Today, Gary takes the next steps with his 48th scale A-4M kit from Magic Factory. Today he reworks the surface detail, & adds more of his own touches on the way towards the finish line. See how it's coming along in Pt.II...
From Magic Factory
1/48th scale
Kit No #2007
Plastic injection model kit
Plastic injection model kit
Two marking choices in the box
Price: $102 USD from Hobbylink Japan
Magic Factory Website & Facebook Page.webp)
I continue today with the second part of my 48th scale Magic Factory A-4M Skyhawk build. We have seeen a review & the internals put together in part I. Now I look at correcting & enhancing some more of the kit.
Magic Factory Website & Facebook Page
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I continue today with the second part of my 48th scale Magic Factory A-4M Skyhawk build. We have seeen a review & the internals put together in part I. Now I look at correcting & enhancing some more of the kit.
A little sisual representation of part I of this build...
The build, Part II...
With all the internals sorted it's time to join the fuselage halves. This was trouble free and as normal held the parts together firmly with one hand while I worked my way along the seam applying Tamiya Extra Thin liquid cement.
Air intakes can sometimes be challenging, requiring decisions regarding when the internals are best to be painted to minimise issues during assembly. However, Magic Factory have designed their intakes well, allowing a hassle-free fit and ease of pre-painting.
As the parts breakdown allowed it, I opted to paint the intake interior prior to assembly. The multi-part intake skin and trunking could have led to plenty of fit problems but once again the MF parts all slotted firmly into place with little or no issues regarding gaps and alignment. As you can see I also took the opportunity to paint the fuselage under the splitter plate and intake lip prior to installing the intakes.
As this is a 2-in-1 kit, you need to be regularly making decisions on which step(s) are approproiate for your chosen variant. As I knew that I would be building an "Early" A-4M the appropriate cockpit shroud parts were used.
Magic Factory provide the HUD reflector glass as a clear part, and whilst it's probably considerably over-scale, I chose to use it rather than fabricate a new piece from clear acetate. The shroud was painting in Tamiya LP-65 Rubber Black as I find this color to be a good scale match to most all "black" parts on 1:48 models.
It was now time to move onto the wings and before we get too far it's important to remember to drill out (from the inside) the holes you will need for your selected loadout and variant (early or late). For the early option you need to drill out four holes for the forward transmitting ALQ-51 antennas which were located on either side of the nose landing gear well. For an interesting explanation of the various Early ECM Antennas used on the Skyhawk check out Tommy Thomason's page on his excellent site Tailhook Topics.
The load-out for my chosen scheme is very simple with only the two 150 gallon drop tanks fitted. If you zoom in you can also just see the ALQ-51 transmitter antenna mounts under the port cannon.
One part of the design of this kit I was extra impressed with was the multi-part layout of the main wheel wells. Magic Factory has engineered the gear bays as drop in parts with the roof of the wells being separate. This seems like a simple idea but is so convenient, especially for painting before assembly of the fiddly piping and cabling. Before joining the top and bottom wings you also need to decide what configuration you will be using for the landing flaps and spoilers, both located on the inboard trailing edges of the wings. Magic Factory allow for both open or closed options and allow you cut out slots in the wing to support your layout.
To my eye the level of detail included on the plastic parts was more than adequate for 1:48. Thankfully most of the reference photos of A-4 wheel bays showed all the parts painted in white, which makes detail painting so much easier.
Once the wheel bays are slotted into place the result is very convincing and only the keenest of super-detailers would feel the need to add more.
Once you complete all the wing interior work it's time to glue them together and prepare for mounting to the fuselage. Don't forget to cut out the correct slots for the spoiler and flap positions as trying to do this after the fact will be far more difficult.
