Rob_Haelterman

If I recall well, I have a picture that shows them (partially) in the Detail and Scale book. Will get back to you (unless someone beats me to it ) Cheers Rob

Finally took the time to check: 1/100: Takara A-4M, Kit 441006.3 Tamiya A-4E, PA1003 Revell A-4E, Kit 4014 Revell A-4M, Kit 4080 Ben A-4E; Kit A24 1/144: Bachman A-4, Kit 78 1/150: Sankyo A4D, Kit 37 1/300 (!) Nichimo A-4F, Kit 23 1/79: Otaki A-4E, Kit OA23 1/72: Airfix A4D-1, Kit 1409 Central A4D, Kit CE 201 Starfix A-4, Kit 105 IMC (Hawk) A-4E, Kit 485 MPC A4D-1, Kit 2-2101 Matchbox A-4M, Kit PK29 Otaki A-4E, Kit OAé" Testors A-4M Kit 271 Testors/Italeri AO-4M, Kit 637 The well known Hasegawa, Esci (Ertl,AMT) & Fujimi series 1/48: Allyn A4D, Kit 916 AMT/Ertl

Any website for InScale72 ??? TIA Rob

1/100: Revell, A-4M there were others in this scale (there is a listing in the Detail & Scale on the A-4) I should check. HTH Rob

What I use (mostly on armour, though): A) light mud: 1. apply mat (dry) or gloss (wet) varnish where mud is to come 2. sprinkle baking soda on it 3. let dry 4. apply very thinned wash of any thinner with brown oil paint ON THE EDGE of mud "patch". By capillary action it will be drawn into the baking soda. 5. Let dry 6. It will create dark/pale brown patches, with a nice realistic pattern 7. Apply (locally) a second time if too pale <_< (*) Heavy mud (for aircraft that have been ploughing a field) 1. mix white glue, brown oil paint, white spirit, baking soda to have a nice brow

Apparently a lot of A-4Es were refitted with the spoilers at the same time they received the "hump" (even though the latter was removed again for the adversaries). At least according to the article by David.W.Aungst http://www.kitparade.com/features01/a4mig17da_1.htm where he quotes an A-4 technician. So, I'll leave the panel lines on the kit as they are Cheers Rob

Mmmmmm :( Thanks guys, this was all the info I needed !!! The paint scheme is very nice and patchy... just the way I like it (and slightly different from that in the Fujimi instructions). Working on the model tonight. PS: I love Brussels too ;) Rob

I am currently building one of the options that Fujimi provides in their A-4E/F kit. The aircraft in question is (according to Fujimi) "A-4F (56/BU,NO Unknown)" The scheme in the box is sand/tan/blue gray, painted over light gray, giving an outline of a Mig 17 (??) Quite attractive If I am not mistaken it depicts aircraft BuNo 150023, which ought to be an A-4E. I have a picture of this aircraft in sand/tan, but no MiG outline, number 556, taken in 1980. I think it is the same aircraft, because Adversary A/C tended to keep their tactical numbers (here 556), and if painted in Marines mark

... and apparently the slats were locked on Topgun A-4s untill somewhere late 1976, early 1977. (From Detail and Scale "Color and Markings of US Navy adverasary Aircraft")

I've been told the Italeri kit is the best out on the market, but I can get a Heller F-5E for a bargain. Now, even cheaply, I am not going to buy anything that can't be built into a reasonable model. Does anyone has got any experience with this kit ? Thanks in advance Rob

..and then about the panel line for the spoiler. I went thru the few pictures I have of aircraft that are captioned as being E-models (or earlier) and they faintly show a panel line where the hinge line for the spoiler is.... So no fill in after all ??????

Regarding the slats, it all depends if they were commanded by the pilot (in which case it would not be necessary to bolt them shut; it would suffice to tell the pilot not to touch the lever ) I think I read in the D&S book that they were aerodynamically operated (like e.g. the Bf109), which explains why they are invariably down when on the ground, and why it would be a good idea the lock them shut when flying in very close formation and manouvring wildly. Regarding the two sets of intakes in the Fujimi kits. I just checked: - the parts diagram in the manual shows them - the sprues for

Gentlemen, most of your answers come as a relief, especially about the intakes. I have the Fujimi Blue Angels kit (1/72), and should check if they indeed include the two intakes. Didn't notice last time. One thing about the spoilers. The outline on the kit is basically two lines: one sperating it from the ailerons, and one for its own hinge. Does that mean I have to fill in the latter ? Unfortunately, I alreday glued the cockpits together, so your advice, Joe, will be for my next production series :D Thanks Rob

