is pretty good, but the cockpit is a 1 on a scale of 1 to 10.  I put in a Super Bug resin tub, but with a whole lot of difficulty as it required much sanding of the fuselage interior to get it in there.  Also added True Details seats.  Another big hassle for me was getting the forward cockpit hatch together.  The windscreen and the aft cover are ok, but the forward hatch comes in two pieces.   

Ken

Nice build on that Prowler, Ken .

Eric, the pit came out awseome.  I'm glad you didn't have the fit issue with that belly piece.  On the Intruder, it didn't fit worth a damn.  Sanding, filling, scraping, more filling - all to get it halfway decent.

I need to take some more pics; I've got all the paint on her, except for the radome.  I still need to detail the landing gear, paint the canopy and then all the "fun" stuff.  I figure another week or two, till she's ready.

-Fred

Just to keep this from descending into the bowels of Heck, LOL

I got some of the decals on last night, but am having an awful time with one of them.  I used solution on it and it seems to have settled down so fast, that it created lots of air bubbles.  Not silvering, but actual pockets of air.  I've been poking them and hitting them with more solution.  I'll see how they turned out, this evening.

I promise I'll try to get some pics up over the next day or two.

-Fred

Eric, I wanted to see your cockpit better so I messed with it.

Looks good to me, especially the seats.

Eric, I wanted to see your cockpit better so I messed with it.

Looks good to me, especially the seats.