Darren Roberts Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 (edited) 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. Edited January 8, 2018 by Darren Roberts Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 Nice job Darren, I like the scheme. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Niels Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 Second to Hasegawa - wow, that tells a lot Thanks for the "review" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Maverick Taylor Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 NOICESSS!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Slartibartfast Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 What a colorful scheme! And nice work, as always. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cool Hand Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 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. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skyhawk174 Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 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. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Swashplate Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 The paint scheme really gets your attention. Really great build. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SpitfireGuy Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Nice build! Second to Hase means better than the hobbycraft kits huh? I always thought the HC kits were decent. Zach Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Beautiful work!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 Darren, You are a master! Love your A-4s. BTW, have you built the Lindberg A-4 yet? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 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 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
R Spreckley Posted January 26, 2018 Share Posted January 26, 2018 Now that pops Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 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. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted January 29, 2018 Author Share Posted January 29, 2018 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. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
picknpluck Posted January 30, 2018 Share Posted January 30, 2018 @Darren RobertsWhere does Classic Airframes fall on your list? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted January 30, 2018 Author Share Posted January 30, 2018 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. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted January 30, 2018 Share Posted January 30, 2018 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. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
picknpluck Posted January 30, 2018 Share Posted January 30, 2018 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. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skyhawk174 Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 (edited) 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 January 31, 2018 by skyhawk174 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 an FYI, Squadron currently has the Hobbyboss A-4F kit on sale for $27.50 https://www.squadron.com/A-4F-Sky-Hawk-p/hy81765.htm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 On 8/15/2018 at 8:57 AM, habu2 said: an FYI, Squadron currently has the Hobbyboss A-4F kit on sale for $27.50 https://www.squadron.com/A-4F-Sky-Hawk-p/hy81765.htm For that price, it's worth it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skyhawk174 Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Wow great price IF I lived in the US. The shipping to Canada is a killer unfortunately. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt H. Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 On 8/15/2018 at 9:57 AM, habu2 said: an FYI, Squadron currently has the Hobbyboss A-4F kit on sale for $27.50 https://www.squadron.com/A-4F-Sky-Hawk-p/hy81765.htm Thanks for posting that deal, I bought one last night. Now I have a plan to build 3 models from the Furball Low viz Devil Dog Scooters sheet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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