As usual, Gary leaves no stone unturned in his search for the best compromise in detail & buildability in Magic Factory's new 48th scale A-4M kit. Follow his build in Part I today...
Build Review Pt.I: USMC A-4 Skyhawk light attack aircraft
From Magic Factory
1/48th scaleKit No #2007
Plastic injection model kit
Two marking choices in the box
I think it's fair to say that Magic Factory received plenty of feedback on the Corsair tooling, some good, some bad, but they diligently continued to engage with the modelling community, mostly via their Facebook page, as they worked on their next release.
I feel this has served them well as many potential problems with their A-4 kit have been avoided, based in no small part to the feedback from knowledgeable folks in the community. Of course feedback is useless if no-one is listening and Magic Factory have thankfully shown themselves not only willing to listen but to also act.As I enter this build I expect, just like the Corsair, that the fit will be excellent, the engineering clever and the provided options a step up from what we have been used to in the venerable Hasegawa A-4 family. There will be things I won't like (let's see how they go with the surface detail this time) but to be fair, that's true of every single kit any of us pick up to build.
As you will see there is a stack of stuff in the box, with new resin figures on the drawing board for a future release. I see a lot of potential for Magic Factory to learn and evolve, just like Kinetic, Trumpeter and others have done before.
THE AIRCRAFT - Douglas A-4M Skyhawk II
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable light attack aircraft designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Douglas Aircraft Company, and later, McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated A4D under the United States Navy's pre-1962 designation system.
The Skyhawk has seen active combat on several occasions. The U.S. Navy operated the type as its principal light attack aircraft during the Vietnam War, carrying out some of the first air strikes by the U.S. during the conflict. The Skyhawk was the Israeli Air Force's main ground attack aircraft during both the War of Attrition and the Yom Kippur War. In the Falklands War, Argentine Air Force Skyhawks bombed Royal Navy vessels, sinking the Type 42 destroyer Coventry and the Type 21 frigate Ardent. Kuwaiti Air Force Skyhawks saw action during Operation Desert Storm. In 2022, nearly seven decades after the aircraft's first flight in 1954, a number of Skyhawks remain in service with the Argentine Air Force and the Brazilian Naval Aviation.Designed specifically for use by the U.S. Marine Corps, the A-4M improvements included the 11,200 lb thrust Pratt & Whitney J52-P408 engine; a smokeless burner can; a larger, increased-visibility canopy; a ribbon-type drag chute; and a repositioned IFF antenna atop a squared-off vertical fin. With Douglas test pilot Walt Harper at the controls, the first A-4M flight took place on April 10, 1970, at the Douglas Palmdale, California facility. Fleet introduction began on February 26, 1971, to VMA-324 at MCAS Yuma, AZ. Subsequent improvements in a majority of the A-4Ms included "heads-up" cockpit instrumentation; integrated weapons display & delivery systems; "laser spot" target acquisition; tracking; advanced ECM & defensive ECM; and a new electrical generator. Ironically, the A-4M was the only Skyhawk version, other than the A-4A, to not see combat. The A-4M first entered service in 1971 as the Vietnam War was grinding to a halt and left front line service in February 1990 prior to the Gulf War. However, foreign versions of the A-4M did see combat in the Middle East. These were the Israeli A-4Ns and the Kuwaiti A-4KUs. Marine A-4Ms stayed forward-deployed in Japan throughout their active service life in readiness for a war that never was.
IN THE BOX - Magic Factory 1:48 A-4M Skyhawk (5002)
For a 1/48 Skyhawk (which is certainly not a big model) the Magic Factory box is quite large and very full of parts. No less than 24 sprues are provided and these include weapons, main airframe, clear and rubber/vinyl parts. As this is a so-called "2 in 1" boxing, you could be forgiven for thinking you get two full kits, much like their initial F4U-1 Corsair box, but this is not the case. The 2 in 1 refers to the fact that you get all the parts needed to build one of two variants of the A-4M, an early or late, not both.
