1:48 Douglas A-4M Skyhawk mod. 1970

The real subject

The Skyhawk was created as an attack aircraft with the emphasis on the lowest possible weight and on simplicity. The result was a small single-seat machine with a delta wing that did not have to fold, because the aircraft fitted onto a carrier deck elevator as it was. It was exactly that economy of design that earned it an exceptionally long service with a number of operators. The A-4M version belongs to the late machines of the series; the mod. 1970 figure in the name refers to the form of the machine from that period.

What the set offers

The set contains photo-etched metal parts for 1:48 scale. Etching removes material from thin sheet chemically, so the parts come out very thin and with sharp edges. On a model they suit anywhere a plastic part looks needlessly bulky. The elements are held on tabs in a common fret and are taken off it only at the moment you are going to glue them.

Building and painting tips

Put the fret on a hard surface and separate the part with the pressure of a sharp blade; cutters would bend the metal. Level the burrs left by the tab with fine sandpaper. Make the bends along the marked grooves in a bender or between two blades. Use cyanoacrylate glue to join them; plastic cement will not join metal. Degrease the parts before spraying and go over them with a primer, otherwise the shade will not hold on smooth metal.

Who it is for

The set is for a modeler who wants details that are fine even close up and does not mind a little handwork. Tweezers, good light and a dry fit before gluing all help. It is an accessory to a kit, not a model: the box does not contain the kit, the paints or the glue, unless stated otherwise.