Subject: Re: Silly Week Submission
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "NICK WALTON" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 30 Dec 2007 14:19:33 -0800

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: NICK WALTON 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2007 8:26 PM
  Subject: Silly Week Submission

    
  1/48 Hasegawa Skyhawk FG.5 

  by Nick Walton
  --------------------

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here  

  Royal Navy Skyhawk FG.5- 899NAS, HMS Ark Royal, Kosovo-1999.

  The A-4 first entered service with the RN in 1963 as the FG.1. The type proved popular and in the early 1970s the RN replaced their 58 FG.1s (A-4C) with 66 FG.3s. The FG.3 was based on the USN A-4E, with the distincitve avionics hump. A rolling upgrade program starting in the late 1980s resulted in the FG.5.

  The FG.5 is the ultimate UK Skyhawk. Powered by a dry Turbo-Union RB.199, the FG.5 had greater thrust and lower fuel consumption than the A-4E. Advances in avionics miniaturization led to the removal of the avionics hump and the fitting of a Hughes APG-65 radar system. A Martin-Baker Mk10 ejection seat was also fitted, replacing the Mk.9 seat in the FG.3B. The 20mm cannon were also replaced with 30mm Aden guns in a semi-external installation under the forward fuselage, similar to the Israeli DEFA installation.

  The RN's Skyhawks went to war in the 1991 Persian Gulf war aboard HMS Eagle, and again in the NATO campaign in Kosovo in 1999, flying from HMS Ark Royal. To address the limitations of the UK's Paveway II LGBs an Urgent Operational Requirement led to a umber of Skyhawks operating over Kosovo with the TIALD/Paveway III combination.

  This aircraft is depicted carrying a centerline TIALD laser designator/IR imaging pod, two Paveway III LGBs, and two AIM-9L Sidewinder AAMs. A paveway has just been released, and its fins have just deployed in this display.

  Click on images below to see larger images

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 03.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 03.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 04.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 04.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 05.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 05.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 06.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 06.jpg 

  I built this model for the 'One Week Group Build' at the whatifmodelers.com site, and it won first place (amazingly, considering the talent on that forum).  I actually had three days to complete the model, so the inflight display was dictated by the time constraints.  To add some visual interest I decided to show it just as the bomb left the pylon, with the fins just deployed.  The fins were made from sheet styrene based on photos at Raytheon's website.  

  I made very few changes to the kit (1/48 ProModeler/Hasegawa A-4E/F).  I swapped the kit's ESCAPAC seat for a Verlinden M-B Mk.10, and added the semi-external DEFA 30mm cannon from an Israeli A-4 (Hobbycraft kit).  Apart from a few antennas and bumps the rest if straight from the box.

          
        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 02.jpg here  

  Photos and text © by Nick Walton