It actually looks to me that all the parts are also included in the box to build an A-4M with the Hughes Angle/Rate Bombing System (ARBS) installed, featuring both a television camera and a laser spot tracing system in the tip of the nose, to provide for acquisition and tracking of laser-designated targets. Obviously no decal options are included for such a variant, so I imagine we will see further boxings in the future.In addition to the kits plastic parts, several extra items are included in the purchase price including pre-cut masks for the canopy/windshield and for the nose anti-glare panel. A small photo-etch fret provided 6 detail pieces to be used during assembly. You also get a nice metal pitot tube (positioned on the vertical tail) and some self adhesive reflective faces for the canopy rear-view mirrors. It's been a while since I have seen new kits being released with vinyl/rubber parts, especially for tires. I had hoped that kit manufacturers had gotten this particular bug out of their system, but it seems not. On the vinyl sprue you get a set of belts for the seat, and this actually is not that bad an idea. The rubber tires are where I find myself wishing they had given us normal plastic tires and perhaps thrown in the vinyl for those who might use this as an option. I've never had much success with vinyl tires and will be swapping these out for a more traditional solution but more on this later in the build when we get to assembly. This kit is also the first time I have seen small lead beads included for the nose weight. As you can see there are very few provided and I'm not convinced it would be enough to hold the nose down. The final inclusion is a double-sided A2 full colour gloss foldout sheet which details the painting and decaling for the two provided colour schemes. The 16 page assembly booklet is printed in black and white and seems quite thorough and well laid out.
COLORS & MARKINGS - Magic Factory 1:48 A-4M Skyhawk (5002)
Magic Factory seem to have been quite particular in their selection of paint/markings for this kit. At first glance you would not think so but upon digging a bit deeper you realise that they have cleverly selected both the very first and last operational A-4M aircraft, effectively allowing modellers to bookend the entire USMC career of the A-4M. This appeals to me and I think it's a great idea.
The first scheme represents BuNo. 158148 which was the first A-4M built. It is shown here in a black and white paint scheme while flown by the Naval Weapons Evaluation Facility on February 21, 1975. The Naval Air Test Center's insignia is on the fuselage. The black and white colours were reversed on the opposite side.The second scheme represents aircraft BuNo. 160024 "Double Nuts", an A-4M from Marine Attack Squadron 131 (VMA-131) Diamondbacks, which was singled out to receive a special Hi-Viz paint scheme to commemorate the retirement of the last US Marine A-4. On 22 June 1994 the squadron officially retired its last A-4M aircraft and the markings provided by Magic Factory are designed to match this final retirement scheme. Check out this informative article by Dave Aungst for more details on the A-4M 160024 Retirement Re-Painting. When it comes to the decal sheet, Magic Factory have certainly not cut any corners. Printed by Cartograph, the artwork, colours and clarity of the decals are excellent. I fully expect that these will work perfectly when it comes time to apply to the model. Worthy of mention are the cockpit main IP and side console decals as these are some of the nicest I have seen provided in a kit sheet.
BUILD - Magic Factory 1:48 A-4M Skyhawk (5002)
My builds almost never follow the assembly sequence outlined in the kit instructions. Instead, I prefer to jump around, focusing first on areas that might need extra attention or could pose potential problems later on. By addressing these challenges early, I can avoid complications as the build progresses. However, to make it easier for readers to follow along, I reorganize my build articles into a more logical, step-by-step format. In this case, I'll be sticking closely to the sequence provided by Magic Factory, ensuring the process is clear and methodical for anyone following this guide.
