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"New" A-4L Skyhawks


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Wow, those birds look nice! If I can source a tail spine from something, I might have a go at doing one of these with an Airfix A-4B and the Freightdog A-4C conversion. I understand Dale "Snort" Snodgrass is one of the company pilots.

Is the camo scheme based on anything? Reason I ask is these pictures give us really good side views. But it would be nice to potentially see a top and bottom wing view (although I can make out enough of the wing tops from the side views, VERY nice pictures BTW). If the camo pattern is based on something else though, it shouldn't be tough to extrapolate those views in the absense of decent pictures. Also, I was guessing the color used was white, but seeing the biz jet on the TAC Air ramp behind it in bright white, I am guessing this might be a very light gloss light gray instead. I don't know how effective the camo is (short of winter exercises), but it looks very slick.

Edited by Jay Chladek
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Also, I was guessing the color used was white, but seeing the biz jet on the TAC Air ramp behind it in bright white, I am guessing this might be a very light gloss light gray instead.

It may be that the fact that it's a naval aircraft clouds my judgement, but the gray color looks like standard Gloss Light Gull Gray to me.

Cheers,

Andre

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It may be that the fact that it's a naval aircraft clouds my judgement, but the gray color looks like standard Gloss Light Gull Gray to me.

Cheers,

Andre

I don't believe that is so. Looking at the images on my monitor and comparing them with practically every Gull Gray Navy jet picture I have, it doesn't look like Gloss Gull gray (maybe closer to FS light gray perhaps, but glossy). I admit in a couple shots it looks close to Gull gray, but it seems lighter to me. It is much closer to a white shade from what I can see when compared with the gloss white on the gear bay. Strange.

I've got an Esci A-4E/F with the spine on the way (not every kit carried that bit). So when it arrives, I am going to have a go at doing one of these birds with my Airfix Skyhawk kits.

Edited by Jay Chladek
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I found a Youtube video showing a couple of these birds taxiing from the ramp in San Diego. When the lead jet passes close to the camera, you get a pretty good shot of the left wing's underside camo pattern:

Edited by Jay Chladek
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  • 4 weeks later...

Wow I remember thinking that when VC-8 went away so did my chances of seeing skyhawks fly. But now we have 3 contractor squadrons flying them in the U.S + a few warbirds!

I was pleasantly surprised to see one airborne at the NAS Jacksonville show last year.

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Hey-

Awesome, great pics!

Very interesting website also. It's a tough time to be in the contract air services business, however. These aircraft have all been flying on FAA experimental certs and with the couple crashes over the last year the FAA is considering pulling all the x-tickets and refusing to issue new ones. Then they will have to go through a military airworthiness process, which will no doubt be more time-consuming and costly. It will be interesting to watch.

Thanks,

Phil

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Anybody know if the these A-4s came with the APG-66 or was it a retrofit by Draken?

doubtful

the A-4ARs had a redesigned nose to fit the radar + electronics, and the a-4k's had the eletronics moved behind the cockpit for space and to allow for proper cooling. Given the size of the charlie nose, it would compound problems further.

I believe these guys are buying the surplus A-4Ks wich will contain the APG-66

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