Best A-4 Kits/Accessories

[Gene K]

Most folks are probably aware of the prevailing opinions regarding A-4 kits...here's some of mine (not model/type specific):

Kits:

1/144 - ?

1/100 - Tamiya very good

1/72 - Fujimi by a mile over Hasegawa. ESCI last.

1/48 - Hasegawa (and Revell rebox) by a good margin over a fair Monogram kit. Hobbycraft a distant third. Esci last.

1/32 - Hasegawa (no competing product)?

Accessories:

Cockpits -

Wheels/wells -

Decals -

Etc -

Opinions?

Gene K

[Dave Williams]

Cockpit - in 1/48, Aires is very good, but requires a fair bit of fitting. The CE set is simpler, but no fit issues. In 1/32, the BB pit is the only option, but also requires a fair amount of fitting.

Seats - CE in both 1/32 and 1/48 scales. The CAM 1/32 ESCAPAC seat is too wide for the kit tub.

Wheel wells- the 1/48 Aires set is the only one that I know of.

Decals - Too numerous to count.

[PlasticWeapons]

Here's mine:

1/48 Kendall Model Company (KMC) A-4 full resin detail set for the Monogram A-4 E/F kit.

Definitely a big improvement over the kit cockpit but the resin seat included looks HUGE! Compare to the Hasegawa kit seat and you'll see what I mean, LOL. Anyway, the cockpit tub fits perfectly though you can't see too much of it once it's in.

The jet intakes really add detail to the old kit. IIRC, some modelers noted that adding those intakes would mean re-scribing the whole kit (the right and left intakes have scribed lines). You really wouldn't have to. I think Dave Roof is building a Monogram kit right now, BTW, in fact using those KMC intake parts. Fit is pretty good in my example. I'm gonna fit my intakes onto a Monogram A-4E & OA-4M kitbash - guess what I'm building...

Wheels in the update set are also a big improvement over the skinny ones provided in the A-4 kit. However, my favorite in the KMC detail set is the wing pylons. Very detailed! Well, enough for me really. You even get sway braces. Did I mention that rocket pods are also included?

Sure wish someone did a replacement vac canopy though. The Monogram kit's front windscreen suffers from being a little flat and is marred by a sprue attachment point.

[Gene K]

Here are a couple of useful links: Kits and Accessories ; another ; and this.

Gene K

[Joe Hegedus]

1/72 - Fujimi by a mile over Hasegawa. ESCI last.

1/48 - Hasegawa (and Revell rebox) by a good margin over a fair Monogram kit. Hobbycraft a distant third. Esci last.

Disagree with both of these, in that in both cases I think the Esci should come in second place. Fujimi is by far best in 1/72, but at least for the single seaters Hasegawa blew the nose shape horribly. Esci got the shape pretty much right, and aside from being somewhat simplified (closed slats, nose gear lacking the shimmy snubber and steering gear) is a pretty nice kit. In 1/48, both Monogram and Hobbycraft are too wide through the cockpit section with the windscreen and canopy being off in shape as a result. Esci again got the shapes pretty much right but simplified the cockpit. I'd put both Monogram and Hobbycraft in a tie for third-not bad kits but not as good as the other choices. Hasegawa is again by far the best of the lot.

Just my opinion on the matter.

[Gene K]

Disagree with both of these, in that in both cases I think the Esci should come in second place. Fujimi is by far best in 1/72, but at least for the single seaters Hasegawa blew the nose shape horribly. Esci got the shape pretty much right, and aside from being somewhat simplified (closed slats, nose gear lacking the shimmy snubber and steering gear) is a pretty nice kit. In 1/48, both Monogram and Hobbycraft are too wide through the cockpit section with the windscreen and canopy being off in shape as a result. Esci again got the shapes pretty much right but simplified the cockpit. I'd put both Monogram and Hobbycraft in a tie for third-not bad kits but not as good as the other choices. Hasegawa is again by far the best of the lot.

Just my opinion on the matter.

Upon further review.....I agree with you about the 1/72 ESCI/ERTL kits. But, I've always been put off by it's bad cockpit and strange mix of raised/engraved panel lines. Looks pretty strange to me to have a nicely engraved fuselage mated with a raised panel line wing and stab. Forgot to mention the neat little Matchbox kit.

In 1/48, the Monogram kit is too fat, and the Hobbycraft kits have that terribly flat canopy that ruins it. The ESCI kit is...well, I'm prejudiced against old raised panel line kits with weak interiors. Of course there's the 1/50 Fujimi offering to add to the end of the list.

Gene K

Edited September 4, 2006 by Gene K

[habu2]

The old 1:50 Fujimi kits were re-released by Academy a while back (~10 years ago) but with engraved panel lines and decent decals.

[AnthonyWan]

Does the Aeroclub ESCAPAC seat, and Eduard Color PE set allow any improvement to the Hasegawa 1/72 A-4E/F

I plan to use these decals: http://www.rollmodels.net/search/pic.php?fName=SUP72-813.jpg

[Andre]

Does the Aeroclub ESCAPAC seat, and Eduard Color PE set allow any improvement to the Hasegawa 1/72 A-4E/F

Well, the biggest problem with their singleseat Skyhawk is that Hasegawa screwed up the fuselage length - it's the same as their TA-4/OA-4 kits!

In addition to the suspect shape of the nose, the exaggerated fuselage length really throws the entire appearance off. If you can't find the Fujimi kits, go with the Esci or Italeri ones instead of the Hasegawa E/F unless you're a glutton for punishment.

HTH,

Andre