1:72 ESCAPAC IG-2 Ejection Seat for Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk

The real subject

The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a small carrier attack aircraft that appeared in the middle of the 1950s as a deliberately simple and light machine with a delta wing. The TA-4J form is its two-seat training version with a lengthened fuselage and a second cockpit, used for training pilots. The ESCAPAC designation is carried by a range of ejection seats from Douglas and the IG-2 is one of its forms. The seat is impossible to miss in the cockpit: it dominates the view of an open cockpit and as a rule it is more visible on a finished model than anything else under the canopy.

What the set solves

This is a replacement seat for a model in 1:72 scale. It replaces the part from the kit and brings finer shaping and deeper articulation, which is hard to do in injection-molded plastic in this scale. The extent of the parts and the procedure for assembling them are described in the instructions from the maker of the set.

Building and painting tips

The parts are not polystyrene, so ordinary modeling cement will not join them; use super glue. Cut the excess material off with a sharp blade a little away from the part and carefully sand the remainder so that no hollow appears in the shape. Wash and degrease the parts before painting, otherwise the paint will not hold on the surface. Try the seat in the cockpit dry before painting and adjust the mating surface if needed so that it seats right down on the floor of the tub. Paint it separately and set it into the model only when it is finished.

Terms of supply

This is an accessory set. The kit of the aircraft, paints, glue and tools are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.