Kicking off in the cockpit, the kit seat is one of the more detailed I have seen out-of-the-box. One of the major things lacking from most kit seats are of course the harness belts. Magic Factory have employed a little "outside the square" thinking and provided vinyl/rubber seat belts.The black vinyl belts are glued using CA into pre-cut slots on the bottom of the seat cushions. The flexible belts are then bent around the side of the cushion and secured on top as desired. This is a pretty clever idea and seems to work very well in practice. To my eye the belts are probably a bit overscale for 1/48 but it's a much better option than having no belts at all (or even PE belts). The A-4 Skyhawk family used the ESCAPAC series of ejection seats by Douglas Aircraft. These are one of the most significant American designed/manufactured seats with Escapacs being fitted to many U.S. Navy aircraft including the A-4 Skyhawk, the A-7 Corsair II, and the S-3 Viking. The A-4F and later variants (including the M) were fitted with the Escapac IG-3 seat. The assembled Magic Factory kit provides a reasonable likeness to the Douglas Escapac. The most noticeable omission on the MF seat is the main seat safety handle, located in the center of the headrest (nicknamed 'headnocker'). This locks both the primary and secondary handles and the Quickboost seat shows this is in the safe (down) position. The Magic Factory seat also looks a bit thin and lacks some of the smaller details of the resin seat but these are small niggles and I feel that all in all the kit seat is a good effort by MF. In this 2-in-1 kit, Magic Factory includes specific parts depending on which A-4M variant (early or late) you wish to model. Starting in the cockpit this means you will need to decide very early on what your final scheme will be. As I'm building an early A-4M I'll focus mainly on those instructions (with the yellow border) as I go. Both early and late cockpit side consoles and main IP are provided, and even here you get more choices between flat decal-only parts (J10/F5) or raised moulded detail parts (J11/F6). It's particularly important to use the appropriate parts for your chosen variant, as there is considerable difference between the early (non HUD) and late (HUD with ARBS) cockpits. To my knowledge, Magic Factory are the first kit manufacturer to offer the early A-4M variant out-of-the-box. For my build I opted to use the raised detail parts as these are so nicely done it would have been a pity to not use them, plus the flat decals just don't look very realistic to me. To prepare for detail painting I applied a coat of FS36231 Dark Gull Grey and then masked the sections which would not be then painted black.
Whilst considering how to approach the detail painting I took another look at the decals and decided that I would use them after all, but would fit them over the raised detail parts (J11/J5/J6) rather than place them on the flat parts (J10/D42/D43). For this to work you need a very strong decal softening solution which will coax the decals down into the raised detail. VMS Decal Softener is my weapon of choice for such jobs as its easily one of the strongest on the market.The most challenging aspect of this process is accurately aligning the decal over the raised details, as it can be difficult to see the various dials and panels when laying it down. To tackle this issue, one effective method is to cut the larger decal into smaller sections and apply them individually. For the relatively straightforward side consoles, this involved removing the black edging and cutting the main decal in half. It’s important to note that you don’t need to cut all the way through the decal backing paper; a light incision with a sharp new blade will suffice to slice through the decal itself. This technique allows the sections to float apart easily on the backing paper when you apply water, making it much simpler to position each piece precisely where it needs to go.
The two decal parts are now applied onto the raised plastic parts and lined up with the details before generously applying the VMS Softener on top with a soft brush. From here the best thing you can do is leave everything alone, because the decal will quickly become very soft and any prodding or pulling will most likely result in a torn decal. Trust that the softener will do it's job and the decal will settle down around the raised detail by itself.
Decals often dry with a slightly semi-gloss sheen and this can be fixed easily with a couple of light coats of Mr.COLOR Super Smooth Clear Flat (GX114). Of course we then need to re-instate the glass covers over the instrument dials and for this I find Mr.COLOR Super Clear III Gloss (GX100) hand brushes consistently. The cockpit tub floor and the roof of the nose wheel well are connected and will be installed in the forward fuselage later as a single piece. I prefer to leave the seat out until the very end of the build, though that’s just my personal choice. Additionally, I usually paint the wheel wells toward the end, as it simplifies the masking process.
The kit's cockpit is impressively detailed right out of the box. The rear bulkhead (D41) includes the seat rails, and I especially appreciate the realistic reproduction of the acoustic fabric quilting on the side and rear walls of the cockpit. This is easily one of the best in-box cockpits I’ve encountered in a long time, so kudos to Magic Factory—there will be little need for aftermarket or scratch-built upgrades. As with most USN/USMC aircraft of the '60s, the A-4 cockpit interior was finished in Dark Gull Grey FS36231. Virtually every paint manufacturer has this colour in their range so you won't get stuck trying to match. I first sprayed a base coat of Mr Finishing Surfacer 1500 Black followed by MRP-100 Dark Gull Grey. Before joining the fuselage halves, some interior preparation is essential. First, glue the cockpit sidewalls (D58/D63) into place. If you intend to display the engine inspection panels in the open position, be sure to drill four 0.7mm holes for the door hinges and install parts D18 and D22. Additionally, don’t forget to install the interior components of the rear airbrakes at this stage; you can paint these parts beforehand if you prefer.
