A-4 Skyhawk

I can't say much about the Italeri kit, never seen one. I think Esci's are decent, I know I've seen some of them, just can't recall exactly what they were like.

But the Fujimi kits are a bit nicer than the Hasegagme offerings which are 70's molds. The Fujimi kits are much more recent, mid-late 80's, maybe early 90's.

If you don't mind raised panel lines and such, then Hasegagme's kits will satisfy you equally as well as Fujimi's.

I dunno if Academy had any 72nd Scooters. Early on, Academy/Minicraft had some 48th kits, which were ex-Fujimi molds, but I'm really not sure if they had 72nd A-4's.

This is one project I'd like to see finished. I'm not a fan of "little scale", but I'd still like to see a HUGE line up of Scooters!! Gonna do a Blue Angel's "Super Fox"?

Fade to Black...

Of course! I had one (pic posted somewhere else on this forum) but something heavy and brittle fell on it and smashed the little kit... (Story of my life as far as the A-4 and Blues go since my six 1/48 Blue Angels scooters got smashed too by a large piece od perspex...).

The one I'm really looking forward to is the TA-4S..! There's so many of them to do, not just the different models, from prototype to the OA-4M, but also all the decorations and countries that used it! Gonna take years to complete!

Domi

I have all three. Hasegawa is inaccurate (nose too long) ESCI's isn't bad but my money is on the Fujimi kits! Domi, if you want my ECSI A-4's, please contact me.

I built an Esci A-4 years ago and it was passable for the 1/72 scale.

I'd be careful around Italeri's kits. I had a Testors A-4 a while back and there were some serious proportion problems. As close as Italeri and Testors are associated, its hard to tell where the molds originated, from what I've seen of other Italeri kits, I doubt it would have come from them, but one never knows.

Anyway, when you get to the TA-4J in your series, I have a couple of pictures of a USN one in some eye catching high visibility trainer markings posted on Ron USMC's posting site in the reference photo section. I don't know if they'll be of any help, but if you can make use of them, great!

Domi,

The Fujimi kits are surerior in 1/72 scale. Hasagawa produces a nice two seater in 1/72 scale, that is the TA 4 J. The Fujimi OA 4 M is the best for that variant, and I think the only 1/72 OA 4 M.

I do not know of any 1/72 scale kit of the proto-type or the first production variants, AD 4, A and B if I remember right.

The Blue Angles flew A 4 Superfoxs, that is up-rated "Fs". The intakes are enlarged to feed the more powerful engine. I think the modified intake scoops are available in 1/72 scale via the aftermarket parts suppliers. If not, you could "steal" the intakes from a Fujimi A 4 M.

Good luck with your project. I have been doing the same thing in 1/48th scale. Hasagawa has made it a lot easier with their new releases. I don't have too do so much "converting".

The old Lindberg kit is a 1/48 model of the proto-type and first production AD 4, but it takes a lot of work to bring it up to todays standards.

Now, if Hasagawa would only make a TA 4 F or J, and an OA 4 M. Lets keep our fingers crossed. rangerj

Rangerj,

The old Airfix kit is a A4D-1, or as close as one can get at that scale anyway. I also remembered building the Matchbox A-4M, but haven't got much good to say about that one...

So far, after a day of research and pondering, I've come to a list of the following models to build..(!).

XA4D-1 (Airfix)
A4D-1 from Buck Danny comic strip (modified Airfix)
A4D-2 (Fujimi???)
A4D-2N (Fujimi???)
A-4C (Fujimi???)
A-4D (Fujimi??? + spares)
A-4E (Fujimi or Italeri)
A-4F (Fujimi, ESCI or Italeri)
A-4F Blue Angels (Fujimi or ESCI)
TA-4F (TA-4E) (modified (?) Hasegawa)
TA-4J
A-4M (Matchbox, Fujimi or modified Italeri ???)
OA-4M (Fujimi)
A-4L (modified Fujimi ???)
A-4P (modified Fujimi???)
A-4Q (modified Fujimi???)
A-4AR (modified Italeri, Fujimi or Matchbox)
A-4H (modified ESCI, Italeri or Fujimi)
TA-4H (modified Hasegawa)
A-4N (modified Italeri, Fujimi or Matchbox)
A-4K (modified ESCI, Fujimi or Italeri)
TA-4K (modified Hasegawa)
A-4KU (Fujimi or modified Matchbox or Italeri)
TA-4KU (modified Hasegawa)
A-4S (modified Fujimi???)
TA-4S (modified Fujimi ??? + spares)
A-4G (modified ESCI, Fujimi or Italeri)
TA-4G (modified Hasegawa)
AF-1 (modified Matchbox, Fujimi or Italeri)
AF-1A (modified Hasegawa)
and 2 Malaysian birds (modified Hasegawa, Fujimi, ESCI and/or Italeri)

I need a holiday!

I picked up the Italera 1:72nd skyhawk last night. Not much to it just by looking at it. Certainly no cockpit to it.

Is it the A-4M (kit 157) or the A-4E/F (kit 181)..?

Hi DJ i've got the Angels part of the Hasegawa TA4J markings sheet. its yours if you want it and its any use to you...Gregers

DJ,
You are correct about the Airfix kit. I forgot about it. I have one that has been on "the shelf" for a very long time. One of these days I'm going to make a list of what is in which box, and in which closet! That "day" will not be any time soon. Oh well, they will all get built "some day". rangerj

Today I saw a Fujimi A4 E/F that also showed markings for the A4G used by the Royal Australian Navy. I've built a Fujimi A4 in 72nd scale and converted it to an RNZAF A4K, with the squared off tail, no hump, various extra antenna etc, Kahu cockpit and HUD. If I remember correctly the kit had the option of an A4 or TA4, with a seperate nose section for the T bird. The kit had nice recessed lines.

I've come up across the following kits already:

Fujimi
OA-4M, A-4E/F, TA-4J/F, A-4C

ESCI
A-4E, A-4E/F

Italeri
A-4M, A-4 E/F

Airfix
A4D-1

Hasegawa
TA-4J

Matchbox
A-4M

There's many separate boxes for the Fujimi kits, with various markings. The ESCI also came with numerous different decals, as I remember. There must be more Hasegawa kits I'd think... There's also the Frog kit, but I've never seen it. Probably a A4D-1... Anybody else know any more 1/72 Skyhawk kits?

Gregers, those decals might come in handy, but first I need to be sure that I actually will start this project! LOL... Even at one a month, it's nearly 3 years of Skyhawk there! Thanks for the offer, it's very generous. I'll keep it 'on file'...

Spare parts might also come in handy, in particular landing gear and canopies for those who might have any spares. I'm willing to trade against whatever you guys (and dolls) want.

Thanks

Domi - The FROG kit is very likely to be a reboxed Hasegawa kit...

Hi DJ no problem just let me know via this forum. I can't promise on this but i should have some argentine skyhawk marks too ....Gregers