Subject: Re: 1:48 Hasegawa A-4
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Dan McWilliams" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:15:56 -0700

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: Dan McWilliams 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Cc: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 5:23 PM
  Subject: 1:48 Hasegawa A-4

  Gallery Template #05

  "1:48 Hasegawa A-4C" 

  by "Dan McWilliams"
  --------------------

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

  This kit was a gift from a friend from Cold Lake, Alberta - thanks James, and I hope you like it!  His wife told him to clear out his kit stash, and I was a happy bystander.  I have always like the little A-4.  It is a neat looking little jet, and the USN paint jobs are beautifully colourful.  For a long time, I debated over building the later version with a dorsal hump, or this earlier version.  My daughter told me this one was cuter, so...  And a note for the purists.  Consider this as an artistic impression of the Skyhawk.  I made no attempt to ensure the weapons load, refuelling probe, or anything else were accurate.  I used Hasegawa's air to air weapons (AIM-9Bs), and left the centerline station empty, as if this little Scooter had just come back from dropping bombs (and was lucky not to encounter any air threat).  I just wanted this to be a fun build, and to admire it on my shelf with the other 1:48 jets that I am fond of, not to be a study in history.  Apologies to the purists.

  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 

  With the exception of the missiles, it was all OOB.  One thing I would do differently next time is not use the decals for the pretty gold striping.  On the rudder, the decals were tough to get right, and I ran out of patience.  In retrospect, I should have used paint.  The wing tank stripes were also difficult to get right.  I settled on making them almost meet at the top, and accepted the overlap on the bottom, as well as the small gap at the front of the tanks.  Paint and masking, however, would have been way too much work for me - I have other kits to build, and in my opinion, a hobby is meant to give pleasure, not to create work and frustration.

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

  This was a great kit to work with.  Excellent fit, great detail (look at the wheel wells and panel lines).  I used Tamiya acrylics, which I was quite happy with.  Thanks for looking.  Now I have to get to something more serious - a CF-18 commission build.

  Photos and text © by "Dan McWilliams"