1/48 Hasegawa A-4S |
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Gallery Article by CL Kwek
on Aug 9 2003 |
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Singapore National Day
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Singapore Skyhawk
This model
represents the A-S Skyhawk that were flown by the Republic of Singapore Air
Force from 1974 to the mid 1980s. This is not the A4-SU version currently
being operated by RSAF. Numerically
the most important aircraft in the inventory in the 1980s, the A-4S first flew
on 14 July 1973. The scooters were modified from former US Navy A-4B airframes,
which had been in storage in the Arizona desert.
Lockheed Air Services (LAS) undertook the extensive overhaul and more
than 100 modifications to produce the A-S (S for Singapore).
Some of the airframe modifications included longer nose radome, split
spoilers, angled flight refueling probe, a brake chute and fitting of a pair of
underwing pylons to fire the AIM-9 AAM.
The British 30mm Aden gun replaced the original 20 mm Colt Mk 12 guns.
LAS also produced a unique 2-seater Skyhawk TA-4S with two separate
canopies, but that’s another story.
Click on
images below to see larger images
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This
is an in-progress shot of the model.
The extended refueling probe was made from copper tubing with the
kit probe end super-glued to the tip. The “hump” was made from Tamiya
epoxy.
The first A-4S was
delivered in an overall white finish with the orange/red roundels, similar to
the Peruvian colors. After
the first delivery of 8 single seaters and 3 trainers, subsequent production
shifted to Singapore. About
50 A-4Ss were eventually manufactured. The Skyhawks were subsequently repainted
into the South East Asia camouflage, and adopted the Ying-Yang insignias, which
was used till 1990. The
A-4S was eventually superseded by the A-4S1, and the final version is the A-SU
with modernized avionics with a new engine (F404).
This model was
modified from the Hasegawa A-4E kit. It would have made my life easier using the
A-4C kit instead but when I first started on this kit, that particular version
has not been released yet :-(.
I guess that’s bound to happen to everyone at least once sometime
sooner or later. Not
wanting to write off the kit, I spent time cutting and reshaping the intakes.
Other than that, it is basically an out-of-the box build with the major
changes being the modified intakes plus the airframe changes mentioned earlier.
I also added the distinctive hump on the back of RSAF A-4S, I used
“True Detail”’s aircraft antenna set and decals came from various
sources.
The
model represents a 143 Squadron machine, using markings from the squadron
marking from an old Mircroscale (yes, it’s that old) sheet. The white decals
were yellowed with age and I printed the buzz and bureau numbers using an ALPs
printer. I chose to make airframe 647, which I had pictures from an “Open
House” in 1977.
The
data stencils and the Ying-yang insignia came from the Horizon
ModelTech Skyhawk decal sheet,
which is highly recommended for those with the slightest interest in Singapore
scooters. I lightly
weathered the model using a combination of post-shading and wash.
CL Kwek
Wingnuts Singapore
Click on
images below to see larger images
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