This next build is the Hasegawa 1/48 scale A-4M Skyhawk. I chose this particular build for a couple of reasons. I have already built a few aircraft related to the “Blacksheep” Squadron and since November 10th was the U.S. Marine Corp 250th Birthday I decided this would be a proper build. I will be using Eduard’s photo etch detail set and Cutting Edge Decals . The A-4M Skyhawks Part 2 set CED48194. The kit also comes with decals for VMA-214 but I had purchased the Cutting Edge set prior to buying this kit so the decals may end up being a mix of kit and aftermarket decals.
As usual the first section to be built is the cockpit. The ejection seat was the first to be tackled. The kit seat is six parts but the photo etch detail set has twenty five parts. After removing the kit levers and handles I replaced these with the photo etch replacements and painted the seat. I added the seatbelts and warning placards to finish off the ejection seat. The instrument panel was sanded down smooth and the photo etch sections were installed. I used clear gloss paint for the gauges and displays to replicate the glass faces. For the cockpit tub I sanded down the side panels and replaced them with the photo etch ones. The kit pedals were cut off and replaced with the photo etch versions. The control stick, instrument panel, and pedal assembly were installed completing the cockpit. I then prepared the inside of the fuselage for the cockpit area.
I still need to detail the nose wheel bay and the rest of the inside of the fuselage and engine area before I can close up the fuselage. I am hoping to have the fuselage closed up by the end of the week.
I have this kit in the stash and have done some preliminary research. This kit is an M model. I don’t know what time frame you were thinking about. If you wanted Vietnam as a operational area for this aircraft, you need an earlier model. Ah the beauty of this kit is that it comes with the parts to make an earlier version. the upper leading edge of the rudder was rounded on the earlier versions and it is included on one of the sprues. I think the refueling probe is also different. And if I remember that is also in the kit. As far as ordinance goes, the Navy/Marine ordnance in some cases was different than the Airforce’s if you get a weapons ordnance set to go with it.
The second week of the A-4M I assembled and painted the intake and exhaust. These were then mounted into the fuselage along with the cockpit tub. The fuselage halves were assembled and the intake ducts and nose cone were installed. The nose has some antenna pods which were mounted. On a side note I added 0.4 ounces of weight inside the nose cone so the aircraft will sit correctly on the landing gear when completed.
I then assembled the main wings and the hard points on the underside. The wings and the fuselage were then masked off. For the nose I scanned in the painting instructions and scaled the nose section to match the model. I then made a template for the curves on each side and trimmed the kapton tape to replicate the correct curve. Once aligned I then painted the underside of the fuselage and wings with white. After the paint dried I installed the wings to the fuselage.
I am now detail painting and adding some more details to the main and nose wheel wells for the landing gear. I am hoping to finish the wheels wells and to detail the landing gear before the Thanksgiving holiday.
The third week of the A-4M Skyhawk I finished detailing the landing gear bays. I then started working on the landing gear. The nose gear was detailed with photo etch wiring, painted, and then I added the placard decal to the strut.
The main gear struts were then detailed the same way. For the steel rods on the struts I used a chrome paint pen and installed the landing gear onto the aircraft. All of the landing gear doors were detailed with some photo etch cables then painted white. I used a Tamiya red acrylic paint pen for the edges of the doors. I am not happy with the red paint. It easily rubs off so I will clean these off and use some different red paint.
I am now working on the smaller details on the topside of the aircraft and should have the topside base coated with the Gull Grey paint by the end of the week. Then I can start applying the decals.
T The fourth week of the A-4M I worked on getting the base coat of paint applied and also worked on more details on the aircraft. The guns mounted at the wing root leading edge were detailed with photo etch and installed. The refueling probe was painted and installed, and the wing leading edge slats were installed in their extended position. I decided to paint the tail rather than applying the kit decals. This was because the details on the rudder would make it difficult to lay down the full decal. The aftermarket decal set gives you just the white stars which would be easier to apply. I also assembled and painted the drop tanks.
The upcoming week I will start applying the numerous decals. Once these are done I need to detail the canopy, mount the HUD, install the light lenses and drop tanks to complete the model before the Holidays.
The fifth week of the Skyhawk was spent applying the numerous decals. I used a mix of the kit and aftermarket decals. The kit decals provided many of the small placards. One of the advantages of the aftermarket kit was the stars on the tail. These stars were individual decals which were easier to apply then trying to get the kit on piece decals to conform to the decals on the tail and rudder. The aftermarket decals were a little thinner than the kit decals which were better for the topside wing stars and bars. This conformed to the surface details than a thicker decal would.
There was also one decal missing from both sets. This was the placard on the inside of the main gear doors showing lift and anchor point on the aircraft. I used a photo I located on Google and made my own decals for the placards. The aircraft was then top coated clear to seal the decals.
With all the decals applied I started on adding the final details. I painted the inside of the IR head mounted in the nose with a pearlized blue clear paint to give it a realistic look. The wingtip lights and the other navigation light lenses were installed. I then installed the landing light on the inside edge of the main landing gear door. I also assembled, painted and applied decals to the drop tanks.
I am working on the HUD and canopy details now. The main canopy section has a seam down the middle. I need to remove the seam and then polish the canopy. I will complete this build later this week.
The sixth week of this build of the Hasegawa 1/48 A-4M Skyhawk VMA-214 is finished! I started the week off installing the photo etch replace the kit version. The wind screen was then painted and installed. The canopy had a seam down the middle. I sanded the seam down with 1000 grit, then 2000 grit and finally 4000 grit sanding stick. The canopy was then polished. The photo etch latches and the rear view mirrors were installed and the canopy was then painted. I installed the canopy in the open position. For the final assembly I installed the drop tanks and all the mounts on the other hard points. This completed the aircraft.
The end result was a very nice looking A-4M depicting VMA- 214 that operated out of MCAS Iwakuni Japan in the early 1980’s. The kit went together very well and had a good fit. The instructions flowed very well. The only negative things about this kit are the decals. They are a little on the thick side which affects the upper wing star/bar insignia due to the surface detail of the upper wing. The tail decal for the rudder stars are one large decal and would be difficult to conform to the rudder details. The aftermarket kit supplied the stars individually which was a lot easier to paint the rudder and apply the individual stars.
This was the last build of 2025. Thank you for following along as I get ready to schedule some more interesting builds for 2026. Happy Modeling!
You can see all the photos and details from start to finish in the build log at: Hasegawa 1/48 A-4M Skyhawk
