So, while I continue dithering about what to pull out of the Eduard Goodie Box, I have gotten on with the 1/48 XA2D-1 Skyshark Clear Prop sent last month as a review kit.

I always thought this airplane looked cool from the first time I saw a photo of it in William Green's "All the World's Aircraft 1954," my first "serious" airplane book. Then there was the Allyn 1/48 kit - a whole three pieces, on a stand, which cost the incredible, unheard-of amount of $10 dollars in 1955 - way beyond a boy's allowance. The kit was later re-released with a good decal sheet by Super Scale in the 1980s and I built one using the guts and details from a Monogram Skyraider. Then there was the very nice Dynavector kit, of which I did one of the 10 "production" Skysharks.

And then this came out in 2021 and I wanted to get one, but there was the pandemic and all, and it didn't happen. Then Clear Prop asked me back in May if I would review one since they were finally in condition to re-release kits after relocating to the Czech Republic.

Overall, this is a beautiful kit. The surface detail is just incredible. Having done their Thai Hawk-75, I was aware of their good kit design, and this doesn't disappoint.

I started in on Friday, and the kit is remarkably easier than I thought it would be from following another build here in iModeler. It's kind of like a limited-run Tamiya kit. If you take care in assembly, it will go together like a Tamiya kit with no filler at all. I found no problem with the ejection seat, which was reported to be a problem fitting it in the cockpit. It fits fine, but I can see how someone could have gotten confused in assembly from the instructions, which would create problems. So, be sure you know what you're doing before committing glue.

Parts fit is tight and precise. Test fitting the horizontal stabilizers, I found I needed to open up the locating slot in the fuselage. One I got it in there, I decided to glue it in position because I had had to work on it from inside and outside to get it there. Did the same with the other one.

I've decided I am going to do this as the second prototype when they had it in NMF. That's because the Dynavector kit is in GSB, plus this way that glorious surface detail doesn't disappear into the darkness of a GSB scheme. From the photos, it looks pretty cool this way.

11 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Great new entry, Tom @tcinla
To my opinion not the most beautiful aircraft but it does have a special look.

@christopher - Think a turboprop Skyraider.

Here's the fuselage assembled. Take care in getting everything to fit right before committing glue. By binding the wins so they were at an increased dihedral, this pressed the upper wing-fuselage joint together and insured no filler would be needed.

2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Great progress, Tom @tcinla
Looking forward to see it in metal.

Well, the mark of a good modeler, I always say, is dealing with disaster successfully.

I painted the A2D model, and as it started to dry after I applied the Vallejo Aluminum, I suddenly realized there was the dread ORANGE PEEL.

Memo to Self: when the paint doesn't seem to go on right, stop the first moment you realize that. It will make the cleanup and do-over easier.

Soooo... it was out with the Easy Lift Off and off with the paint, down to bare plastic. Breaking through the glue attaching the outer wings in the process and necessitating re-doing that (fortunately the attachment pegs survived).

And this time, after applying the gloss black, I shall be sure it dries and cures overnight, and that the metalizer is thinned (fortunately Vallejo responds to Tamiya thinner - it's an "airbrush ready" paint, but after hanging around for a few years, it's going to thicken too, so pay attention).

2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

For sure the next round will be succesful, Tom @tcinla
Do you know the reason why this orange peel occurs, is that caused by a reaction between the paint and the primer and/or plastic.

Great build! Will use it as a reference when I start building their 1:72 version.