A-4C VMA-214 Chu Lai 1966

[smitty44]

  Howdy all! Well I never do WIP's but there are far too little jet builds so here we go. I will be using the AOA/AMS Resin A-4C Conversion and the Trumpy A-4E Kit for the build. I also decided to go ahead and use the Aires A-4E cockpit and make a few changes(mainly the IP Ivan feel free to chime in here ), along with the wheel bay set as well. I grew up in Orange County, California and was very close to Marine Corps Air Station EL Toro. I spent countless hours at the airshow there and sitting parked along side the 5 freeway with my old man watching the aircraft of the 3rd Marine Air Wing do touch and go's all day long. The A-4C would have been a little before that time frame, but the Blacksheep is far and above my favorite squadron. I have this, and A-4M, and an AV-8B Plus to do in Blacksheep markings to go with a few Corsairs on my shelf. Again WIP's are not my cup of tea, but maybe I can change that. All paints will be MRP. Stay tuned!

 

 

[harv]

Cool buddy......harv

[Clunkmeister]

Be still my beating heat as the old Mk.1 eyeballs have failed me! 

But both of the reliable Mk.1s failing at exactly the same time? They say that’s statistically impossible, like an A320 losing both engines at once just after takeoff, that’d never happen, right?

i may need to get them checked. Maybe it’s time for an upgrade to Mk.1a standards with contacts or glasses?

oh be still my bating heart, a scooter build. From California. Huh boy,.. get popcorn and whiskey. Let’s party!

[smitty44]

8 minutes ago, Clunkmeister said:

Be still my beating heat as the old Mk.1 eyeballs have failed me! 

But both of the reliable Mk.1s failing at exactly the same time? They say that’s statistically impossible, like an A320 losing both engines at once just after takeoff, that’d never happen, right?

i may need to get them checked. Maybe it’s time for an upgrade to Mk.1a standards with contacts or glasses?

oh be still my bating heart, a scooter build. From California. Huh boy,.. get popcorn and whiskey. Let’s party!

An awful lot of aircraft are actually born in California, Ern. The real things even.

[Clunkmeister]

1 minute ago, smitty44 said:

An awful lot of aircraft are actually born in California, Ern. The real things even.

Texas too.

[Anthony in NZ]

Cool a Skyhawk.....one of my favorites!

[GazzaS]

Love the A4.  I watched them do touch and go's at El Toro back in 84-85.  Sweet plane, lookin' forward to it, Smitty!

 

Gaz

[Grunhertz]

Love the skyhawk. Between that and the F8 my two favorite jet aircraft others leave me cold to be honest 

[smitty44]

Alrighty then! So in backdating the A-4E to a C there are plenty of small modifications to be made along with a couple bigger ones. Included in the AOA set there are good guidelines drawn up by Steve and Harold that seem pretty complete for the conversion.

 

 There is also an exhaustive tweak list for the E kit alone that can be found with a simple web search. The most intimidating or perhaps just the most noteable of the steps to this conversion is the shorter nose, and the flush intakes. So what the heck, full frontal attack. I do believe they suggested carving off the long nose with halves together, but I prefer having them stable and flat on the table. A small saw blade for my xacto handle was in order for the job.

...and voila!

I also began filling in vents and panels, and scribed around the raised panel just below the IFR and sanded it flush. This panel is repeated on the port side as well. You can see it just in front of the wing root . I will hold of on rescribing access panels and stuff until I have a coat of primer on.

 

[smitty44]

[Bomber_County]

Smitty, I think your pics went AWOL..........definitely going to be following this one, you never know these jetty things may inspire me to build more after the F4J.......

[smitty44]

2 minutes ago, Bomber_County said:

Smitty, I think your pics went AWOL..........definitely going to be following this one, you never know these jetty things may inspire me to build more after the F4J.......

Odd, I can see them. WTH?

[Bomber_County]

I can see the decal post but not the previous one, where you say et voila 

[smitty44]

  Can you see me now? I can still see it up there ^^^^

[Clunkmeister]

Hmm. So many little boxes, so few pics. 

Smitty I see the deckle pic and that’s all. Hmmmmm.  When I click on the box, it tries to sign me into AOL

[smitty44]

Just now, Clunkmeister said:

Hmm. So many little boxes, so few pics. 

Smitty I see the deckle pic and that’s all. Hmmmmm

I can see them all, oh well. I knew I didn't like WIPs anyway. They were all posted the same way.

[harv]

I agree. Can't see them now.....harv

[Clunkmeister]

No worries Smitty. Onward and upward

[Peterpools]

Smitty

Tripple thumbs up on the Scooter and will be following with great interest.

Keep ‘em comin

Peter

 

[Peterpools]

Ernie

Welcome to the world of glasses and once you get use to wearing them, it’s amazing what you can actually see.

Peter

[Bomber_County]

Smitty, it goes to AOL login when you hit the box.........didn’t even know AOL were still around.....