US CARRIER AVIATION GROUP BUILD 2013

DiscoStu

Well I feel like quite the flake.  I apologize for my long absence on this group build.  I think when last I left I had completed my Eduard Hellcat and had started work on my Hasegawa A-4.  Well the A-4 has been completed, it was at the 99% done stage for almost 3 months waiting for me to paint, of all things, the red-and-green nav lights on the wingtips.  Well I finally got around to getting it completed and mounted to a in-flight wall stand.  It will go on my daughter's wall.  When she was very little she used to watch the old Van Halen/Blue Angels video on YouTube, so I figured she'd like this pretty plane in her room.  Pics to follow.....

For those of you who may have never seen said video...

OOOOH yeah. I remember that one!! Ha ha !!! Cool stik!!!!

Nice video! Not my preferred style of music though

Those Scooters sure look good in the colors of the blue angels! Just one really dumb question: where does this nickname of the A-4 come from?

I am not sure where the Scooter nickname came from. The other nickname for the Skyhawk, "Heinemann's Hot Rod", is just as apt.

I pulled this from our "reliable" friends at Wikipedia:

The Skyhawk was designed by Douglas Aircraft's Ed Heinemann in response to a U.S. Navy call for a jet-powered attack aircraft to replace the older Douglas AD Skyraider (later redesignated A-1 Skyraider).[1] Heinemann opted for a design that would minimize its size, weight, and complexity. The result was an aircraft that weighed only half of the Navy's weight specification.[2] It had a wing so compact that it did not need to be folded for carrier stowage. The diminutive Skyhawk soon received the nicknames "Scooter", "Kiddiecar", "Bantam Bomber", "Tinker Toy Bomber", and, on account of its nimble performance, "Heinemann's Hot-Rod".[3]

Perhaps Tarn would have a good sea story relating to the Scooter name. After all he did work in that community.

Thanks for the video, Stik. Who was that other guy singing in Van Halen ?

I want a Scooter now, damn it. One day I will do one of each of theaerobatic aircraft used by the Blue Angels. I stalled on the Hellcat, as all the decals I've found are printed yellow, but they used gold on those ones. Once I solve that I might get started on it, in chronological order.

Cheers

Tony

That was VanHalens second lead singer, Sammy Hagar, who replaced David Lee Roth in the mid 80s and thru the 90s. I have a Blues Scooter and Hornet in my stash to do one day. A full collection of their mounts would be nice!

Here's pics of my A-4 and Hellcat:

Here's another one I've been working on.  This is the Great Wall TBD-1 Devastator.  Very nice kit.  I've really enjoyed this particular build.  Some minor fit issues if you want to build it without the bombardier's window's open, but nothing insurmountable

Thanks Stik, I was misquoting a lyric from Bowling For Soup's 'Preoccupied with 1985' which has stuck in my mind and must be one of my favorites. If  I remember correctly, the bust up between Eddie and Diamond Dave Lee Roth was a little acrimonious, but  I think I had all of their albums.

I wonder if an aerobatic team GB would fly ?

Cheers

Tony

DS, those are all beauties!!! Excellent job there sir!

Tony, I was not sure if you were serious or quoting that song. I love it too!!! Yes the break up was rumored to be quite ugly. I suppose that's why it was more surprising with Dave's return, but  Michael Anthony was now out with Sammy. Now as for an aerobatics teams GB...? I would join in that. I have my Blues... Already built my T-bird F-16 for the first Weekend Madness that I partook in here....

Ok, I'm impressed Stik. A complex scheme like a T-Bird in  a weekend, now that it madness. There's plenty of GBs right now, so maybe a bit later on next year would be better. Happy to stay in touch on that subject. it's soooo tempting to start one of my Angels now though.

Cheers

Tony

stikpusher

DS, those are all beauties!!! Excellent job there sir!

Tony, I was not sure if you were serious or quoting that song. I love it too!!! Yes the break up was rumored to be quite ugly. I suppose that's why it was more surprising with Dave's return, but  Michael Anthony was now out with Sammy. Now as for an aerobatics teams GB...? I would join in that. I have my Blues... Already built my T-bird F-16 for the first Weekend Madness that I partook in here....

And let's not forget the Gary Cherone era for Van Halen.

Tony, all the complex stuff was decals. All I had to was put down a coat of white and then do touch ups with insignia red and insignia blue where needed. Unfortunately I did not finish that one in under 48 hours. But I got it mostly done and learned a lot for the next ones. I do know that I could bang out another Academy 1/48 F-16 in standard scheme & markings in 48 hours now, using lessons learned there.

DS, I have heard that phase of Van Halen was not one to remember... I can't say that any of their work then caught my ear....

Stu: Both your Scooter and the Hellcat look absolutely gorgeous! What pics do you want to see on the front page?

Your devastator is a beauty as well BTW!

Stu, good stuff there! Love that wall display, coolest idea I've seen this week!

Spartan: For pics, I'm easy.  Any one will do.

Greg: Thanks!  I found the stands on eBay for $6 and stocked up.  Wish I could remember who the seller was, I think it was a guy who made them himself.  He offered wall mounts and table mounts.  Acrylic rod and screw included.

sorry, Stik,,I was too young to have participated in the nicknaming of the Skyhawk

they were already Scooters when I got near them in 1975,,,,I was around when some A-4Mike got the hump removed, creating "Mighty Mike" aircraft

I already typed out the Echo nickname, which was "not safe for work or children", It was pun based on the A-4Echo getting the ECM hump and renamed to Super Echo,,,,,then we needed a new nickname for "non humped Echo" aircraft,,,,,so, we used a vulgar one, lol  (Marines, you know)

Dang. I was hoping it had been perhaps passed on down from the old guys. And yes, the other Echo name is still loud and clear in my memory here.

And now for the latest installment on my  Echo Scooter...

I have been nickle & diming work in the cockpit this week and now it is almost ready to seal up. First I tried a wash of dark gray on the sidewalls, but that came out too light. So then I went with some Promodeler wash the other day- that stuff also is light until you get a topcoat over it. Today a coat of Humbrol Satin Coat and boom... nice!

stik-That I/P is looking great, I like your attention to detail. I think I need a new bottle of wash cuz mine is clumping up and not looking like yours does. Keep up the good work!

I am hoping to get my pics taken this weekend, not enough time!

Thank you VS. It is not quite as good as I intended, but I am reaching the point of diminishing returns on this, so it is time to accept what I can and move forward. I have the final painting done and put some drops of Testors Clear Parts Glue over each instrument and am waiting for that to dry before I take photos.

stikpusher

but  Michael Anthony was now out with Sammy

Yes, that is one serious trio of guitars there... now for a drummer...

I like your detail work, Stik.

Are those emergency gear down handles? Dumb question probably, but why 4?

One is emergency gear down, one emergency jettison of all ordnance, one is emergency generator, and one for manual flight control.

stikpusher

Yes, that is one serious trio of guitars there... now for a drummer...

That's right... I could not remember the band's name until you just put it here...

"one emergency jettison of all ordnance",,,,,also known as the "p@@@-off all the Ramp Roaches at once" maneuver  

I once saw a Scooter "in the chains" (the over-run area when the brakes fail), with all the chains on the hook, and a pile of iron stuff on the ground (scattered all over),,,,,,,,I was soooo very glad it was one of the Navy Scoots and not one of our's,,,,participating in the clean up was an option at that point,,,,,,I went ahead and helped, both for the case of beer, and for the right to cuss out a JG, lol (again, "Marines, harumph")

ps, I was also very glad for that pilot's skin,,,,,none of the fuzes had spun up on his iron, the wires were still in place

Rex