1:48 A-4 Skyhawk IDF exhaust nozzles

The real subject

The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-engined light attack airplane with a low-set delta wing, designed as a small and light carrier of armament for service on aircraft carriers. The Israeli Air Force operated it in great numbers, and its machines differed from the American ones in a number of details. It is precisely at this form of the exhaust nozzle that the set aims.

What the set contains

Replacement exhaust nozzles for a model of the A-4 Skyhawk in 1:48 scale in the version of the Israeli Air Force. The mouth of the exhaust is well visible on a finished model, and yet it is precisely here that a plastic part glued from two halves is hard to clean up. The replacement part deals with this area in one piece. The extent of the package and the kit the set is matched to are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Building and painting tips

The parts are not of polystyrene, ordinary cement for plastic has no effect on them, so use super glue. Cut the surplus material off with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the remainder carefully, so that the circular cross-section of the mouth is preserved. Wash and degrease the parts before painting, or the paint will hold poorly. Apply metal shades in thin layers and fit them to the nozzle only after the surrounding fuselage has been sprayed, so that they are not in the way during masking. The particular procedure for preparing the parts is given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Who it is for

For modelers who build the Skyhawk in Israeli service and want the rear fuselage more faithful than it comes out from a kit. Paints, glue and the kit are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.