Author Topic: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba '62 FINISHED  (Read 40493 times)

Offline KiwiZac

  • The Modeller Formerly Known As K5054NZ
Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #50 on: March 26, 2015, 02:53:07 AM »
 8) That looks so right.

One teeny tiny suggestion: were it me, I'd make the radome darker. But that's just me - I'm not going to stop loving this build because of that.
Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG"
https://linktr.ee/zacyates

Offline Weaver

  • Skyhawk stealer and violator of Panthers, with designs on a Cougar and a Tiger too
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Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #51 on: March 27, 2015, 03:19:37 AM »
8) That looks so right.

One teeny tiny suggestion: were it me, I'd make the radome darker. But that's just me - I'm not going to stop loving this build because of that.

That's only the "undercoat" for the radome: it will indeed end up darker.
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

Twitter: @hws5mp
Minds.com: @HaroldWeaverSmith

Offline KiwiZac

  • The Modeller Formerly Known As K5054NZ
Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #52 on: March 31, 2015, 07:15:10 AM »
In that case I have no criticism of this model at all  8)
Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG"
https://linktr.ee/zacyates

Offline Weaver

  • Skyhawk stealer and violator of Panthers, with designs on a Cougar and a Tiger too
  • Chaos Engineer & Evangelistic Agnostic
Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #53 on: March 31, 2015, 07:34:04 AM »
Had a bit of a fright a few days ago: spraying it with gloss varnish and it turned yellow! However, when left to dry completely, the yellow tone disappeared, so it's okay now. Currently working on self-print decals.
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

Twitter: @hws5mp
Minds.com: @HaroldWeaverSmith

Offline Weaver

  • Skyhawk stealer and violator of Panthers, with designs on a Cougar and a Tiger too
  • Chaos Engineer & Evangelistic Agnostic
Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #54 on: April 01, 2015, 11:25:51 PM »
Underside decals:



Had a another fright when the self-print letters curled up and fell right off! Then I realised it was the Micro-Set: apparently some of the self-print decal films don't like it. Put another set on with plain water and they worked fine.
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

Twitter: @hws5mp
Minds.com: @HaroldWeaverSmith

Offline Cliffy B

  • Ship Whiffer Extraordinaire...master of Beyond Visual Range Modelling
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Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #55 on: April 01, 2015, 11:34:10 PM »
So that's what happened to the decals I printed in the past....  Never thought it was the micro-set.  Thought the paper was just old/bad.  I need to find out now.  Thanks for the idea lol!

The Scooter is looking fantastic man!!!!
"Radials growl, inlines purr, jets blow!"  -Anonymous

"Helos don't fly.  They vibrate so violently that the ground rejects them."  -Tom Clancy

"If all else fails, call in an air strike."  -Anonymous

Offline KiwiZac

  • The Modeller Formerly Known As K5054NZ
Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #56 on: April 02, 2015, 04:30:06 AM »
Absolutely gorgeous!
Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG"
https://linktr.ee/zacyates

Offline Volkodav

  • Counts rivits with his abacus...
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Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #57 on: April 02, 2015, 07:29:13 AM »
Love your FAA builds, they always look brilliant and I also find them quite inspiring

Offline Weaver

  • Skyhawk stealer and violator of Panthers, with designs on a Cougar and a Tiger too
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Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #58 on: April 02, 2015, 07:34:36 AM »
One side's decals:



Opinion please? What size roundels should I use on the upper wings? I have a choice of the same size as you see in the pic, or some that are about 50% bigger diameter. From what I can see, the ones on white Buccaneers were quite small.
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

Twitter: @hws5mp
Minds.com: @HaroldWeaverSmith

Offline Cliffy B

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Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #59 on: April 02, 2015, 08:12:27 AM »
Smaller is prob good but try cutting out one of each, place them on each wing and take a photo for review.  A decal dry-fitting if you will :)
"Radials growl, inlines purr, jets blow!"  -Anonymous

"Helos don't fly.  They vibrate so violently that the ground rejects them."  -Tom Clancy

"If all else fails, call in an air strike."  -Anonymous

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #60 on: April 02, 2015, 08:37:43 AM »
I would say use the same size roundels that you used for the fuselage just for uniformity if that makes sense.  I am also in agreement with Cliffy B in suggesting that you give both a dry run to see how it looks to you. 
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg

Offline Weaver

  • Skyhawk stealer and violator of Panthers, with designs on a Cougar and a Tiger too
  • Chaos Engineer & Evangelistic Agnostic
Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #61 on: April 02, 2015, 10:20:37 AM »
I think I'm going with the small ones. I've offered both up, and another point apart from aesthetics is that the small ones can go further outboard while still fitting in front of the vortex generators, thus avoid a tricky decal-setting situation.

