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1/48 Blue Angels TA-4J


ghodges

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This is the 1/48 Monogram OA-4M/Falcon vac conversion. I built it so I wouldn't feel guilty when I bought the new Clasic Airframes kit! The decals are from the Victory Productions sheet, and went down with no problems.

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This model has more "dings" than my 10yr old car! But, it's done and I can move on to the new kit without feeling guilty! Also, it'll look good enough for my Skyhawks display table in VB! Comments and critiques welcome!

 

GIL :smiley16:

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I still think the A-4 was the prettiest of the BA aircraft. I saw the Angels in the 70-71 or 71-72 season when they were flying F-4s. Man, it was a completely different show with those a/c than with the little A-4s.

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Gil, I've always enjoyed looking at everything you have built, even back in the late 70's, early 80's (then I thought that Scale Modeler was the coolest model mag, LOL). It was what inspired me to build/write for Syd too.

Great idea to use the Monogram kit before the C/A kits arrive.

 

Model on Dude.

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Thanks for the kind words Ken! "Stale Modeler" was good for its time, but thankfully that time has passed! I'm still looking to meet Jordan Ross, one of the more prolific contributors to SM when I started reading it in the 70's. He could build ANYTHING! I know he's an IPMS member, but I've never bveen able to track him down. I did however run into Mr. Hodgedon, who did all of those great 1/32 dios (they usually had footprints on the wings) in the mag. We had a laugh commiserating about what it was like to deal with those cheap SOB's that ran SM! He couldn't get paid and he was able to go to the offices! Cheers!

 

GIL :smiley16:

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:smiley20: Excellent work friend!. The decals looks great!

 

Regards,

Rodolfo

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Thanks for the kind words Ken! "Stale Modeler" was good for its time, but thankfully that time has passed! I'm still looking to meet Jordan Ross, one of the more prolific contributors to SM when I started reading it in the 70's. He could build ANYTHING! I know he's an IPMS member, but I've never bveen able to track him down. I did however run into Mr. Hodgedon, who did all of those great 1/32 dios (they usually had footprints on the wings) in the mag. We had a laugh commiserating about what it was like to deal with those cheap SOB's that ran SM! He couldn't get paid and he was able to go to the offices! Cheers!

 

GIL :smiley16:

Yeah Jordan was a huge inspiration too. I have no idea where he lives and whether he still builds. Have run across Lloyd and Mark Jones numerous times here in the SW area and seen a few models from Les Meserve here and again. Pat Tritle lives here in Albuquerque area.

My first article was for MM in 1978, when I was still in High School. I was a lucky bugger because I only lived about 4 miles away from Challenge Pub. Since they always took the photos, I always brought the model(s) in and Syd was ALWAYS so busy. He'd tell me,"Why don't you go in the back and grab a couple mags from the warehouse while I take care of so and such?" So I did. I must have filled my entire SM, SACM, MM, Air Combat, etc, collections that way. I figured that since it was like pulling teeth to get them to pay all that Syd said he would, I would endulge myself with the mags. I figure they still owe me a few thousand dollars based on what Syd agreed to over the years, but I never got. Oh well. That's the price for the glory, LOL.

 

And We Model On.

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SO they let you into the "offices"......interesting considering all of the OTHER mags they published! :smiley9:

 

By the way, I forgot to mention that the yellow flashing around the canopy hump and on top of the fuselage is NOT on the Victory decal sheet; and I can't even tell from the instructions if #7 had that trim on the plane. Oddly, all of the other planes do have yellow trim in that area, and it's provided for them. I don't know if it's an oversight on the decal makers part, or if the TA-4J simply didn't have that area painted. I just didn't like the side flashing going back and ending at the intakes. I cut the supplied trim decal to shape to fit the spine and then added bits from the "extra" material provided on the sheet. That, and a little touch up paint got the job done whether it's right or wrong! Cheers!

 

GIL :smiley16:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Very well done. I saw the team perform at Pt Mugu NAS in thier "scooters." Its very differant now that they have the big iron F-18s. Ear plugs are essential when you go to thier shows now. Especially during the sneek attack pass from behind!

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SO they let you into the "offices"......interesting considering all of the OTHER mags they published! :smiley9:

 

By the way, I forgot to mention that the yellow flashing around the canopy hump and on top of the fuselage is NOT on the Victory decal sheet; and I can't even tell from the instructions if #7 had that trim on the plane. Oddly, all of the other planes do have yellow trim in that area, and it's provided for them. I don't know if it's an oversight on the decal makers part, or if the TA-4J simply didn't have that area painted. I just didn't like the side flashing going back and ending at the intakes. I cut the supplied trim decal to shape to fit the spine and then added bits from the "extra" material provided on the sheet. That, and a little touch up paint got the job done whether it's right or wrong! Cheers!

 

GIL :smiley16:

 

HI, Gil,

 

I saw your model at VB, and noted that the yellow flash on the spine was missing. I've recently completed a TA-4J with the VP sheet, also, and noted that they were missing that flash. I managed to locate a nice overhead view of #7, and it did indeed have a spine flash like all the other jets. I ended up cutting the needed shape out of the single-seat spine flash, but it was trial and error and some paint touchups to get it to look right. Other than that, though, the VP decals were excellent!

 

One other thing, I looked in the new issue of the CA TA-4J at VB also, and it looked like thier rendition of the Blue Angels markings had the same error-no spine flash that I saw.

 

Drop me an email if you want a copy of that image, hegedus@md.metrocast.net.

 

Joe Hegedus

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