Esci 1/72 Skyhawk

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Jacob - 03 Sep 2006 19:53 GMT

Hi group

Is the Esci Skyhawk (A-4E) accurate, or should I go for the Hasegawa, Fujimi
or Italeri offerings?

TIA

Jacob

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Enzo Matrix - 03 Sep 2006 20:06 GMT

> Is the Esci Skyhawk (A-4E) accurate, or should I go for the Hasegawa,
> Fujimi or Italeri offerings?

It's accurate, and a very nice kit from what I remember. However it's a bit
difficult to get hold of these days. If you have one, all well and good. If
not, go for the Fujimi one. The Italeri kit is also quite accurate but is
somewhat simplistic.

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Enzo

I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.

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Al Superczynski - 04 Sep 2006 01:13 GMT

>> Is the Esci Skyhawk (A-4E) accurate, or should I go for the Hasegawa,
>> Fujimi or Italeri offerings?
>
>It's accurate, and a very nice kit from what I remember.

Except that the leading edge slats are firmly molded in the
closed position. Okay for an in-flight model or a Blue Angels bird
but the Fujimi kits are better overall and have separate leading edge
slats.

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Al Superczynski, MFE, IPMS/USA #3795, continuous since 1968

My "From" address is munged - use 'modeleral (at) swbell (dot) net' to respond via email.

Check out my want lists and eBay listings at "Al's Place":
http://home.swbell.net/arfunguy/index.html
"Build what YOU like, the way YOU want to,
and the critics will flame you every time."

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John - 04 Sep 2006 03:16 GMT

>Hi group
>
>Is the Esci Skyhawk (A-4E) accurate, or should I go for the Hasegawa, Fujimi
>or Italeri offerings?

The Hasegawa single seat Skyhawk is too long in the fuselage (forget
the specifics, but it is not correctable). Their TA-4 is fine - and
the only kit you will get a boarding ladder out of!

I agree with Al - the Fujimi are the best Skyhawk kits in 1/72 on the
market.

John Alger
IPMS 10906
Charlotte Scale Modelers

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Mad-Modeller - 04 Sep 2006 04:57 GMT

Hasegawa seems to have used the TA-4J fuselage dimension to mould the
A-4E, which is why it's too long. One would have to do quite a job of
trimming out the extra length and reconnecting the fuselage bits to get
it back to the correct length. I believe it's all forward of the engine
inlets but I've never checked.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

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John - 05 Sep 2006 01:52 GMT

>Hasegawa seems to have used the TA-4J fuselage dimension to mould the
>A-4E, which is why it's too long. One would have to do quite a job of
>trimming out the extra length and reconnecting the fuselage bits to get
>it back to the correct length. I believe it's all forward of the engine
>inlets but I've never checked.

You are correct sir! I wasn't going to say anything because I don't
have one in my stash to re-check the dimensions on. But this is why it
is uncorrectable - if you cut out the extra 2 or 3 feet forward of the
intakes, you can't match the angles of the remaining pieces.

At the time, Hasegawa was pretty well known for accuracy in dimensions
(though they never got big marks on cockpit detail) and it took quite
a while, as I recall, for someone to notice this huge Boo-Boo on their
part. Remember, this kit came out in the late 60's and most of us were
not as fanatical about details like this back then - if it looked OK
it passed muster. I don't recall when I first heard of the error, but
it was well into the '70s.

John Alger USN(ret)
1972-1997 // 1310,1320
TA-4J, A-7E, EC-130Q, P-3B

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Jacob - 04 Sep 2006 10:14 GMT

> Hi group
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Jacob

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Model Forum / General / Models / September 2006

Esci 1/72 Skyhawk