1/48 Hasegawa McDonnell Douglas A-4C Skyhawk

Gallery Article by Steve Negley on May 28 2012

 

 

I've always liked the Vietnam era US Navy jet aircraft being sort of partial to the F-4's and the A-4's. I have built both the Revell-Monogram offerings of these kits but I've been building the Hasagawa F-4 lately and I wanted to try the Hasagawa A-4. I decided to build up an early A-4C, largely because I like the National Insignia on the forward part of the fuselage compared to the later versions of the A-4 where the National Insignia was moved the rear of the fuselage, the other reason, I hate the big avionics hump on the top of the fuselage, to me it just takes something away from the hot rod mean looking lines of this beautiful jet.

 

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I think the one big advantage this kit has over the Monogram kit is that the panel lines are recessed and I also like the fact that this kit has a detailed induction fan area for the jet engine, can't quite remember but I don't think the Monogram kit has this option? I built the kit out of the box using the decals for the cockpit side panels and the instrument panel, since the cockpit is so small inside the only real detailing I did on my own was weather a bit on the inside and I added my own seat belts to the ejection seat. 

This A-4C flew off the deck of the USS Enterprise, VA-93, Gulf of Tonkin circa 1965. I armed the A-4 with six Mk82 GP bombs on the centerline MER and two AGM-12 Bullpups on the outer pylons. The bombs and missiles are from Hasegawa weapons sets.

Steve Negley

      

Photos and text © by Steve Negley