As usual, my preparation for this build included exploring online reviews and comments about Magic Factory's kit and in particular their decision to include extensive surface rivet details on the kit’s wings and fuselage. Initially unsure about the rivets, I decided to investigate further using reference photos of the real aircraft. Finding high-quality close-ups of Skyhawk surfaces proved challenging, but one particularly useful resource was Calum Gibson’s excellent set of RNZAF A-4K Skyhawk photos. After analyzing numerous images, I concluded that the kit’s rivets were both oversized and spaced too far apart, resulting in an unrealistic appearance. Leaving them as-is would have been visually distracting on the finished model.
Having decided to remove the majority of the kit supplied surface rivets I set about filling them. After some testing I settled on Extra Thin Super (CA) glue from VMS Supplies. I'd say that any extra thin CA would work, I just happened to have an open bottle of their excellent VMS Flexy 5K Thin glue. This was applied using the tip of some 0.25mm copper wire. I found that the extra thin glue worked best as it was thin enough to flow into the tiny rivets and fill them up. Thicker CA glue or normal plastic putty is too thick to consistently go into the rivet holes leading to many failed or part filled rivets which then needed further attention.
Once the CA glue was dry (say an hour), it was sanding smooth using 600 grade wet n dry abrasive. Care was needed to avoid the delicate vortex generators. 
Once I was happy with the result I decided to apply a small subset of the remove rivets with my Galaxy 0.75mm Rivet wheel do see if this improved the look. Under a coat of grey primer the result of this work could be appreciated and I was satisfied with the outcome.
A useful before/after comparison of the two wings gave me the confidence to continue as I was happy that the extra work this involved was well worth it.
A study of the A-4K fuselage showed that once again very little of the surface fastener (huck bolts) detail was visible on the real aircraft. Extremely faint lines of fasteners can just be seen in the right light. This gave me the confidence to look at removing them from the 1:48 model.
As can be seen from these "before" photos, the vertical rows of rivets provided on the kit are overscale both in size and spacing. I would first have to fill and sand them smooth and then decide if I wanted to replace any with the riveting wheel.
Once I have filled and primed the fuselage I decided that I would NOT re-apply any of the inter panel rivets as these would be too distracting in 1:48, especially under the high contrast "black and white" paint scheme I had in mind. Grey primer was once again used to test my work and I was pleased that the extra thin super glue had worked reliably to fill and conceal the old rivets.
The vertical tail received the same treatment. Rivets that ran adjacent to the panel lines were left alone as I think these added, rather than detracted, from the overall look of the model.
The A-4M Skyhawk was fitted with 2 x US MK12 20mm cannon, in the wing roots, each with a 400 round capacity. Certain aircraft had no guns installed (eg Blue Angels and Aggressors) and Magic Factory include an alternate set of wing roots with faired over holes to cater for this.
The Skyhawk’s two ammo drums were housed in the center fuselage, but due to the limited width, they couldn’t be positioned side by side. Instead, they were installed one behind the other. As a result, the port cannon had to be placed further back, which explains why its barrel appears shorter compared to the right gun.
Magic Factory failed to consider this when designing their kit and therefore incorrectly provide both barrels as the same length. Quickboost have released set #49141 1:48 A-4M Skyhawk Correct Gun Barrels for Magic Factory which provides a pair of new barrel tips of the correct length.
The external tail and "sugar scoop" are installed next and these will be finished in natural metal. Parts U18 and U19 are rear facing antennas for the ECM suite (more on this shortly).
The A-4M Skyhawk was powered by the Pratt & Whitney J52-P-408 turbojet engine, which produced 11,200 lbf (49.8 kN) of thrust. This was an upgraded version of the J52 engine used in earlier Skyhawk models, providing improved performance and reliability. From a modelling perspective very little of the actual engine exhaust can be seen, however all external protective bare metal panels and "sugar scoop" are quite prominent.
Unfortunately the fit of the tail cone (U66) was not a smooth transition to the rear fuselage, with a noticeable step present. In fairness this could have been as a result of my sanding work on the rear fuselage to remove the rivets. Regardless, I needed to use some filler to remove the step and rescribe. For this I decided to test out a new Black "Flexi" super glue product that I had ordered from Amazon. By all reports the Starbond Black Medium-Thick CA Glue works well for not only gluing but filling as well. It contains a rubberising component that slows the curing of the CA glue and means that even when cured it does not become super hard (like normal CA glue). This means it's far easier to sand and blend.
