1:48 A-4M SKYHAWK - interior 3D decals for Hasegawa kit

The Skyhawk in its final form

The small attack machine from the design office of Ed Heinemann was built for almost three decades, and the version designated by the letter M was its culmination. It first flew in 1970, received a more powerful power unit, an enlarged angular canopy with a better view and a drag chute. A dorsal hump with electronics was added above the fuselage. The United States Marine Corps flew it until the nineties and valued its agility as well as how little maintenance it needed.

A sharpness a brush cannot manage

In 1:48 scale the whole instrument panel measures roughly two centimeters and a single dial not even a millimeter. Hand painting reaches the limit of what is possible at such a size: the color can be applied, but the scales, the needles and the lettering cannot. Printing works in another order of fineness, so the individual instruments and the color fields of the warning lights really can be told apart on the panel. That is the main reason why this technology has spread so much in recent years.

Where the advantage ends

The fineness of the print shows only when there is a smooth base under it and a clear canopy without clouding above it. A rippled film or remains of glue spoil the impression at once. The set also does not deal with the shape of the tub or with the seat; it works exclusively with the surface of the existing parts.

Step-by-step procedure

Glue the tub together, fill it and sand it smooth. Spray a primer in a shade close to the print, so that any gaps do not catch the eye. Separate the sheets with a sharp blade, soak them for a few seconds and carry them over on a damp brush. Once dry, go over them with a matte varnish and only then glue the transparent parts in.