[Sgt Spooky]

Just took a look a Raymond Chungs A-6E and looks nice and it got me thinking about going back to my A-6 kits again and making a 'true' 1/48 A model (not building a 1/50 Fujimi).

I did a little research some time ago and so far I've come up with the following items to backdate to an A-model intruder:

- omit the intake scoop near the tail
- use the perforated speed brakes
- omit the TRAM turret
- use the Pre-TRAM instrument panel
- use MB Mk. 5 ejection seats (if I can find them)for early A,Mk. 7 for later build A
- remove wing tip antenna pods
- use the ECM pylons from the EA-6A kit as a base for the outboard pylons
- no strip formation lights


I read somewhere there's a fairing on the inboard wing root that needs to be removed also, but I'm not sure what fairing the author of the article was talking about since I don't see any there and they didn't include any pics of it. I've looked in the Squadron Walk-Around book and can't seem to find this fairing either.

I also haven't been able to find any USN decals for an A-6A of this era in 1/48. I have the Impact Decals sheet which has a USMC black nose bird, but not a USN bird. Anyone know if there one and am I missing anything from my above list?

[PlasticWeapons]

Early A-6A had the longer stall strip.



Cockpit vent on the bombardier/navigator's side varied between models; from no vent in the early A-6A, to a rectangular slotted vent, and then the louvered vent of the A-6E.







As for A-6A decals, Microscale made a few a long time ago and they were sized for the Fujimi kit.

This post has been edited by PlasticWeapons: 07 November 2012 - 03:33 AM

[toadwbg]

Check out my conversion at the in-progress forum.

Wing fold is a real b!tvh! My advice, go Revel for the A-6A

Also, perforated brakes were quickly covered on many alpha models. Check your refrences.

[Gary F]

Sgt Spooky,

The fairing under the wing you're referring to is located in the area of the kink just inboard of the slats. It will look like a rectangular slab of armor if molded on the kit parts. It's associated with the spike on the outer weps pylon. Some A's had the spike but not the slab fairing. Then the equipment associated with the ECM spike was moved ... sometimes the spike was still present and sometimes it was removed ... but that's when the slab showed up under the kink in the wing. Eventually you would see the underwing slab and the spikes were gone from the pylon.
During 72-75 my squadron had ac in all three configs.
Also we had A's with fuselage speed brakes that still had holes as well as those that had been sealed from inside so those hole bumps still showed but were actually covered from behind.
We also had -5 seats in our A's until the very early E's showed up in later part of 75.
Hope that helps a bit, at least what to look for in pics.

Gary

[Finn]

Also the A had the lower anti-collision light on the nose gear door:

http://www.summerswe...s/a6fisheye.jpg

Jari

[Brian P: Fightertown Decals]

Maybe something like this might be of interest:



At print...

-brian

[phantomdriver]