The only thing is I have no spare small ones, so I can't afford to screw one up!
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

Twitter: @hws5mp
Minds.com: @HaroldWeaverSmith

Offline FAAMAN

  • 'bin building for years ....... and it feels it!
  • Always thought of himself as a 'straight' modeller
Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #62 on: April 02, 2015, 12:58:14 PM »
Coming along very well indeed! :) Great work so far looks very good, I like your markings choices!! 8) 8)


It all looks 'right' so far :) :)
"Resistance is useless, prepare to be assembled!"

Offline kitnut617

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Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #63 on: April 04, 2015, 01:39:46 AM »
I think I'm going with the small ones. I've offered both up, and another point apart from aesthetics is that the small ones can go further outboard while still fitting in front of the vortex generators, thus avoid a tricky decal-setting situation.

The only thing is I have no spare small ones, so I can't afford to screw one up!

If the fuselage ones are the same size as the under-wing ones, I'd go with those

Offline Weaver

  • Skyhawk stealer and violator of Panthers, with designs on a Cougar and a Tiger too
  • Chaos Engineer & Evangelistic Agnostic
Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #64 on: April 04, 2015, 11:45:53 PM »
Radome painted:



And for reference:



It's a coat of Hu.148 Radome Tan, brush painted with my smallest brush over the gloss coat so it would streak, then a band of Hu.98 Chocolate around the back. It looks messy in the pic because of the magnification, but seen at normal distance it's fine.
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

Twitter: @hws5mp
Minds.com: @HaroldWeaverSmith

Offline Weaver

  • Skyhawk stealer and violator of Panthers, with designs on a Cougar and a Tiger too
  • Chaos Engineer & Evangelistic Agnostic
Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #65 on: April 08, 2015, 06:16:20 PM »
Argghhh, last minute problems!

When I sprayed the main model with the clear gloss that turned temporarily yellow, I didn't spray the unattached bits like the u/c doors, the l/e slats and the tanks, which are now a noticably different shade of white. Mostly this doesn't matter, but it really shows on the slats because they sit in contrast to the wing and there's no plausible reason for them to be a different colour. So, last night, I gave then a coat of the same gloss lacquer, which boasts on the tin "dries in minutes!".

This morning, picked them up, and within seconds there was a fingerprint on one and dust stuck to the other. Dries in minutes my........ >:( Now I have to get them dry enough to sand back, paint them white AGAIN, gloss them AGAIN to get the same colour tone, then fit them, then matt coat everything...hang on...

Actually, that's not true: I could nick the slats from another Skyhawk kit and go straight to the white stage, then recycle the screwed up ones into the other kit (which will be cammo anyway) at my leisure.

This is why it sometimes helps to write problems down: seeing them on a screen or paper gets your brain moving....

"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

Twitter: @hws5mp
Minds.com: @HaroldWeaverSmith

Offline LemonJello

  • MARPAT Master
  • Member number 100...WooHoo!!!
Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #66 on: April 08, 2015, 08:01:23 PM »
Actually, that's not true: I could nick the slats from another Skyhawk kit and go straight to the white stage, then recycle the screwed up ones into the other kit (which will be cammo anyway) at my leisure.

This is why it sometimes helps to write problems down: seeing them on a screen or paper gets your brain moving....

Nice recovery! One of my biggest fears is a clear coat going bad - all that work down the drain! Can't wait to see the final photos of this one.

Offline Weaver

  • Skyhawk stealer and violator of Panthers, with designs on a Cougar and a Tiger too
  • Chaos Engineer & Evangelistic Agnostic
Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #67 on: April 08, 2015, 08:15:05 PM »
Well here's a nearly finished one to be going on with:

"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

Twitter: @hws5mp
Minds.com: @HaroldWeaverSmith

Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #68 on: April 09, 2015, 01:28:06 AM »
Lovely in that anti-flash white camo :)

Offline FAAMAN

  • 'bin building for years ....... and it feels it!
  • Always thought of himself as a 'straight' modeller
Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #69 on: April 11, 2015, 02:20:21 PM »
That looks great Weaver, certainly a different look for a Scooter  8) 8) 8) 8)

What did you use for a gloss coat?
"Resistance is useless, prepare to be assembled!"

