Need help with Hasagawa A-4.

Hey Tango;
Most Escapac ejection seats I've seen in A-4's are Grey with either O.D. seat pads or Black ones, but maybe some units painted the seats Black when they pulled them for Inspections, I seen Black seats on the A-7D's, also I've seen Grey seats on the S-3's, and they have the same seat too, I would think that'll be your option on how the seat would be painted, but most of the time the seats are Grey, even the ACES II is Grey
Ugly Butt Effective Hawgs
Cuda

Thanks Cuda,

I was searching through some old model mags and I found an article on the very kit that I'm building and you're absolutely right-the seat is grey.

Many thanks,

Darren.

Tango,

I worked on the scooter while I was in the Marine Corps and worked with the seat shop; all Escapacs we worked on were painted flat black; unless you're modeling an A-4 fresh from the factory I would paint the seat black. The parachute an seat pans were olive green and the inside panels were a quilted padded material in a gunship grey color. The seat shop personnel were responsible for repainting the inside of the cockpit to include the stick and it was usually painted light sea grey. This is all from personal experience so that is how I am doing my skyhawk. I am doing the Hasegawa A-4 and converting to an A-4M using Cutting Edge resin conversion kit. I am also working on a Monogram OA-4M that I am converting to a Kuwaiti TA-4KU. Good luck and have fun!

Thanks mtollens,

I've done most of my Navy jets with black seats and this is my first A-4, which is why I was unsure about the colour. The mag I referred to earlier showed the seat/tub as a very dark grey. I gues it depends on who you talk to. It certainly shows that you can't beat experience!

Glad to help, the A-4 is my favorite aircraft of all time!

hey Mtollens
Why did you guys paint the seats black instead of the orignal color?, was it easier to get black instead of the grey's?, the reason I'm asking is that when I was at Nellis AFB we had A-4's come in for Red Flag and their seats where grey, and stated that you painted them black, and these where A-4E's & M's, and they where both Navy & Marine A/C or was it just a unit color change thing,
I know we changed our seat pads on the ACES II from O.D. to black and it's units prefferance
Ugly Butt Effective Hawgs
cuda

Cuda,
I think that the black paint was probably less expensive; it might also have been an ACC directive, which was a tech manual change (AirCrew systems Change). I have never personally seen an Escapac in any color other than flat black. The seat pans were RSSK-8s and we always had green pads on them. I don't remember having anything other than green in the supply system when we did our 448 day inspections on the seat pans at Intermediate level. I could see where a black seat pad would look less cruddy than the green pads.
The Aviation Life Support Shop usually was tasked with maintenance that didn't fall neatly into another category; therefore we pulled seats, canopies, worked on the environmental system(heat and A/C), serviced LOX(liquid oxygen) bottles in addition to the personal flight equipment used by aircrews. On the Mikes we even inspected the drag chutes every 2 months. My A-4 experience took me to 3 different Marine squadrons on both coasts, 1987-1991.

Hey mtollens

I've got some spare brass cockpit details and I was wondering what the inside frame of the A-4 canopy looks like. For instance does it have some sort of locking mechanisim along the bottom of the frame thats quite noticable like on the F14's? Does it have one mirror inside or three?

Hope you don't mind me throwing questions at you like this!

Thanks,

Darren

Darren,

There are 3 mirrors located inside the canopy frame on the A-4, upper left, center and upper right; think of a clock, 11, 12, and 1 o'clock positions and you've got it. The canopy had 2 hooks on each side, on the bottom. They engaged pins when the pilot slid the canopy forward after pulling it down. On the right hand side some A/C would have a strap attached to enable the canopy to be pulled down so you may want to show that as well. Ask whatever question will help you build a Scooter you'll be proud of! I'm here to help.

Hey Mtollens;
Thanks for the Info, when I'm going to start my Skooters I'll be knocking at your door to get all the info on them, as for the favor I'll answer all your need's on the ole Hawg, Lawn Darts, and can't forget the ole Fat Alberts too H-3 versions to be exact,
Ugly Butt Deadly Effective Hawgs
cuda

Cuda, You got it! Part of the fun of building is learning about the subjects, what better way to learn than to talk to those who were there! Somewhere in my unbuilt collection resides a Warthog waiting to see the light, and I have a '130 within reach!

Thanks mtollens!
I'll put that info. to good use. I hope my A-4 does you proud when it's finished.

Many thanks,

Darren.

Darren,

Post a photo when you're done!

Will do.