So it’s been over a year since my last post. Yeah, I took a break from this Enterprise project, and went back to my comfort zone and built a few 1/72 WWII planes in the interim.
But about September of last year (2014) I returned to this project. As I stated early on, I will build each of the aircraft in 1/72 before I do the 1/720 squadron. And so I have started with the A-6A Intruder of VA-35, Black Panthers.
First, I always try to use to most definitive references I can find. As mentioned before I’ve been using the GRS Videos, Naval Aviation Films, DVD, “USS Enterprise CVAN-65 1968 Tonkin Gulf” (see
http://cv41.org/ ) which is actual footage of flight deck operations from the time in question. I made numerous stills from the video which I could then zoom in on at length. I also referred to The Military Press; The History of US Naval Air Power; by Robert L. Lawson which has a “center fold” of the 1967 (a year earlier) configuration of this plane. And lastly, the USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) WestPac Cruise Book 1968, which is now available on line at
http://navysite.de/cruisebooks/cvn65-68/index.html.
Below are a few shots of the 1/72 plane. It is the MRC/Fujimi A-6A Knight Rider kit No.27016, with the squadron specific decals coming for the old Hasegawa/Minicraft kit No. JS-023.
With the 1/72 plane as my “model” I then moved on to the Trumpeter 1/700 A-6E Set, kit # 03421. I used Starfighter Decals Part # 700-53, 1968 USS Enterprise,CVAN-65,CVW-9 (NG) all aircraft, for the 1/700 decals. I also used 2 of the Gold Medal Models Part # 700-33A, 1/4 Airwing Details photo-etched sets for the landing gear doors, bomb racks, and refueling probes.
I painted the tops gray, then embedded them upside down in poster sticky tack to mask the tops and painted the bottom of the planes white. Then I hand painted the tops of the control surfaces and rear wings white. Then I painted the wheels and leading edges of the air intakes black; and the exhausts burnt iron. Next, I used the same custom mixed chromide yellow-cream color from the 1/72 plane for the nose and leading edges of the wings. Lastly, I used Testors gloss Sky Blue for the canopies; and once dry coated that with Alclad Chrome to achieve what I think is a nice effect. (The blue alone just didn’t look right.) With all of the above thoroughly dry, I cut off the wings on 9 of the 12 planes so that I could pose the with wings folded.
Then came the decals. Let me say that the Starfighter Decals are outstanding! But they are VERY delicate. As a precaution, I coated the sheet with Microscale Decal Film to “strengthen” them a bit. I had to hand cut them individually which is very time consuming. (Each plane took about an hour!) They slide very nicely after only 15 seconds or so in a drop of water; and they nestle right down with a dab of Microscale Red setting solution. Again, they’re super delicate so get them where you want them then touch them with the solution and leave them alone because they will get mushy in about 10-15 seconds. To position and hold the planes for some of the decal application, I use a plastic water bottle cap.
With all the decals applied, I moved to “final assembly.” I glued the folded wings in place. And finally, I glued the tiny delicate photo-etched refueling probes in place.
Below are step by step shots of the process above.
The 1/72 RA-5C Vigilante of RVAH-1 Smokin' Tigers and it’s 1/720 counterparts are next!
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