Blue Angels Skyhawk A-4E/F or TA-4J (Minicraft/Hasegawa)
1/72 scale
Kit No. 1140
Retail: $27.00 (Aftermarket, Out of Production)
Decals: One version
Comments: Raised panel lines; parts for single-seat A-4E/F or tandem seat TA-4J Skyhawk; includes boarding ladder and drop tanks; also includes weapons pylons and ordnance (Sparrow air-to-air missiles, Bullpup missiles, and Mk 82 500-lb. bombs) although Blue Angels carry no weapons; TA-4J has optional position canopy
History
The Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy’s elite flight demonstration team, operated the A-4 Skyhawk from 1974 to 1986. Lightweight and exceptionally maneuverable, the Skyhawk was a natural choice, having been chosen as a designated aggressor aircraft at the Navy’s Fighter Weapons School at NAS Miramar in the late 1960’s. The Skyhawk replaced the F-4 Phantom as the Blue Angels’ flying ambassador, and was itself replaced by the F/A-18 Hornet in late 1986.
The TA-4J Skyhawk model entered service in June 1969 (although the first Skyhawk trainer, the TA-4F, entered service with the U.S. Navy in 1966). It replaced the TF-9J Cougar to became the longest-serving of the Skyhawks as the Navy’s standard advanced jet trainer until replaced in the early 1990’s by the T-45A Goshawk. The TA-4J descended from the Navy and Marine Corps single-seat light attack aircraft designed in the early 1950s by a team of Douglas Aircraft engineers lead by Ed Heinemann. The first Skyhawk prototype flew in June 1954, and Skyhawks entered fleet service in 1956.
Built primarily as an advanced pilot trainer for the U.S. Navy, the TA-4J’s earlier, single-seat cousins the “B, C, E, & F” model’s, were used extensively in the Vietnam War along with the U.S. Marines’ “M” model. The Skyhawk filled many different roles in the U.S. military and served with foreign air forces as well. Nearly 3,000 were built.
There were two trainer variants of the A-4 Skyhawk, the TA-4F and the TA-4J. The TA-4J was simpler than the TA-4F, as it had down-rated engines and simplified avionics. In order to create a two-position Skyhawk, Douglas built a 28 inch plug into the A-4E between the normal cockpit and the fuselage fuel tank, which was reduced in size somewhat to accommodate the change.
Pratt & Whitney’s J52-P8A/P8B turbojet engine powered the TA-4F. The jet was also equipped with nosewheel steering, lift-improving wing spoilers, and a pair of Escapac 1C-3 ejection seats. TA-4Fs began service with VA-125 Rough Raiders at NAS Lemoore in California in 1966. Some of them were modified with additional mission equipment and pressed into service as Marine Corps fast forward air controllers (FastFACs) in Vietnam.
Thousands of student naval aviators finished their training flying TA-4J Skyhawk advanced jet trainers. The TA-4J was essentially a TA-4F without the weapons systems or the ability to carry a buddy pod for fuel transfer capability. The J model was powered by a less beefy but still spry J52-P6 engine. The first TA-4Js entered service with Training Squadron TWO ONE (VT-21) Fighting Redhawks at NAS Kingsville in Texas during 1969.
Assigned to the U.S. Navy Top Gun school as an “Aggressor” in the late 1960’s, the Skyhawk played a critical role. Similar in size and performance to many Soviet Bloc aircraft, the A-4 simulated potential enemy aircraft in practice exercises. Studied in Soviet tactics their skill and aggressiveness prepared F-18 and F-14 crews to face real combatants. With an impressive 760 degree per second roll rate – faster than an F-16 – the A-4 “Scooter” could roll-over and get a clear shot before the larger fighter knew it was there.
The Skyhawk was one of the most successful attack aircraft in US Navy and Marine Corps service. Single-seat Skyhawks were much used by Navy and Marine Corps squadrons during the Vietnam War. Its low delta wing of 27 feet 6 inches (8.4m) was small enough not to require folding on aircraft carrier decks.
During service, the Skyhawk acquired several nicknames, including Heinemann’s Hot Rod, Mighty Mite, Scooter, Tinker Toy, and Bantam Bomber. Production ceased in 1979, but the Skyhawk continued in service with many nations for decades afterwards. The final American Skyhawk unit was decommissioned in 2003.
