This idea of mine has been rattling around my head for the three or four years I've had a FROG A-4K in the stash.

All will be revealed.

hmmmm. 

No much work done in this first week of the 50s GB, limited to removing unwanted parts for consignment to the spares box, measuring where to cut down the fin and assembling the wings.  These will be cut up ready to be repositioned - pretty certain where they'll be moved to.

The next update (with pictures) will follow after the fuselage has gone together.

As you can see, the inspiration is the Saro SR.53, the SR.153 being an outgrowth of the earlier design (and an alternative to the SR.177).  I originally bought the A-4 to build a real-world A-4K, but the kit is all wrong for that (for starters it is overscale).  Fit for whiffery, I was struck by the vague similarity to the SR.53 that could be achieved by cutting down the fin and repositioning the tailplane and wings.  The idea languished for a few years until this GB came along - game on!

Chopping commenced as soon as the GB began - fin reduced in size, some premliminary PSR to the remaining fin/rudder done, wings separated from the centre section, tailplane location tabs cut back to facilitate fitting of a T-tail in due course.  Some Liquid Gravity has been added as ballast and dark grey paint applied to the cockpit area.  The wings

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In addition, some simple plastic sheet enhancements to the shape of the ejection seat.  Much more work needed of course to finish the seat - the grey is just a base coat for the various seat colours and straps made from masking tape will be attached before the 'office' is added to the fuselage.

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Unlike the rocket + jet powerplant mix of the SR.53 (but like the SR.177) the SR.153 is jet + rocket booster.  The original cunning plan associated with the rocket booster proved unworkable, so cunning plan #2 will need to be tried out.

Interest now piqued.

 

Quote from: buzzbomb on April 02, 2023, 03:10:54 PMInterest now piqued.

 

As is mine 

Progress being made, starting with the interior:
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Fuselage halves have since been attached to one another, part of the rocket motor fairing attached and a spar fitted to take the wings in their new positions:
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Plenty of filler to be applied to fair in the rocket motor fairing, also gaps around the nose where the front fuselage was badly warped.

And finally, wings slotted on to the spar and the tailplanes taped and balanced on the fin to present an early impression of what the SR.153 should look like:
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The rocket motor fairing will very probably be shortened a tad and the wing-root cannons removed.  I'm a bit concerned about the curve of the fin leading edge - it's not SARO enough, makes the 153 look too elegant!  That possibility had never crossed my mind when planning the build and I think it's because I'd become fixated on the idea of the fin having a constant thickness (thinness?) when in fact the A-4's fin widens towards the base.  Nothing PSR can't sort out, mind.

Mate that looks agile and fast ..I like it   

Following with interest! 

Quote from: Pellson on May 02, 2023, 02:51:02 AMFollowing with interest! 

Same here! 

This makes me want to build a twin engine Skyhawk with a T tail.   
I have the rear of an F-5 somewhere in a bin (front was stopped on... don't ask..)

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Some fin-related Sarofication done, may need a little more (we'll see later).

'Sarofication'? That'll be a technical term, will it? 

Quote from: PR19_Kit on May 04, 2023, 11:57:48 AM'Sarofication'? That'll be a technical term, will it? 

Well known amongst spanner bashers, I believe.

PSR continues, mostly round the tail end where the rocket tube has been fitted.  One wing attached.  Progress being made.