1:48 Monogram A-4F Skyhawk
Here's one of my older builds, the Monogram 1/48 A-4E Skyhawk, that I convertted to an -F. I think the Monogram Skyhawk is is second only to the Hasegawa A-4's, and is probably the best A-4 for the money. The biggest drawbacks are a very basic cockpit with the seat molded as part of the cockpit tub, and a too-wide forward fuselage, which makes the canopy and windscreen too flat and squashed-looking. My model was Monogram's 'high-tech' boxing of the Skyhawk, which came with a small fret of photo-etched parts to help dress things up some.
I replaced the windscreen with a vacu-formed replacement, and cut away the integrally molded seat and added a True Details ESCAPAC replacement seat. The kit's photo-etched parts provided canopy locks, catapult bridle hooks, pitot probe, and an AOA indicator (which I have since lost). The AGM-12B Bullpup guided missiles came from the HobbyBoss FJ-4B Fury kit, which replaced some less-accurate examples I had scrounged from an old Monogram F-100 kit. I added an in-flight refuleing probe light to the right intake, and tried to make it more resemble -F configuration by adding a UHF antenna to the upper spine and nosewheel steering mechanisim from a Hasegawa A-4 kit. The -F version also had wing spoilers and armor plate around the cockpit, but I didn't try to recreate those.
The markings came from a long out-of-production sheet from Third Group Decals, which depict an A-4F from VA-144 'Roadrunners', deployed aboard USS Bonne Homme Richard in 1969.
Fab !
Nicely done with good photos.
Drew,
This is absolutely beautiful. You did an outstanding job on this. I love the markings for the BHR. I was aboard it in 57 & 58. In 58 we had a squadron of early A-4's come aboard for a short period of time. They were very new then and looked extremely small at the time. I can't remember what the squadron was. Keep up the USN and USMC stuff. Go USMC. Semper Fi
Thanks for your comments, Frank - much appreciated.
Great job all-around on that Scooter, Drew...thumbs up!
Nice and sharp paint job. Great build!
sweet build
Thanks to all who commented!
Drew fantastic job love the mono scoot
Nice build and great photos Drew. Reminds me of old times when I was stationed on Shangri-la 65-68.
Like the others have already said, beautiful model, lovely photographs.
Will tha aftermarket cockpit set (Aries?) fit the monogram kit? By the way, very nice build. Kudos!
Hi, Tommy - thanks for the comments! I haven't tried to fit the Aires cockpit in the Monogram A-4, but I doubt it would fit, since I believe it was designed to fit the Hasegawa Skyhawks. The Monogram kit is several scale inches too wide in the cockpit area.