1/72 Hasegawa EA-6B Prowler

“VAQ-140 Patriots”

by Greg D. Williams  IPMS #44084

--------------------

 

The EA-6B is a very familiar warplane among modelers, mainly represented in 1/48th scale, originating from the dated Monogram kit and after-market accessories.  Embarrassingly, I hadn’t added the Prowler to my 1/72nd scale collection yet and it was finally time to get her flying.  I chose the Hasegawa kit #00191, depicting VAQ-140 Patriots, circa, 1996.  The US Navy currently flies the latest, upgraded *Improved Capability Modification II or (ICAP 11) version of the Prowler.  Luckily for me, the Hasegawa kit furnishes special instructions and scaled drawings to make the necessary antenna changes easily, using strip and sheet styrene.    

I started things off by checking my references, where else than right here at ARC!  The EA-6B Prowler walk-arounds were invaluable resources.  A thanks goes out to Marc Bourque, Mike Dougherty, Calvin Cochran, Bruce Mackie, and Everett McEwan for providing the great photos!  Checking out the photos and other references also helped to identify other details that I'd have to scratch build, such as wing-tip static-discharge whips for the air brakes and tail rudder.  Since I've started building my jets in-flight, I also needed suitable aircrew figures, replace the Spartan kit seats with proper GRU-7 resin replacements and prepare the model for my display stand.  I also learned that VAQ-140 was the first Prowler squadron to test and evaluate the AGM-88 HARM. The success of this test and evaluation period led to the introduction of the HARM into the Prowler community. The Patriots were the first Prowler squadron to deploy with HARM.  With this newfound knowledge, It just wouldn't be right not to put AGM-88’s on my Prowler.  I found a pair of HARMs in my spares box to arm my kit. 

Construction was straightforward with no surprises.  After assembling the fuselage, sanding any and all seams, I then made the replacement antennas and attached them with super glue.  

I made static discharge whips from tiny cut strands of invisible thread attached with super glue.  My wife suggested the idea of invisible thread years ago after hearing me curse one too many times at the workbench after that tiny strand of stretch sprue snapped off repeatedly, with little effort…ARRGGH!  

Grateful, I made a trip to my local Joe-Ann Fabrics store and snagged two rolls for my modeling, and have used it ever since.  It works great for 1/72nd scale rigging and radio wire as well. 

Click on images below to see larger images

I then went to work on the resin seats and crew figures.  Over the years, I have created an assortment of 1/72nd scale modern pilot molds for my jet aircraft.

I have modified the figure “Masters” to depict pilots from the early 70’s era with their HGU-33/P helmets to modern era examples with HGU-55/P helmets, now the standard for the US.  

I found a suitable seated US Navy pilot, cast 4 resin copies and moved on to the seats.  I only had one set of Verlinden’s 1/72nd-scale GRU-7 seats, so naturally, I made a mold and simply cast 4 of them for the aircrew.  “I now have thousands…MOOA, HA, HA, HA!”, (Pinkie finger to the corner of my mouth).  

What would I do without RTV and resin?  After painting and detailing the figures and cockpit, I secured the figures in their seats and made harnesses using masking tape.  

Now it was time to work on the canopies and close the cockpit preparation for painting. 

In the many reference photos I seen, the Prowlers middle and rear canopy glass appear to have a smoked orange or yellow tint.  Some of the variations, I suspect, are due to light refraction and angle, but I wasn’t certain on the official tint color.  I finally settled on using Tamiya’s Clear Blue (X-23) for the front windscreen and Smoke (X-19) for the middle and aft canopies.  I used my Iwata HP-CR for application and sealed the canopies with an application of Future.  Next, I attached the canopies to the model, masked them with Parafilm-M and started on the models’ color coats. 

I used Testors Model Master paints to airbrush the canopy interior frame color and began pre-shading the model with flat black.  After this was dry, I airbrushed Model Master Light Ghost Gray, Dark Ghost, then finally the Medium Gray.  To supplement the pre-shading, I post-shaded the final colors.  I airbrushed minor highlights with the base color, lightened with white to simulate Navy jets’ patchy worn panels.  I didn't want to over-do this effect, this is the CAG’s bird after all.  I then airbrushed the intake color according to the paint scheme. 

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

I let the model’s paint dry over night and airbrushed a few coats of Future in preparation of applying the decals.  Solvaset was the weapon of choice, especially for the large eagle marking for the tail.  The rest of the decals reacted well, and snuggled down nicely.  I then applied an acrylic “Sludge Wash”, using Tamiya’s Neutral Gray (XF-53).  I later sealed the weathering with Testors Dullcote and I simulated fluid streaks on select areas on the wings and underbelly with Model Master Burnt Sienna enamel and a wide paint brush.  After all was said and done, I removed all the masking, polished the square brass rod and mounted the Prowler to my custom display stand.  I hope you enjoyed this article as much as I did building this model of a very significant US Navy warplane.  “Here’s to Jamming with the fleet!”

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

  

  

  

References:

1. American Military Aircraft/ “A Century of Innovation”
    Barnes & Noble, Inc.

2. ARC (The Aircraft Resource Center)
 EA-6B Walk-Arounds

3. Global Security.Org
   
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/vaq-140.htm    

Greg

Photos and text © by Gregory D. Williams