For a full history of the A-4E/F Skyhawk, click here.
The Kit
Hasegawa/Minicraft’s Blue Angels Skyhawk comes on five sprues and consists of 91 parts including three clear parts for the respective canopies. The A-4E/F canopy is a single part and can only be depicted closed. The TA-4J canopy can be either open or closed. The fuselage for the single seat A-4E/F comes in medium blue plastic, while the TA-4J is presented in dark blue plastic akin to Navy Blue. Parts are included to build one of the two versions, but not both — there are two fuselages, but only a single, three-part wing and only one set of landing gear.
While you might think the two-seat version has the larger or longer fuselage, the two are nearly identical in length, with the single-set A-4E/F surprisingly being just a hair longer. In designing the TA-4J, the engineers largely kept the airframe to its original dimensions (probably so it could fit on flight deck elevators on aircraft carriers), with the main visual differences being the longer canopy and repositioning of the intakes about 3-4 feet farther back along the fuselage sides.
The A-4E/F has a basic cockpit consisting of a pilot figure, ejection seat, and cockpit tub featuring side instrument panels but no main panel and no engraved detail, nor does it include even a control yoke. All parts needed to depict this kit as an active duty attack aircraft in fleet service during the Vietnam era are included, but modelers who opt to do this will need to locate an appropriate set of decals, as the kit includes Blue Angels markings only.
The A-4E/F’s outstanding features are that it includes the trademark dorsal electronics hump that was fitted to A-4F and later A-4E models based on the need for improved avionics in Vietnam, along with an array of ordnance that will go straight into your spares box, if you build the Blue Angels version. Note that the Blue Angels did not fly the Skyhawk with the hump fitted — it was for combat aircraft only. Ordnance provided includes two M117 750 lb. bombs, a dozen Mk. 82 500 lb. bombs, two AGM-12 Bullpup missiles, and two AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles. There are also two 20mm cannon integrally molded into the wing roots, and these will have to be removed from the upper wing parts for the Blue Angels version.
The TA-4J is more detailed, particularly in the cockpit. There is a tandem cockpit tub with two ejection seats, two pilot figures, two control yokes, and a pair of main instrument panels, with the small panel in the front cockpit. Both instrument panels are to be fitted with decals. As noted earlier, the TA-4J has a larger, longer canopy. Although the instructions focus on parts to position the canopy in the open position, with a little ingenuity those modelers so inclined can devise a method to depict it closed.
As the TA-4J was an advanced trainer, it had a less powerful engine than aircraft in fleet service, so the part for the jet exhaust is different on the TA-4J. Another difference is that the A-4E/F is fitted with an arrestor hook on its rear ventral area, while the TA-4J is to be fitted with what appears to be a smoke emitter in this same area. Both versions have the refueling probe on the right side of the forward fuselage, as well as separately mounted air brakes.
Markings
The kit markings are by Scalemaster which is known for its quality. These decals appear to be quite serviceable and retain a bit of their semi-gloss finish, which is impressive given the age of the kit (first released in 1979). If you are lucky enough to find one of these kits intact, the decals may well be showing their age unless special care was taken to protect them against oxidation. If so, fortunately MILSPEC Decal makes an aftermarket set, No. 72-055, that are also of very high quality.
Conclusion
This is a great kit for those interested in the Blue Angels. If you are of a certain age, then the Skyhawk was your introduction to the Blue Angels, the one and only Blue Angels aircraft you’d ever seen in action until the F-18 Hornet came along. When I was kid, just as I began to take an interest in aircraft and model building, the A-4 was the mount of choice for the Blue Angels, and remained so on into my adult life. For me, the Skyhawk was THE Blue Angels aircraft. A great nostalgic kit for those with an affinity for the Blue Angels aircraft of yesteryear. Highly recommended.
References
- Douglas A-4 Skyhawk by Peter Kilduff, Osprey Publishing Limited, 1983 (Osprey Air Combat Series)
- https://combatairmuseum.org
- https://www.marchfield.org
- https://www.flyingleathernecks.org
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