As demonstrated in this RNZAF A-4K, the fabric quilting became quite worn over the aircraft's service life. Although this specific plane doesn’t appear worn out, it certainly conveys a sense of having been well-used and lived in. To bring some aging to my cockpit sidewalls, a couple of light washes were applied to the sidewall detail. These are a custom mix of Dark Brown (87140) and Black (87131) from the enamel based Tamiya Panel Line Access Color range. The wash serves a dual purpose: it highlights the details while also giving them a grimy appearance. Magic Factory has taken the effort to pack quite a lot of detail inside the small fuselage. In addition to the cockpit you get full intake trunking, a detailed engine section (for those who wish to display the side access doors open) and of course the engine exhaust and nozzle. The original A-4M gun sight, just one generation beyond the WW2-era designs, lacked radar capabilities to calculate "lead"—the distance ahead of a moving target where a pilot should aim. Instead, it featured aiming circles to help estimate this lead. While this method was not ideal, it was an improvement over having no guidance at all. The main cockpit tub (and nose gear bay) fit neatly into the starboard fuselage half. As can be seen from the intake section behind, Magic Factory provides solid alignment slots for all the interior parts to ensure everything goes (and stays) where it's meant to. The engine exhaust is made up of three sections, each crafted as one-piece moulds without any need for those annoying longitudinal seams. After assembly, much of the interior is hidden, so I usually leave it painted black. For some subtle brown staining on the nozzle, I applied a light dusting of Europe Earth Pigment Powder (A.MIG-3004) and set it with a few drops of AK Pigment Fixer (AK048). I've been increasingly using pigment powders in my aircraft builds because I appreciate the realistic, scaled texture they create.The A-4M Skyhawk was equipped with the Pratt & Whitney J52-P-408A engine, a significant upgrade over earlier versions of the J52. This newer model delivered a 20% boost in thrust, providing enhanced performance and greater power for the aircraft. Remarkably, this improvement in thrust did not come with a corresponding increase in fuel consumption, meaning the A-4M could enjoy better performance without sacrificing operational efficiency or range. This made the engine upgrade particularly valuable, as it allowed for greater agility and speed while maintaining the fuel economy of previous models. Magic Factory includes just enough engine detail to be seen through the access doors on each side of the fuselage. If you plan to keep the doors closed, painting this section isn’t necessary, though I recommend installing it regardless, as it adds structural rigidity to the fuselage. The kit offers minimal paint guidance for this area, so I relied on reference photos to make informed decisions about the colour scheme. Even though it's a small part of the build, adding this internal detail can enhance the model's realism if the access doors are left open. With the four main sub-assemblies—cockpit, intakes, engine, and exhaust—fully assembled, it's time to fit them into the fuselage. Magic Factory has designed this step to be incredibly straightforward, thanks to well-engineered alignment pins and slots that ensure precise positioning for each component. The fit is so well executed that it's practically fool proof, making assembly a breeze even for less experienced modelers. The parts click together securely, leaving little room for error, which greatly enhances both the ease and accuracy of the build. Each sub-assembly snaps neatly into place, requiring only a minimal amount of glue to secure. I was initially doubtful about how much of the engine's interior would actually be visible through the access hatch, but I was pleasantly surprised—quite a lot of detail can be seen. This makes the extra effort of painting and detailing the engine well worth it, as it significantly enhances the model’s realism when viewed through the open hatch. The attention to detail really pays off here, adding depth and interest to the overall build. With that, Part 1 of the build is complete. The fuselage has come together smoothly, and all the major internal components are securely in place. Next, I'll be shifting my focus to assembling the wings and tail section, which will bring this project one step closer to completion. As I move forward, I'll also be taking a close look at the surface detail, especially those rivets. Properly addressing them will be crucial to achieving the level of realism I'm aiming for in the final result. Stay tuned for the next instalment, where I'll tackle these details and continue bringing this model to life! Until next time. Gary Wickham
You can see more of Gary's model making on his website Scalespot.com
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