1/48 Esci A-4b Skyhawk  

by Pablo A. Girgulsky

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This is my A-4 from the Fuerza Aerea Argentina in the camo scheme used in the Malvinas war in 1982.  Many things have been written about the brave pilots that flew this planes against the British fleet in the rough conditions of the south Atlantic sea.  Even with the supplementary tanks, the range was always a problem. Flying from the continent only 5 meters above the sea surface was the only way to avoid the radar of the British warships, but that was the only way to do the job, which caused unsuspected damage in the enemy's ships.  This article goes for the memory of those who never came back, and the ones that got the honor in the warfield.

About the kit:

I bought this Esci kit just because I found it! Our model market is quite small and the other kits needs lots of modifications to get the A-4b.  I first start with major surgery, removing the airbrakes and replacing it with scratch made ones, so I did with the rudder and the flaps.  I also rebuilt the landing gear and the holes, adding lots of wire to get a busy look. The cockpit also got new side panels, drilled the instrument  panel and put the decals from the back side.

After assembly, filling and sanding, the painting was free hand with Humbrol enamels, dark olive green and dark earth.  After this I applied gloss coat, did some dirty looking washes and chipping and applied the Aero Calcas decals that work fine.

Click on images below to see larger images

Hope you like it.  I also recommend Capt. Carballo  book, Dios y los halcones (God and the hawks) where you can find a mission review of our pilots at war.

Pablo 

Photos and text © by Pablo Girgulsky