Offline Weaver

  • Skyhawk stealer and violator of Panthers, with designs on a Cougar and a Tiger too
  • Chaos Engineer & Evangelistic Agnostic
Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #70 on: April 13, 2015, 11:11:30 PM »
That looks great Weaver, certainly a different look for a Scooter  8) 8) 8) 8)

What did you use for a gloss coat?

Humbrol Enamel Gloss spray can. Did the matt coat last week and it did the same damn thing, but this time I was ready for it, so a few days in the sunniest windows in the house got it back to white again.
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

Twitter: @hws5mp
Minds.com: @HaroldWeaverSmith

Offline Weaver

  • Skyhawk stealer and violator of Panthers, with designs on a Cougar and a Tiger too
  • Chaos Engineer & Evangelistic Agnostic
Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba
« Reply #71 on: April 14, 2015, 02:45:46 AM »
The '62 Sunshine Cruise
FAA Squawks & the Cuban Missile Crisis

Model by Weaver
Profiles by Cliffy B
Story by Weaver & Cliffy B





By the mid-1950s, the Royal Navy's strike requirement had changed almost completely from that which applied in World War II. The advent of relatively small tactical nuclear weapons, the perceived threat from the Soviet Union's Sverdlov class cruisers, and the decision to abandon large carriers in favour of the more affordable 35,000 ton Colossus/Majestic class, created a requirement for a fast, compact strike aircraft that could deliver the projected Red Beard nuclear weapon to a land or sea target. In keeping with the principles of the 1947 Brokensha Report, which recommended that the UK buy it's naval aircraft from the USA rather than developing it's own, the Royal Navy examined the various options, and it quickly became apparent that Douglas and Blackburn, who had already worked together on a variety of projects, had the perfect aircraft for this requirement in Douglas's A4D Skyhawk. This remarkable little aircraft seemed perfectly tailored to the RN's 'small carrier' doctrine, since it managed to carry a substantial payload in a small airframe by virtue of ruthless weight-saving rather than technical sophistication. It also used an American version of a British engine (Wright J-65/AS-Sapphire) which kept the UK content acceptably high. Most of the competing proposals were either too big or too slow, the only serious competition coming from North American and Supermarine's project based on the FJ-4 Fury.


Douglas-Blackburn Skyhawk S.2 carrying a live Red Beard tactical nuclear bomb. The aircraft would carry two drop tanks, but the nearside one has been omitted to show the bomb clearly. 

RN orders for the Skyhawk were placed in 1956, but unfortunately, politics now intervened. The US government, highly displeased by the joint British/French Suez operation, demonstrated the leverage which the UK's dependence on American hardware now gave it by suspending all British orders for US aircraft and weapons, this being a major factor in the UK's decision to abandon the adventure. Both Tiger and Skyhawk programmes were affected and it wasn't until relations had been patched up that orders could be formally reinstated in 1958. However cooperation between the various UK and US companies quietly continued during this period, and in some ways the delay actually proved beneficial, since many technical issues could be explored and addressed properly without the pressure to start production as soon as possible. The Grumman-Gloster Tiger had been struggling with afterburner problems on it's J-65/Sapphire engine, and during the hiatus, a proposal to replace it with Rolls Royce's Avon was developed and accepted. Since commonality of logistics was particularly important on the small British carriers, a proposal was therefore made to re-engine the Skyhawk with a non-afterburning version of the Avon, and similar arguments were made for the  adoption of the British ADEN 30mm cannon by both aircraft as well. After all these proposals had been accepted, the Avon-engined, ADEN-gunned production aircraft were designated Skyhawk S.2s, the eight Sapphire-engined aircraft used for testing and trials being S.1s.


The same aircraft as it would appear after dropping it's bomb. Note the closed flash hood, designed to protect the pilot from being blinded by the nuclear explosion. This feature was highly unpopular with FAA pilots and was removed for Vietnam service since it was felt to obstruct rear quarter vision, even when open.



