Subject: Re: 1/48 A-7E HobbyBoss - HLJ
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "David & Natasja Johnson" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:18:34 -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: David & Natasja Johnson 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Monday, June 14, 2010 3:15 AM
  Subject: 1/48 A-7E HobbyBoss - HLJ

    Hobby Boss

    1/48 A-7E Corsair

    Product #20345 (http://www.hlj.com/product/HOB20345) from HobbyLink Japan (www.hlj.com) 

    Product Article by Dave Johnson on the June 2010

    In 1962, the United States Navy, started work on a replacement for the A-4 Skyhawk. A particular emphasis was placed on accurate delivery of weapons to reduce the cost per target. The requirements were finalized in 1963, and VAL competition was started. To minimize costs, all proposed designs had to be based off existing aircrafts. Vought, Douglas, Grumman and North American all responded with their designs. Vought was elected as the winner on 11 February 1964, with their design based off the F-8 Crusader. The A-7 had a fast and smooth development. The YA-7A made its first flight on 27 September 1965, and began to enter Navy squadron service late in 1966. The first Navy A-7 squadrons reached operational status on 1 February 1967, and began combat operations over Vietnam in December of that year. The A-7 was one of the first combat aircraft to feature a head-up display (HUD), an inertial navigation system (INS). The A-7E was naval carrier version of the A-7D which was built for the USAF, which featured the Allison TF41-A1 turbofan engine and a single 20mm M61 Vulcan gatling gun. There were 529,  A-7E built during the operational life time of the A-7, till it was retired in 199?.

    The 9 medium gray and 3 small clear sprues arrive loaded into Hobby Boss's sturdy top loading box, which most modellers prefer these days. Five of the nine sprues carry the ordnance and the rest are for the airframe components. Also included are three decal sheets for the kits markings options and ordnance.

    The fuselage detail is nicely done with finely engraved panel lines and rivet lines. The two fuselage half's also include open avionics bays to show off some of the detail that is provided straight out of the box, or the option to close them up if you're that way inclined. The only major flaw with the fuselage is the intake lip. The intake lip has been molded to an incorrect profile which is a bit too flat at the bottom of the profile and a little to wide on the sides. The profile could be corrected with a bit of hard labour, or aftermarket replacement.

    The cockpit tub detail is reasonable straight out of the box. But the ejector seat is lacking in that area, and one should look at again a aftermarket replacement option or a session of scratch-building and detailing to get to look a lot better than it current state. The decal sheet also supplies an option for decals if you wish to go down that road for your detail in the "front office".

    The kit supplies you with separate flaps and rudders which allows you to position them how you see fit. The only downside in this area of the control surfaces is that there is no option for wing folds being a Naval Carrier based aircraft.

    The clear parts are supplied on the 3 small sprues, 2 of them being the canopy. All the clear parts are molded in a crystal clear plastic, but unfortunately there is a mold line on top of the main canopy that will require to be polished out. 

    As mentioned before five of the nine sprues are for the ordnance, so there are lots of load out possibilities for your Sluf. So you will need to check your references! 

    Ordnance supplied -

    12 x Mk.20 Cluster Bombs, 12 x Mk.82 Bombs, 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinders, 6 x AGM-65 Mavericks, 
    2 x GBU-10 Paveway II Bombs and 1 x FLIR pod 

    A4 instructions are provided in black and white, and are easy to understand and follow during the construction process. The notes and callouts throughout the process are provided in English and Chinese.  Also supplied as an A4 sheet, is the painting and decal guide, which is in full colour.

    The kit offers decals two colourful airframes of the A-7E -

    AJ/403 of VA-86 "Sidewinders" aboard the Nimitz in 1975 and NL/402 of VA-195 "Dambusters" from 1982.

     There are three small decal sheets that carry all the required decals for this kit, 2 of the sheets are for the stencilling of the airframe and ordnance and the third carrying the unit markings.

    A-7E from HobbyBoss would provide any modeller at any skill level an easy and simple build. The kit may have a couple of minor flaws, but that shouldn't be allowed to put you off. With the colourful schemes supplied in the kit, it surely will add some colour to your display.

    I would like to thank HobbyLink Japan (www.hlj.com) for this sample.

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