Trumpeter 1/32 A-4M
By Patrick Najmulski
Growing up in Southern California, my family and I would attend the El Toro airshow every year. One of the highlights for me was always the Skyhawk, and the "Mike" model along with it's OA-4M brother were always prominently displayed. Once Trumpeter came out with their large scale M, I knew I had to build one. Unfortunately, the only markings for a big Marine Scooter anywhere were high-viz, but I always liked the dull gray looks of the low-visibility schemes. Besides, that's how I remember the planes when I saw them in the '80s.
Doing some research, I found that high-viz markings in 1/48th scale would be similar in size to the subdued and smaller low-viz scheme. I found myself a nice aftermarket high-viz sheet for the tail markings and oversprayed them to get the appropriate shade of gray; a 1/32 A-7 sheet provided the intake warnings, rescue arrows and ejection seat warning triangles. The squadron designator (VMA-311 TOMCATS) was cut out individually from an appropriately sized letter and number sheet. LAU-10 Zuni rocket launchers and the centerline tank came from Fisher Models, and I spruced up the kit Triple Ejector Racks and Mk 82 500lb bombs with a homemade thermal protective coating, arming wires and appropriate painting and weathering.
© Patrick Najmulski 2015
This article was published on Saturday, January 17 2015; Last modified on Friday, February 10 2017