The Douglas-Blackburn Skyhawk S.2 entered service with the Fleet Air Arm in 1960 and was immediately christened the 'Squawk'. FAA pilots and engineers took to it from the start, and for the next decade-and-a-half it was possibly the service's most well-loved aircraft. It's probably best remembered by the public for it's sterling service in the Vietnam War, however that conflict was entirely different from the Cold War nuclear scenarios it was purchased for, and in the early years of it's service, they dominated planning and training. Thankfully the Skyhawks never got to deliver their Red Beard nuclear bombs for real, although it's now generally believed that they came uncomfortable close within months of taking delivery of them.



The training unit for the Skyhawk was 736 NAS, which also incorporated the Intensive Flying Trials Unit (formerly 800B Flight) and the responsibility therefore fell to them to develop procedures for the new weapon, the first examples of which were delivered in mid-1962. Initial trials took place ashore, but it was then decided that  a full-scale exercise at sea was necessary to test the new procedures under realistic conditions. HMS Albion had just completed the necessary refit to enable her to store the weapons safely, so at the start of October, six Skyhawks from 736 NAS deployed to the carrier, and she put to sea with Red Beards in her magazines for the first time.



After an initial work-up period in home waters, Albion ventured out into the North Atlantic for further exercises in rougher weather. However just days later, the Cuban Missile Crisis erupted without warning, and the US urgently requested help from all it's allies. HMS Bulwark was on-station in the Caribbean already, but she was just about to end her deployment and had no nuclear capability, so the Admiralty decided to send Albion to replace her, since it was felt that flying the nuclear bombs from ship-to-ship was too risky. The two carriers rendezvoused off Bermuda, and with much cross-decking of aircraft and stores, Albion was made ready for war. The carrier spent the next month operating with the US Navy off Cuba to enforce the American blockade, eventually returning to home waters in mid-December.



To this day, the British Government flatly refuses to declassify details of Albion's operations during the crisis, however by piecing together recollections from former sailors and airmen, and cross-referencing with American accounts, it is now generally believed that the carrier went to full nuclear alert on at least two occasions, with Skyhawks armed with live, 15 kiloton Red Beards ready on deck with engines running. However what has also become clear in recent years is just how limited this capability really was, since records that have been declassified make it clear that Albion cannot have had more than three Red Beards on board at the time, and the actual number may have been even smaller.



Albion's cruise during the Cuban Missile Crisis was the closest the RN has ever come to using nuclear weapons in earnest, and has gone down in Royal Navy legend as The Sunshine Cruise, a gallows-humour reference to the term 'bucket of instant sunshine' which is  British forces slang for a nuclear weapon. In the absence of official information, anecdotal accounts of what happened have grown more dramatic as the years have passed. One oft-repeated story is that two of the Red Beards, or two of the Skyhawks (different versions exist) were unofficially christened 'Eric' and 'Ernie' after comedy duo Morecambe and Wise, who's theme song was 'Bring Me Sunshine'. However this is certainly a later invention, since the song wasn't written until 1966 and not used by the comedians until 1969.




Model : Airfix 1/72nd A-4B/P Skyhawk

A-4C nose & Red Beard : Freightdog Models resin

Flash hood and gun barrels : scratchbuilt

Paint : car undercoat white, Humbrol enamels & varnishes

Decals : roundels from an Flightdec sheet 4001 (1/144th scale), bomb stripes & warning triangles from Modecal set no. 57, 'ROYAL NAVY' from Xtradecal X72136, rest were self-printed

Thanks to Cliffy B for the profiles and story ideas and Geoff (Thorvic) for finding the Flightdec sheet.
« Last Edit: April 14, 2015, 02:59:01 AM by Weaver »
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

Twitter: @hws5mp
Minds.com: @HaroldWeaverSmith

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba '62 FINISHED
« Reply #72 on: April 14, 2015, 02:54:56 AM »
Outstanding! :)
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Cliffy B

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Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba '62 FINISHED
« Reply #73 on: April 14, 2015, 03:10:10 AM »
I couldn't be more proud!!!  ;D  8) 8) 8)
"Radials growl, inlines purr, jets blow!"  -Anonymous

"Helos don't fly.  They vibrate so violently that the ground rejects them."  -Tom Clancy

"If all else fails, call in an air strike."  -Anonymous

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

  • Unaffiliated Independent Subversive...and the last person to go for a trip on a Mexicana dH Comet 4
  • Global Moderator
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Re: FAA Skyhawk - Cuba '62 FINISHED
« Reply #74 on: April 14, 2015, 03:14:14 AM »
Great back story/history to accompany an excellent model! 
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg