John Thomas
I am starting a new A-4 build project. It will be a collection of 1/48 scale Hobbycraft A-4s. All kits will be built mostly out of box with a resin seat and some after market decals. From A-4B, A-4C, A-4E, A-4F, A-4L and A-4M and maybe an OA-4M two seater if I can find one. The Hobbycraft kits are not as detailed as the Hasegawa kits. I will add details were needed to each kit. For the A-4L I will convert the A-4C kit to an A-4L. This conversion will be ease as the Hobbycraft A-4C has the A-4L parts in the kit. First kit up will be A-4B.

John Thomas
A-4B built started, photos up today.

Paul Shearer
Nice. Always loved A-4's

John Thomas
Paul, Thanks. BTW, I don't think that Hobbycraft or Hasegawa made a OA-4M kit. The only one I know of is the old Monogram OA-4M kit which I am looking for.

John Thomas
"O" I fore got the A-4A on the list. All I have to do is get another A-4B kit and convert it back to an A-4A. I may do this at the end, this will give me time to find another Hobbycraft A-4B kit.

Paul Shearer
Ya I think it is the only game in town, although i think it was also released by Hasagawa after Revel took over. I had the Monogram version back when i was a lot younger and built aircraft. It was a nice kit except it had Monograms raised panel lines.

John Thomas
Paul you are right. I do have to look back in my stash to see if I have one hiding but I have some time before I will need it.

John Thomas
A-4B project under way, new photos up today

Patrick Hagelstein
Those Hobbycraft kits aren't that bad at all. Too bad I donated my A-4M to our club auction, as I had no particular plans for that kit.

Nathan Dempsey
I agree Patrick. These Hobbycraft A-4 kits are nice, especially for the price point.

Patrick Hagelstein
And more importantly, any mold release agent comes off really quick in a washing machine! 😛

Chris Greathouse
It's plane to see you have your work cut out for you.

John Thomas
Patrick, Nathan and Chris Thanks, these Hobbycraft A-4 kits came out just before the Hasegawa A-4 kits. At the time they were the best A-4 kits on the market. The hobbycraft kits are not shake & bake kits and some care is need for a good result. These kit will be a good test if you what to help improve your modeling skills and at half the price or even less than the Hasegawa kits I can build them all and Patrick I all ways wash my kit before I start a new project.

Patrick Hagelstein
😄 😉 👍

John Thomas
Hans Thanks, I do have the special hobby 1/48 TA-4 two seater in my stash but for now I want do the Combat A-4s first.

John Thomas
Sorry guys, not Special Hobby but Hasegawa does make a TA-4J two seater in 1/48 scale all so Classic Airframe made one . Some TA-4F/Js did do forward air control (FAC) in a combat rule so I will add this to the list and the over all project.

John Thomas
I have found an old Monogram OA-4M and Hasegawa TA-4J. New photos up today

John Thomas
Hans, Thanks. I am all ways on the hunt for A-4 Skyhawks

John Thomas
Hans Thanks, I am all ways on the hunt for A-4 Skyhawks. I like your A-4 build, nice camo work as well. My work on the A-4B project continues. New photos up today.

Patrick Hagelstein
Cool to see how much more of a combat plane the OA-4M is compared to the TA-4J when you compare the boxarts of the Monogram and Hasegawa kits.

Carlos Cisneros
Those are decent Scooter kits. They cover the single seat family pretty well. The cockpit needs help though...

John Thomas
Patrick and Carlos, Thanks Patrick the OA-4M was design as a pure combat aircraft, the TA-4F/J was mainly designed as a fleet trainner that could do some combat rolls like FAC. Carlos the kit cockpit is basic and not very accurate but when painted up and installed it does not look to bad