Author: Pablo Lippi (“Il Tanito”)
Photos: Enrique “Henry” Azúa
Versión en Español

A little of history

The A4 Skyhawk born in the drawing table of a certain Ed Heinemann, of the Douglas company, long before which this one was associated with the McDonnell. The requirement on part of the U.S. Navy of a light fighter bomber that could with the work of diurnal ground attack with conventional or nuclear armament; this happens in the middle of years ' 50, is so the 22 of June of 1954 the XA-4 makes their first flight. From that moment its development was constant, from basics models B and C's to the most advanced like the M. Fight in Vietnam, Israel, Kuwait and the Falklands. Giving samples of which greatest and not always complex is the best thing, but than simple models also can with the work. These machines arrive at our Navy during the '70 decade, refurbished since they were surplus of the US Marines. Given the transformations, is nominated A4-Q. The machine represented in this article is the ex USN BuAer 144915 A4-Q Skyhawk (msn 12161), received in 1972 like 0657/3-A-204. Assigned to the 3rd. Fighter and Attack Squadron like 0657/3-A-304. Formed like tanker and photographer, probably it operated during the Falklands conflict with the paint scheme in gull gray 36440, and during the conflict it received the brown and green scheme. According to the consulted sources, this scheme was applied during the month of May of 1982, and soon it returned to his habitual gray scheme. 

Its retirement from service took place the 28 of October of 1987, with a total of 5528 hours of flight, today we can see it as "gate guardian" in the Navy General Command, Buenos Aires.

Transformations

Who has not wanted to face a model transformation, anyone was this one: civilian, military, etc. As is well known by all modellers with experience, there are several steps to follow, but to noveles them is difficult due to certain basic knowledge; for them, this step to details:

1º  Arm us of patience.

2º The fundamental thing in this is the search and compilation of information, like scale drawings, photos, and everything what helps us to face the work.

3º Already having the model and information, verify the changes that we must do to the model at issue, that is a vehicle, airplane, etc.

4º Organize the task, to see which would be the best form to face this.

We will take like example a simple transformation: the conversion or transformation of this A-4 Skyhawk (although already they launch the kit that I describe). We left from a E or F model to arrive at a B or Q, the model that is transformed into this occasion is one of the old one and disappeared company ESCI, in 1/72 scale.

Task to do: 

Detailed of the cockpit, like any other kit without greater problems, always taking care of being the faithful possible thing to the model to which we went; after this simple step we continued with the assembly of the fuselage, without mounting the blower pipes, since they will have to be modified. There begins properly this conversion. We compared the model with the scale drawings of the airplane that we want to make, measured it and carried out the necessary cuts (see Fig.1).

From the windshield we measured 4 mm. In that point we cut the nose, soon we cleared 5 mm to this one. Done this, we make two perpendicular cuts to the axis of this one without arriving to the end, and full it with plastic until obtain the necessary diameter. Once obtained this and already dry the nose, we correctly stuck it to the fuselage aligning it; put putty and sand it so much as is necessary, after verifying that is correct we will reproduce the lost reliefs with a marking point or a blade. In the blower pipes we will make the same previous work; from the back part we measured 5 mm. We cut, soon we cleared the boundary layer splitter plate (see Fig 2), like in the nose, with putty and sandpaper.

Arrived at this point we must made the pieces that the model does not provide, mainly the avionics module that these models has in the back, the extend of the drift and the dorsal antenna, since it has a particular shape for each model (see fig 3).

Do all these works we continued as usual with the assembly of the model. Soon we go to the detailed of the undercarriages; these can be detailed with fine stretched sprue and plastic copper wire, trying to reproduce the hydraulic fold lines and the air brakes of the airplane. The detail of the covers is optimal for the scale, are only added the hinges and the closing drop hammers. The cockpit stays as long as the transformed version is of an A-4E or F, of being of an M, this one also must be modified.

The painting

This model can go painted in four schemes for the Argentinian Navy and two for the Argentinian Air Force. The scheme that I have decided to paint is of the Argentine Navy used during 1982, according to the consulted bibliography, this one was applied during the month of May for a better concealment of the figure of the airplane. The colors that I used in this scheme are: Tan 30219 of Model Master, green 5M-Dark Green of Molak for the upper side, and white for the inferior ones, undercarriages and wheel wells. The cockpit paints in gull gray 36231, with consoles and instruments panel in matt black. The decoration of the model begun painting of white the inferior surfaces. Soon applying the brown 30219 and next drawing the green scheme. Two coats of gloss varnish were applied soon to stick the decals, a combination of the brands Condor Decals and Calcas Argentinas. After applied these, the model is varnished in satin, thus to be finalized and to comprise our own collection for affability of us and others.

I wait for these advice are of utility whoever to face transformations of any model, since this is been worth for all of them. A curiosity of this scheme is that when staying the original white underneath is shining, and the brown/green paint scheme is in satin.

Good plastics, modellers.

Bibliography

- Castro Fox

- Air-navy series Nr. 11, of Jorge F. Núñez Padín .

- Falklands, the air war. 

- War Airplanes, Planeta Agostini.

- Aerotechnika Lotnicza 1/91