CraigSargent

Hi Marcel, Are you still looking for this sheet? I am selling mine now as have selected a different aircraft to finish mine as.

Yes, saw that one when you posted it. 👍 Now, if I can just remember where I put my FJ-2's transparencies for safe-keeping...🤔

One thing I've found on the FJ-2 during my build, which no one seems to have mentioned, is in step 7 of the assembly instructions. There are two parts C24 and C25 which the instructions would have you glue to the canopy sill. These should in fact be glued inside the lower front of the canopy, especially if you are building the kit with the canopy open. I've done a quick edit on the instructions to show what I mean.

The sets are gorgeous and in conjunction with the CAT4 wheels and the Caracal decals, will make for a nice model. The one thing that gets me, which no one seems to have mentioned, is in step 7 of the assembly instructions. There are two parts C24 and C25 which the instructions would have you glue to the canopy sill. These should in fact be glued inside the lower front of the canopy, especially if you are modelling the kit with the canopy open. I've done a quick edit on the instructions to show what I mean.

Both Hasegawa and Cutting Edge did this scheme in 1/48 also, although they will be a little harder to find now

Note that these aircraft are all Super Mikes and need the enlarged landing gear legs and gear doors. The footage of the VX-5 A-4M landing on the deck is original and was spliced in with the footage of Scott Glenn "flying" it for the movie.

The main issue to be careful of is whether the aircraft is a Mike or a Super Mike. Only Hasegawa have released the kit as a Super Mike, but it was limited edition and long out of production. The easiest way to tell the Super Mike is the enlarged landing gear doors, and the scissor link on the MLG legs, if you can see them. The BuNo is also a giveaway if you know which ones to look for. These were BuNo 160036 and the final production batch of 160241-160264. Hasegawa Super Mike sprue from kit 09611

There is always the VMA-223 jets when they had the VMA-331 tail colours. Pretty sure these haven't been done (AFAIK) https://www.airfighters.com/photo/214105/M/USA-Marines/McDonnell-Douglas-A-4M-Skyhawk/160256/ There are other examples of this scheme, but this is on a "Super Mike" A-4M.

While I agree that more Bulldogs loving is needed, this jet has already been covered

First A-4M

How about one of the few A-4Ms to fly with no hump. NAS Dallas detachment.

You can do pretty much any of the schemes already included in the kit anyway as they all have some errors, some more significant than others, as was pointed out above. There are alternatives not covered also. I'd put my vote in for this jet given an option (this squadron, but not this jet, is in the kit, but the decals are nearly useless).

It's primed - waiting for painting and decals... Will see what Caracal do before making further progress I think.

I am all too familiar with Old Models decals and there is a reason I am posting in this thread. Thanks

And the special tail markings are made up of the Albatross, which is part of the 5 Squadron, RNZAF badge, but made to look like a silver fern which is the NZ national plant