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1/48 Hobbyboss A-4E Skyhawk


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I picked up the HB Skyhawk so I could complete my comparison of all the 1/48 Skyhawk kits that have been made. It's a decent kit, but it doesn't have any dropped flaps or slats and no clear parts for the wingtip lights, anti-collision lights, landing light, or carrier landing lights in the wing root. I decided to add some detail to the kit and grafted in a set of Monogram flaps aided by some Eduard PE. I also got the Brassin wheels, which are a nice improvement. I would put this kit in second place. The Hasegawa kit still reigns as the king of A-4's.

 

 

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Edited by Darren Roberts
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Very nice build, Darren. 

 

How easily do you think it would be to close the gear bays for an in-flight build? I had a Hasegawa build going a few years ago, but I was not happy with my attempt to close the gear, slats and air brake.

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Darren that is sweet. I love you idea of doing all the various companies that make a kit of the Skyhawk.An ambitious project but doable since I have seen you f-14s.

 

I love the A-4 and is one of my favourite aircraft. I have a bunch in 1/48th and even have two of the Hobbycraft ones at the painting stage. Not sure why they are stalled. Your Skyhawk posts sure provide me with inspiration. Thanks for sharing.

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Darren,

 Now that's one impressive paint scheme. Well done.

 

  Agreed that the Hasegawa kit still is supreme. I've built one and looking forward to another one soon.  this time I want to deal with the wing slate steps as I did on the Trumperter 1/32 scale Scooter.

 

Joel

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On 1/23/2018 at 8:05 AM, SpitfireGuy said:

 

Second to Hase means better than the hobbycraft kits huh? I always thought the HC kits were decent. 

 

Very nice. 👍

 

Also interested in where you rate the Hobbycraft kits. 

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Here's where I currently rate all the different kits.

 

1. Hasegawa

2. Hobbyboss

3/4/5. Hobbycraft/ESCI/Monogram (I know. It's kind of a cop out. All three have good and bad and are very close. I think I'd put them in this order, though.

6. Fujimi

7. Lindberg

8. Revell (old...very old!)

 

6-8 are all distant to the top 5.

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1 hour ago, picknpluck said:

@Darren RobertsWhere does Classic Airframes fall on your list?

Oh, I forgot about Classic Airframes. I need to go find one. They only did the TA-4J, I believe. Thanks for the reminder. I've never built one, so I can't comment. From what I've heard, they would probably be in between Hobbyboss and Monogram/ESCI/Hobbycraft.

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In the mid-late nineties, I built the Lindberg A-4 Blue Angels kit with my son.  It is definitely an early A-4, possibly prototype or A-4A.  Very basic in details.  All he saw was an Blue Angels Skyhawk like the one that used to sit at a corner of NAS Norfolk as we drove past every day.

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12 hours ago, Darren Roberts said:

Oh, I forgot about Classic Airframes. I need to go find one. They only did the TA-4J, I believe. Thanks for the reminder. I've never built one, so I can't comment. From what I've heard, they would probably be in between Hobbyboss and Monogram/ESCI/Hobbycraft.

I just picked one up on eBay.  I wanted a two-seat Adversary bird so it was either this or an obscenely overpriced Hasegawa kit. It appears to come with nice resin bits and nice decals too, so we'll see! Hopefully it fits together halfway decently.

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On 1/29/2018 at 7:57 PM, Darren Roberts said:

Oh, I forgot about Classic Airframes. I need to go find one. They only did the TA-4J, I believe. Thanks for the reminder. I've never built one, so I can't comment. From what I've heard, they would probably be in between Hobbyboss and Monogram/ESCI/Hobbycraft.

 

I have the Classic Airframes TA-4J and it is nice. I have not built it yet but seen several built. What is nice is that this kit is one of the few if only model that does not have that step on the leading edge slat. The resin is nice too.

 

Personally I think it is on par with the Monogram kit in my humble opinion. Certainly better that the Hobbycraft and way better than the ESCI. Also going for it is that it is a 1/48 two seater which as we know was thin on the ground when this kit was available. Only other one was Monogram's OA-4M and the War Eagle vac I think. Oh and Fujimi's 1/50 TA-4J which I think is really strange looking.

 

 

 

 

Edited by skyhawk174
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