1:48 A-4M early 3D-Printed & coloured Interior on decal paper (Hasegawa/Hobby2000)

A-4M Skyhawk early interior 3D decal (1:48, Quinta Studio)

A relief 3D-printed and pre-colored interior decal, not an aircraft kit. The set brings raised instrument panels, side consoles and further detail into the cockpit of the Douglas A-4M Skyhawk attack aircraft in its early form; everything is already colored, so the tedious painting falls away. It is shaped for the 1:48 Hasegawa or Hobby 2000 A-4M Skyhawk kit. The early designation matches the early shape of the cockpit, which differs from the later version with the added head-up display.

The real subject

The Douglas A-4M Skyhawk II was the most capable production version of the Skyhawk, developed for the US Marine Corps. It received a more powerful engine, an enlarged canopy and updated avionics, and it served into the 1990s.

How the 3D decal is used

• Paint the surface under the parts and polish it with a gloss varnish (Future, Klear): the parts have no adhesive layer of their own and hold on the gloss, so a matte base is a mistake.
• Cut the parts out, dip them in lukewarm water for about fifteen seconds and slide them off the backing paper into place in the cockpit; they need no painting and they replace a photo-etched set as well.
• Do not use a decal softener or a decal fixer, as the chemicals attack the printed resin and ruin the part; on a broken surface a drop of super glue helps.

Who the set is for

• For modelers building the A-4M Skyhawk in 1:48 scale.
• For those who want a colored, three-dimensional cockpit without lengthy painting.

This is a detail accessory, not a model. The Hasegawa or Hobby 2000 base kit, paints and glue are not included in the package.