Depicted as NZ6201 from No 75 Squadron RNZAF when it was passing through HMAS Albatross, NSW. Australia in 1993. At that time I was working on No 2. Sqn RNZAF and we (for reasons I can't remember) referred to 75 Sqn as the gumboot squadron.
75 Sqn's aircraft had stopped at Nowra for fuel on the way back to New Zealand. Whilst they were there some mates and I took the opportunity to alter the Squadron crest on a number of the aircraft.
The Kit
- 1/48 A-4K Skyhawk 'RNZAF' - Kit No. 09441
Click here for my article on modelling the RNZAF Skyhawks . This covers the RNZAF Skyhawk from a modellers perspective.
Click here for my article on building the Hasegawa Skyhawk kits. This covers how I handle the basic construction of the Hasegawa Skyhawk kits.
Aftermarket
- Eduard 648214 - A-4E/F Wheels - Late
- Phase Hangar Resin 48021 - 300 Gallon Drop Tanks
- Phase Hangar Resin 48021 - 400 Gallon Drop Tank
- HGW 248034 - Fabric Remove Before flight Tags
- Eduard 73044 - 1/72 Remove Before Flight Tags - Steel
- Aerobonus 480 022 - Remove before Flight Tags - White Lettering
- Aerobonus 480 023 - Remove before Flight Tags - Black Lettering
- Quickboost QB 48 496 - A-4 Ejection Seat with belts
- Quickboost QB 48 887 - A-4 FOD Guards (note these don't fit the TA-4)
- Quickboost QB 48 222 - A-4E/F Skyhawk Gun Barrels
Decals
- Gekko Graphics 48-001 - Royal New Zealand Air Force A-4G/K Skyhawks
- Gekko Graphics 48-002 - Royal New Zealand Air Force A-4G/K Skyhawks
- Ronin Decals RDS-028 - RNZAF A-4K /TA-4K Skyhawk Green Scheme Decals
Paint
- Gray FS36081 - Mr. Color 301
- Green FS34102 - Mr. Color 303
- Green FS34079 - Mr. Color 309
- Grey FS36270 - Mr. Color 306 - I use this instead of FS36231 for the interiors as it looks more in scale to the grey.
- Black - Gaianotes Black Grey
- White - Tamiya XF 2 Flat white
- Tamiya Flat Red
- Chrome - Model Master Enamel
- Silvers - Tamiya AS-12 and various Alclads
- Vallejo Acrylics for details
The main colours were applied free hand from the airbrush after roughly marking out the pattern with a coloured pencil.
Clear Coats
- Gaianotes Gloss
- Mr Color GX 113 Flat
Weathering
- Mr Weathering Color - various colours mixed for washes.
- Oil paints for washes
- Coloured pencils
Weathering was kept light, mainly because I don't remember the aircraft being particularly dirty or discolored in the times I worked on them. Areas that were subject to some oil staining were quite often wiped down with a Avtur dampened rag at the end of the day. The aircraft were washed every 56 days.
Scratch Building
- The cockpit - see here
- The aft hell hole door. This was normally open on the ground unless the aircraft was just about to go flying - see here
- The Hi intensity strobe light - Hasegawa's is white metal whereas the real think had a clear lens
- Smoke Pipe
The Pictures
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