My A-4 Skyhawk was built using the Hasegawa 1/48 scale kit. Right out of the box,
Hasegawa kit builds up into a nice replica of the Skyhawk. Detail is comprehensive and accurate, and there are
no real fit issues with the kit. The cockpit is well done, and the only replacement I made there was to use a
Verlinden resin ESCAPAC ejection seat. Otherwise, washes and dry brushing brought out all of the well done raised detail.
Painting in the gull gray over white scheme was done using Polyscale acrylics, with Model Master Metalizers
used for the exhaust area. I chose to use CAM decals markings for VA-55 for this build. They depict a CAG bird aboard
the USS Hancock, during the Vietnam era, and went on without a hitch, over the gloss coat of Future.
Weapons, in the form of six Mk. 82 500 lb snakeye retarded bombs were sourced form Hasegawa's weapons set,
as there is no ordnance supplied with the kit; this being the one drawback. The bombs were installed on the centerline pylon,
using a six-station multiple ejector rack (MER), also from the weapons set. Two under-wing drop tanks, which are supplied
in the kit, completed the exterior stores.
The completed model was sealed with another coat of Future, which was followed by an enamel wash.
Polyscale Flat was then applied to tone down the shine, and some light weathering was done with pastel
chalks to complete the model.
