1/48 Scooter question

Wow guys, this really took off over the past few days, and I just now noticed it. Thanks for all the input. I'm going to give the Hobbycraft jit a try 1st (mostly cause I want to do a C) but I am sure I'll end up doing the Monogram Scooter as well.

If you need any clarification or photos, feel free to get in touch with me at droberts9799(at)comcast(dot)net.

THANK YOU DARREN. You just saved me a whole lot of scratch building and research time.  

Did you pick up the Steel Beach set for your BA build? It has everything you need. I'm currently writing an article for Finescale on how to correctly make a BA out of a Hasegawa A-4E/F. Here's a quick list that I'm working off of. Blue Angel A-4 Outline Cockpit  Padded inside of canopy  Black seat and rear decking Fuselage  No ECM gear  Replace parts J1, J2, J5, J6 with resin intake parts  Part E11 used for antenna  Parts A3 and A4 for blanking off chaff/flare buckets  Part D7 for starboard (right) wing root  Resin ladder container for port (left) wing root  Part A6 for rear fuselage piece without chaff/flare bucket  Cut away stab pivot mechanisms and replace with resin pieces  Smoke oil pipe at diagonal angle to exhaust coming from sugar scoop  Part E32 probe NOT used Wings  Remove slat rails and glue leading edge slats in up position  Remove barricade fences from leading edge of slats  Sand down slat well and blend in to wing surface Painting  Inside of gear doors is blue  Inside of wing flaps is red

Daren that's a beauty. I remember when the Monogram A-4 E/F was released in the 1970s when the only other 1/48th scale A-4 was the Lindberg "prototype/A". There were odd "box scale"versions (C IIR) by Revell and 1/72nd scale, but the only thing close to a 1/48th scale was the 1/50th scale TA4F by Fujimi. I cut the TA4F at the fuselage seperation line on both kits and shimmed the fuselage nose section of the TA4 to bring it into scale and married the Monogram kit to the TA4F nose. The cockpit was mostly scratch built. Now you can get a TA4 in 1/48th scale by two companies. IIR the L was a modified C and so were the first Es and the TA4Fs. I'm in the process of building a Hasagawa, boxed by Revell/Monogram, A4F. I'm modifying it to Super Foxtrot standards without the pod on top of the tail as a Blue Angels aircraft. Basically it gets intake openings that are enlarged to feed air to the upgraded engine and deleted guns. The intakes are available from one of the aftermarket suppliers, as is a better cockpit and wheel wells. Again, thanks guys. As I said I am a big fan of the A4.

I'm currently building an A-4 from each manufacturer. The Monogram kit is better than the Hobbycraft kit in a couple of areas, mainly the windscreen/canopy and the wheels. If you took the Monogram parts and put them on the Hobbycraft kit, you'd be set. Neither kit has good intake trunking. Steel Beach has intake plugs for both. I used the HC kit to make an A-4L and used some extra Hasegawa parts to improve it a bit. Even still, the HC Scooter just looks "chunky", for lack of a better term.

This is one of the many Hobbycraft Scooters in their family ( A-4B thru A-4M ). I don't think any are in production right now. It's a decent enough kit with the good quality later release decal sheet. Definitely worth a look for the decals and ordnance alone. 

Thanks for that info Stick. I had not seen this kit. Is this their own kit, or a rebox of someone elses? The Hasagawa C is a great kit and I have not seen decals for this aircraft. If it is a good kit then I will build it, otherwise I'll pick it up for the decals and swap the Hasagawa decals. Is this kit still in production? I'm a big A-4 fan and I'm surprised I missed this kit.

rangerj

Just a thought: There was a Mig shot down by a C model Scooter in Viet Nam. There is a "tribute" C model Scooter doing the air show circuit and it is painted as a replica of that C model Scooter. IIR the paint scheme is not very flashy or intricate so if there are no aftermarket decals available it could be done without a lot of effort. I'll dig through my photo collection for a pic and the unit information if anyone is interested. I know I have something on this airplane, but locating it might not be easy!!! 

 

That is the Scooter in this kit from VA-76. Assigned to Flak suppresion on an airfield strike, the pilot used his  Zuni rockets to shoot down the Mig

Just a thought: There was a Mig shot down by a C model Scooter in Viet Nam. There is a "tribute" C model Scooter doing the air show circuit and it is painted as a replica of that C model Scooter. IIR the paint scheme is not very flashy or intricate so if there are no aftermarket decals available it could be done without a lot of effort. I'll dig through my photo collection for a pic and the unit information if anyone is interested. I know I have something on this airplane, but locating it might not be easy!!! 

tempestjohnny

Was just browsing on evil bay. Man sellers want just as much for the hobbycraft kit as the Hasegawa kit

 

That means those sellers are going real cheap on the Hasegawa Scooters or they are charging too much for the Hobbycraft Scooters. But from what I have seen of evil bay over the past few years I suspect it is the latter. The place is no longer the home of good bargains that it used to be. 

I love the Monogram scooter,  it build easy and fun.  its not the most detailed but still makes a nice kit when done

I have the C in my stash. It comes with Zunis, Mk.82's, TER's, Drop Tanks and AIM-9s, IIRC. The kit bang seat is best replaced. True Details makes the proper type. The control stick could use help as well. But if you found it for a good price, go for it.

Thabks stik. I happened across a Hobbycraft C model at a decent price. And I always wanted to do something in VA-153 colors, so that would fit the bill with Eagle Strike 48-032.

TheThey Monogram kit is old but decent. It comes with 6 Mk.82s on a centerline MER, two drop tanks, and two AGM-45 Shrikes. The Hobbycraft scooters come with oodles of various ordnance depending upon the version. Detail is a little soft and the cockpit needs help, but they are a good deal for the price usually. The Hasegawa kits are the best, BUT ( surprise surprise ) come with NO ordnance beyond drop tanks. 

I like Scooters too and have them all in my stash.