uscusn Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 The 2nd aircraft For this GB is Hasegawa's A-7E, kit #9356,"Last Mission" box which features VA-72 and the Desert Storm A-7E and it's special tutone desert paint scheme. The Super Scale decal set is hard to find so for now I will use the kit decals. Unless a search on Ebay or some other source for the SS set. Honestly I paid too much for this kit off of Ebay back in 02. In fact someone on this site said so. Anyway it was I was looking for an A-7E, though not this particular kit, was looking for any Hase A-7E. I was intending to pick up the Aires set for this and do a total AMS job on it. But after seeing the A-7D zoom set and how a little work will really enhance the kits cockpit which is already very good as it is. I just went ahead and picked up Eduards Zoom for this one. And for now will use the kit decals. As like the first kit, we started with the seat. As I decided to do the overall Blue/Grey mission option. The seat is different from the USAF version. Dk Gull Grey for the interior and Olive Drab for the seat cushion. The cockpit tub was painted as well. Adding the seatbelts, ejection strap and a little wash really improves the seat. Unlike the A-7D PE set, the side consoles are not provided for the "E". So I painted the consoles black with a little Silver and Grey details. Added the PE rudder pedals, the control stick and the rear deck bulkhead and we are done with the cockpit tub. It helps building the two at the same time. The 2nd one is progressing a little more quicker as I had painted most of the components at the same time I was building the 1st A-7. The side interior panels and rails have been installed. The exhaust tailpipe has been painted and installed. The intake trunk has been completed and the cockpit tub cemented in place. A quick test fit iinto the LH fuselage half is like the 1st time no issues. And at this point I will call it a weekend. The pair of A-7's as they stand to date. More to follow. Chuck Fly Navy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
D_IcarUS_ Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Looking really nice!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TF51GREGWISE Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 wow double duty! looking forward to seeing how they come out! :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Damian Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Whoa! Those two are going to be a pair of knock outs! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
uscusn Posted January 16, 2006 Author Share Posted January 16, 2006 (edited) D icarus, TF51gregwise and Damian, thx for the comments. Figures it would rain on Saturday, so no painting just to damp. But nice and sunny on Sunday. But really chilly working in the garage today. So before it got to cold to work I just quickly but carefully added the Eduards PE instrument panel. Added the coaming and instrument panel to the LH fuselage half and then cemented the RH side half to complete this part of the assy. The Navy A-7 does have a slight difference of appearance compared to the USAF version. Different seats are used, the side console are also a little different as well. There also some external differences as well. The Navy uses a probe and drogue type refueling system while the USAF uses the receptacle type system. The receptacle is located above just aft of the canopy. Just as the first A-7, no issues getting the halves together, the intake area again a very nice fit. Still the same issue with the lower dive brake. An easy fix though when it's time to clean up the seams. A shot of the refueling probe. A shot of the lower fuselage. For now with both airframes at the same stage of the build. Both due some minor detail installation and the wings to be completed and then installed. So until next weekend. Chuck Fly Navy Edited January 16, 2006 by uscusn Quote Link to post Share on other sites
uscusn Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 Giving the A-7D a day off, I was able to get some work done on the Nave Echo. Since the steps are pretty much identical to what was done on the A-7D, except for some components which are unique to the navyh version. The wings have been installed. As the first kit a slight step on the forward leading edge where the front of the wing meets the fuselage. More towards the LH side edge. The extra plumbing that appears on both sides of the A-7E, I could not find any reference to them, are they to cool the avionics? A better shot of the cockpit. This case I used the old fashion detail brush to highlight the details. No PE on the consoles. With the basic airframe completed. I will now clean the seams and finish up with the preshading and complete the final bits to cockpit before installing the windshield. More to follow. Chuck Fly Navy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dimosthenis Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Nice work there! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
uscusn Posted March 20, 2006 Author Share Posted March 20, 2006 (edited) Working simultaneously with the "D", I was able to finish the preshading on the rest of the airframe. Installed the Hud and windscreen. So both Corsairs are at about the same stage. Got the Desert Storm decals from Ebay, the new resin Mk-83 bombs from Orion Models are here and are excellent. Thanks Dave. So I have everything I need to complete the A-7E for the GB. Next to check the seam work, a little more prep. Will most likely leave the seat off after painting at this stage of the build. Will next work on the canopy and then temporarily install it for the paint stage. So with both A-7's coming all along very well. So nice to build a couple of Hase kits in this scale with very minor hiccups. Not like the F-14 kits which are quite temperamental. The pair as they stand today. Hoepfully we can get a little more work into them next weekend. More to follow. Chuck Fly Navy Edited March 20, 2006 by uscusn Quote Link to post Share on other sites
uscusn Posted June 15, 2006 Author Share Posted June 15, 2006 Well as this GB winds down, I at least have the A-7E in the decal stage now. I will submit what I have so far. At this point I have painted the airframe with Xtracolor Acrylic Med Blue Grey FS35327 overall, added a little white in the mixture to overspray some panel lines, panel doors and areas that may have been repainted after repairs or replacement of components. After applying the glosscoat. I have started to apply the decals for VA-72, Buno #158319 AC401. Desert Storm 1991. This is Super Scale Sheet #48-411. A mixture of Aeromaster RLM 24 Blue and a little white to match the decals is used for the wing and vertical tail tips. It is pretty close not quite an exact match, but close enough. I paid a little more attention to detail on this kit than I did on the A-7D, in the avionics bay. It looks ok but I may be off on the details. I will apply the rest of the decals. Add a little more weathering before applying the flat finish using Polly S Flat Clear. More to follow even as the GB ends. Chuck Fly Navy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Julien (UK) Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 Looking good on this on also Chuck, looking forward to seeing the finished result. Julien Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andre Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 The extra plumbing that appears on both sides of the A-7E, I could not find any reference to them, are they to cool the avionics? These fairings were added post-production, and contained wiring and wave guides for the ALQ-126 ECM system. Lovely builds, by the way! HTH, Andre Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mungo1974 Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 Chuck, Very nice Corsair you have there,but i'm more interested in the Viper in the background! Very unusual scheme look abit like the Shaw 363TFW Desert camo'd Viper,can you give us some more info please. cheers, Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
uscusn Posted June 17, 2006 Author Share Posted June 17, 2006 (edited) Julien-Thanks again appreciate the comment. Andre-Being that I was in the Navy, I should've known that, but then I really did not get the opportunity to work with the A-7 community when I was in service. Gary- That is the Shaw Desert Shield scheme that was applied on an F-16, but I think if I remember right it was only on that airframe for a week. That is a 72nd Fujimi F-16, kind of a quick builder with one of HiDecal decal scheme for the F-16 in that scale. Chuck Fly Navy Edited June 17, 2006 by uscusn Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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