The "sugar scoop" likewise was not a good fit and received the same treatment with the Black CA. As hoped, the Starbond glue worked very well and scribed nicely. I'll definitely be adding this to my standard glue toolbox from now on.
One final close-up shot of the finished tail. It took a bit more work to correct the mismatched parts but as normal this effort is well worth it.
Before finishing of the tail section completely I needed to attach the ECM antenna's. Looking at period photos of BuNo. 158148, it was obvious that this very early A-4M still had the smaller APR-25 antenna's fitted.
Despite BuNo. 158148 being an out-of-the-box scheme option, Magic Factory do NOT provide these early style of antennas so I raided one of my Hasegawa kits (a Blue Angel boxing) for the right parts. Thankfully these fitted nicely to the Magic Factory tail and I was spared from having to scratch-build them.
The A-4 featured automatic leading-edge slats, which were a key part of its aerodynamic design. These slats are passively deployed, meaning they extend and retract without hydraulic or pilot input, relying instead on aerodynamic forces and gravity:
When parked on the ground, the A-4 Skyhawk’s leading-edge slats are typically fully extended. However, there are exceptions, such as the A-4F used by the Blue Angels display team, where the slats were locked shut. Magic Factory has done an outstanding job not only in replicating the movable slats but also in accurately shaping the fixed leading edge of the wing. On the real A-4, this section features a smooth, continuous curve from the tip to the top of the wing, without any step. Many model manufacturers, including Hasegawa, mistakenly mold a recessed step to accommodate the slat’s trailing edge when retracted. Magic Factory avoided this error, ensuring a correctly contoured and seamless wing transition.
The A-4 Skyhawk featured an all-moving tailplane, also known as a stabilator. Unlike traditional aircraft that use a fixed horizontal stabilizer with separate elevators for pitch control, the Skyhawk's entire horizontal tail surface was able to pivot (for a limited range) as a single unit. In addition the separate elevators could also move independently to provide extra authority when needed. This design choice contributed to the A-4's reputation as a highly maneuverable, pilot-friendly attack aircraft, well-suited for both carrier operations and close-air support missions.
As far as I know, no other kit manufacturer has attempted to model a movable stabilator on a Skyhawk. Magic Factory has approached this cleverly by designing a pivot point that utilizes a poly-cap, housed inside the vertical tail, allowing the horizontal stabilizers to be securely mounted while remaining adjustable.
The horizontal tail (with separate elevators) are designed to mount to the movable stabilator mounts. For my build I glued the horizontal tails to parts E9 and E31 and left them off, to assist with painting, until final assembly.
One of the key airframe differences between early and late A-4M variants was the design of the vertical tail, including the rudder and the ECM fairing (commonly referred to as the "hotdog") at the top. The early A-4M, which I was modeling, featured a tail layout similar to the A-4F and earlier variants. As part this 2-in-1 kit, Magic Factory include parts to build either option.
The completed tail section showing the movable stabilator and early vertical tail (with no hotdog). I continue to be impressed with the engineering of this kit and the extra effort Magic Factory have made on details such as these.
Magic Factory has accounted for the subtle differences between early and late A-4M variants by providing options for the varying styles and positions of antennas found along the centerline of the avionics hump.
After being impressed with my first use of Black CA as a filler, I decided to test its effectiveness as both an adhesive and a filler. Having encountered persistent "ghost seams" on some recent builds, I wanted to prevent this issue on the highly visible centerline seam of the avionics hump. As a fan of VMS Supplies products, I ordered a bottle of their Flexy 5K Black CA and used it to assemble the hump. The rubberized CA has a relatively long curing time, which worked to my advantage, allowing me ample time to ensure proper alignment of the parts.
