Sneak peek at new Steel Beach item

[Darren Roberts]

I've been fiddling with a 1/48 KA-6D conversion. I just pulled the first test cast out of the mold. I'll start making multiple molds to aid in production. The set will also come with the rounded end cap for the centerline fuel tank and the blade antenna on the spine that later KA-6D's got. I'll start work on the 1/32 scale conversion later. I've also made new molds for the EA-18G conversion. It will be a few weeks before they are out, but I'm working on them slowly but surely.

[skyhawk174]

Darren

That looks great. I was just wondering about decals. I don't know a heck about the tankers but I assume they were drawn from the regular squadron aircraft. Or maybe I am wrong since the aircraft would have a KA serial?

The basket looks very nice. So maybe you can now produce a refuelling pod, say for a Viking or A-4?

[Darren Roberts]

The KA's were usually in squadron markings with a 52X sidenumber. They usually had a fuselage stripe by the tail. It's not hard at all to make KA markings, and I hope some of the decal manufacturer's actually put some KA markings on future sheets now that a conversion is out there.

Wolfpack makes a really nice pod, so I probably won't go down that road.

[Sgt Spooky]

Very nice indeed. I am assuming this is for the Hobby Boss A-6A kit and not the Revell A-6E kit?

Also agree with you on the buddy store. It was my understanding the buddy store wasn't always carried, and when it was, it was to provide a backup to the main system, or it was being ferried to another location.

The leading edge tail light was green on KA-6Ds instead of Red, and lacked the ram scoop at the rear near the tail Also, KA-6Ds were always painted in High-Viz Gull Grey over white to better distinguish them and increase visibility. The only specific KA-6D decals I know of are in the now defunct Afterburner Decals Desert Storm Intruders set, and the Aeromaster Nimitz Air Wing 8 77/78 set, but that one is a bit of a conundrum as the BuNo's in that set are for two KA-6Ds instead of 1 A-6E and 1 KA-6D, but that's another story.

The Wolfpack pod is the newer A/A42R-1 Refueling System, which I believe was never carried by the KA-6D's anyway. Intruders carried the older D-704 Refueling Store, but some of the newer systems may have made it out to the last of the intruder squadrons in the mid-90s. Cobra company makes(made?) a D-704 pod which some deem inaccurate due to the size of the blisters, and the older AMT boxing of the ES-3A also has a D-704 pod (not sure about the newer Italeri boxing), but I don't know of any other D-704's in 1/48.

I'm ranting now.. Look forward to this though.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Sgt Spooky

[Check Six]

I've been fiddling with a 1/48 KA-6D conversion. I just pulled the first test cast out of the mold. I'll start making multiple molds to aid in production. The set will also come with the rounded end cap for the centerline fuel tank and the blade antenna on the spine that later KA-6D's got. I'll start work on the 1/32 scale conversion later. I've also made new molds for the EA-18G conversion. It will be a few weeks before they are out, but I'm working on them slowly but surely.

Holy Toledo !

Very nice!

The testbed model looks like a Kinetic. What kits will the conversion be compatible with?

Looking forward to it's release for sure.

[Darren Roberts]

Sorry about that. I should have said the kit. The test bed is the HB kit. In regards to decals, I chatted with Geoff at Furball and he said he was going to put KA-6D markings on his next Intruder sheet that he does.

[skyhawk174]

Sorry about that. I should have said the kit. The test bed is the HB kit. In regards to decals, I chatted with Geoff at Furball and he said he was going to put KA-6D markings on his next Intruder sheet that he does.

Great news. Thanks for producing this Darren. Always neat to have different options with our models.