Gentlemen, I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to modern jets, but unfortunately I do fancy aggressor schemes, so I've got a stack of Fujimi 1/72 Skyhawks and some decal sheets waiting for me. The only book I have that tells me something about the differences between the E and F variant is the Detail& Scale book. So my question a) can anyone recommend me a good(modelingwise),available,affordable book on the Skyhawk ? b) alternatively, a website c) alternatively, help me out with the externally visible differences between the E/F as used for Aggressor training. I've got the following

Hmm.... would be a very original way, if indeed they did. I think it would be quite easy to check if the two fuselage halves of Hase & Acedemy were put together. Unfortunately I already completed my Hasegawa kit (the rest of my stash are all A-models) Now, awaiting my Academy kits, if they are indeed as good as Hasegawa, then I think I have made a good deal. Do the same comments hold for the Fw190A kits ????

At first I thought that it looked more like 3 P-51D's and a -B than anything Regensburg built, untill I spotted the link ;) Well, I haven't seen every Bf109 that ever flew, and painting regulations were always open to some interpretation (especially if you left the painters in JG54 "Grünherz" unattended....), but kidding aside, some things are suspicious to say the least if it is to portray a genuine early war Luftwaffe fighter: - the size and position of the fuselage crosses: too small and too high - Swastika just a tad too narrow IMHO, and without a white border - camo'ed nose. The

Gentlemen, I think you just helped me make up my mind (if it was still necessary). Judging from your comments, and for 5 USD a pop, I think I can hardly blame myself to take the offer up. Btw, I need to put my Experten Decals on somewhere (but can't quite recall, why I bought 4 sets of each release.... :D ) Thanks, especially for th elink and the summary of the errors ! Rob PS: still laughing at the fact that they actually managed to put the pitot on the wrong wing....

Gentlemen, I've been offered two of these kits (different decal options , including the Papegai Staffel) at very reasonable prices. Can anyone comment on their strengths or weaknesses ? (or refer to online review) Thanks in advance Rob

Gentlemen, has anyone of you any experience with the following kits (all in 1/72) - Special Hobby Mustang Mk1 (SH72041) or P-51A (SH72043) - Hobbycraft P-51B - SOL P-51B Detail set Thanks in advance and happy modelling Rob

Van, if no better offer comes up: I am building a stash of A-4s, among which the Fujimi 1/72 OA-4M. It has 2 canopies (one opened, one closed). I hope to finish it this year (that's no guarantee, but it is on top of my to-do list). I can send you the spare canopy when it is finished (if you can wait so long), because I'd like to keep it as a back up in case I mess up one of the canopies. So feel free to contact me in a year or so (sorry, would never forigive myself if I need it after all). Otherwise, I suppose that every modeller that has ever finished one of the 2-seat Fujimi A-4s would h

Thanks guys, I hope I can trace some pix of the aircraft that are depicted in the Superscale sheet, and figure out if the were Shark nose / big LEX or not. I suppose, given the similarity between Trumpeter and Italeri, I can always graft one nose on to the other ? If not, I'm afraid I'll have to come back..... Rob

Hmm... never really gave it any thought to take a closer look at the Navy F-5s, as I guessed that if USAF F-5s didn't have them, the Navy's would probably neither. Can you give an indication up to what time the Navy flew them without shark noses ? Does the shark nose and LEX always come in a package , meaning that the Navy F-5s have them too ? Basically, what I'm trying to figure out is if mid-80s Navy F-5 aggressors had both shark nose & LEX, and that I can thus safely buy the new Italeri kit.... (should have done more research before I started this post...) Rob

Jim, I had already searched both, but thought that this Swiss Tiger was the later version (Shark nose), and thus not applicable for my Aggressors. Same for this kit: http://www.aviationmegastore.com/?shopid=L..._id=0&art=47476 (I hope this is not a "hot link" as forbidden by the rules of the road....) Can anyone confirm this (and if these are the only kits available, if more is to be done than the nose and the LEXes to backdate them) ? Or: is the Heler kit any good (haven't got good experience with Heller before, so.... ) Rob

Jim, thanks again for warning me. I knew it was based on Italeri's offering a long time ago, and almost ordered it, naively supposing it was a mere copy. I don't think I could live with al the deficiencies you described... but my quest for the Italeri kit has remained futile up till now. Does anyone know a shop that might still carry it (at reasonable prices - would need 5 of them) ? (Still happy of finding the Skyhawks a 1/4 the local prices.. .if only I had known earlier... ) Rob

Jim, thanks again. This is more than I hoped for (I did a query on "F-5" but the search bot of ARC failed to deliver anything useful). Still, seeing the many differences, can we still say that the Trumpeter kit is a retooled Italeri kit... ? (and a bad one at that) Regards Rob