Once the hump was ready, I attached it to the fuselage using a few drops of Tamiya Extra-Thin Liquid styrene cement. After it had fully dried, I filled the small gap between the two with Milliput epoxy putty, which is excellent for tricky filling tasks thanks to its easy water-based cleanup.
While Magic Factory provides full options for open or closed wing spoilers and flaps, I chose to keep the upper wing spoilers closed and the lower wing landing flaps open. This required opening the correct holes in the rear of the fixed wing trailing edge and trimming off the unnecessary tabs on the flaps and spoilers. Be sure to double- and triple-check the required holes before making any cuts!
From my research, it appears there is quite a bit of variation in the colors used for the interiors of the open flaps. Some depict them entirely red, others show a mix of half red and half grey, and some are entirely grey. I chose to go with all red, as I felt it would add a vibrant splash of color to balance out the otherwise monotone black and white paint scheme.
By this stage in the assembly, I began to really appreciate the attention to detail Magic Factory had put into their kit. Not many manufacturers would go the extra mile to include parts that accurately depict deflected ailerons, but here we had exactly that. While it’s interesting to show deflected ailerons on a parked aircraft, it’s not something you typically see. As someone who also enjoys building models in flight, this feature is a very welcome addition from Magic Factory.
The wingtip navigation and formation lights of the Skyhawk are provided as a single clear piece, which makes assembly super easy. After spraying the navigation lights (clear red for port and clear green for starboard) they were masked using a mix of Tamiya tape for the hard edges and liquid Mr. Masking Sol for the center sections.
The A-4M was equipped with a drag chute for short-field landings on land bases. The chute was stored in a fairing beneath the tail, just behind the arrestor hook. Magic Factory includes the fairing and removable cap as parts U40 and U8. The arrestor hook, used for carrier operations, is provided with a forward hinge by Magic Factory, allowing it to be displayed either in the up or down position.
Being a long and thin part, I managed to accidentally break the arrestor hook while masking it to paint the alternating (barber pole) stripes. Instead of attempting to repair the plastic part, I decided to replace it with a piece of 0.83mm brass rod, which was both straighter and stronger.
The A-4 Skyhawk featured a Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a small, self-contained power source designed to provide emergency power to critical systems in case of an engine failure or electrical power loss. The RAT is a compact device that uses airflow from the aircraft’s forward motion to generate power.
As much as I like to see open panels on my models, in the case of the RAT it is really only open when undergoing maintenance and that was not the look I was going with this build. I therefore glued the one-piece closed panel (U56) in place and filled the joins with White (Super Fine) Milliput and smoothed with a water moistened cotton bud (q-tip).
The Magic Factory undercarriage, main and nose, is very nicely detailed. In the plus column we have adjustable nose wheel steering position and separate nose wheel (compared to the Hasegawa molded in nose wheel this is very welcome). In the minus column we have the use of rubber tires, which I have never been a fan of and had hoped that kit manufacturers had moved on from this trend, but here we are.
-The slats are spring-loaded in the retracted position but are free to move
-At low airspeeds or high angles of attack, the reduced aerodynamic pressure allows gravity and airflow to extend the slats, improving lift and preventing stalls.-At higher speeds, the increased air pressure pushes the slats back into the retracted position, reducing drag.
Magic Factory include all the parts to allow the slats to be fully extended or retracted.
The A-4M featured a distinctive avionics hump along the upper fuselage, just behind the cockpit. This modification was introduced to house upgraded avionics and electronic warfare systems, enhancing the aircraft’s combat capabilities. The avionics hump first appeared on the A-4F Skyhawk and was later incorporated into the A-4M and export variants like the Israeli A-4N. Despite the added weight, the A-4M’s more powerful J52-P-408 engine compensated for any performance losses, maintaining the Skyhawk’s reputation as a nimble and effective light attack aircraft.
Magic Factory include the parts for the RAT to be displayed open (deployed) or closed.
Until next time, when I finish the construction in Part III...
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