1/48 Hobbycraft A-4C

by John A Thomas

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44 Years ago the US and the USSR was on the brink of nuclear war. Those famous 13 day in October 1962 saw a massive US military build up in the Southeast United States. Marine aircraft deployed from Cherry Point N.C. to Key West Florida.

Fast forward 25 years

My boss tells me a story of being a young Marine pilot of VMA-242 setting in the cockpit of his A-4 with the engine running only hours from the first wave attacking Cuba. This is his aircraft presented to him in commemoration. It only took me 20 years to build it.

This is my first submission to ARC after years of seating on the side lines it was time to get in the game.

The Kit is Hobbycraft A-4C. The kit is a fare one, not as detailed as Hasegawa kit but the good news was easier to build, no putty was used.  Lots of weapons mk 82's used and options for other A-4.  The bad news was that the kit instructions are poor. The kit main landing gear were poor fitting and the kit decals were out of register. The kit was built OOB with a true detail resin seat installed and color photo-etch for the cockpit detail.  All paints were Model Master Acrylic using an Aztek airbrush.  Decals are from the spares box.

All in all I liked the way it turned out and will do more in the future.

John

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Photos and text © by John A Thomas