Another Whiffy Skyhawk-Marine Nationale Skyhawk Completed

[chrisonord]

It could also be RAF  if carrying  as.30's, they stuck them on Canberra's, so why not skyhawks.
Chris

[AeroplaneDriver]

A few of you got if.  She'll be French. Hoping to get first paint on today. Not sure yet if Im going to adapt a SuE or Crusader  scheme or go with something totally fictional. Decals will be from an Airfix SuE.

[Dizzyfugu]

An Alizè-style livery might be an option, too. There were several combos, including EDSG or medium grey with white or sky undersides, both with a high waterline, or a late two-tone grey livery with reduced markings. Simple, but could look quite smart on a Skyhawk?

[AeroplaneDriver]

An Alizè-style livery might be an option, too. There were several combos, including EDSG or medium grey with white or sky undersides, both with a high waterline, or a late two-tone grey livery with reduced markings. Simple, but could look quite smart on a Skyhawk?

I quite like the last one Dizzy.  The other two are too similar to RN I think.  I did an RN Skyhawk years ago similar to the first in EDSG over Sky.  Really wanting something completely different as the Python boys would say.

[AeroplaneDriver]

Got the first paint coat on today, but no pics yet.  I also added some lumps and bumps, some to upgrade the A-4FN to A-4M avionics standard and some for specific Aeronavale requirements.  Second camo coat on tomorrow and pics I hope.  Looking like the layout will end up being a centerline tank, a pair of AS.30s on the inboards, and Magics on the outboards. 

[AeroplaneDriver]

So I decided on a camp similar to the one I put on my Swiss Rafale back in the summer...PRU Blue over Medium Sea Gray.  Totally fictional colors for a French aircraft but I just love how the combo looks.  Camo was freehanded with my new Iwata Eclipse and I must say I LOVE this thing. 

But now I'm torn on what to do with the slat wells...red?  White?  Keep them the base camo gray?  I'm thinking a 90s timeframe on this build so I'm leaning towards leaving them the base camo color because I think that's what the USMC was doing by the 90s.

Thoughts?

[Dizzyfugu]

I'd extend the cammo into the slat walls, sounds most practical and logical to me, but maybe paint the slats inside in red?

[Old Wombat]

RAN kept theirs red, even after adopting camo, but, admittedly, this was in the early/mid-1980's.

[NARSES2]

so I'm leaning towards leaving them the base camo color

That's what I'd go with or failing that revert to the original red.

[Captain Canada]

Oooh I like it. Scooters are my favourite. They always have good beer and friendly cats. Oh, that's Scooterman. 

[AeroplaneDriver]

A little more progress on Friday.  Decals are mostly on.  A few more to finish off today and it'll be ready for weathering and final assembly.  The national and squadron markings came from an old Airfix Super Etendard.  Nothing like working with early 2000s Airfix decals to make you appreciate the new stuff!  The "Marine" markings fell apart, so a generic US sheet donated USMC markings minus the "S", thankfully in the correct gray.  They are not very visible in this pic but I think they will look good when finished.  The others are a mix of Kitty Hawk Jaguar A markings for a few specific French language stencils and kit decals for most of the others. 

Still not sure on the weapons fit.  The Kitty Hawk Jag has a decent selection but only includes one each of AS.30 and AS.37 (MARTEL) missiles.  I'd really wanted two AS.30s after determining the Exocet was too big.  Further test fitting makes it look like the Exocet MIGHT actually work on an inner wing pylon though.  If not I may abandon the missile plan all together and go with the French LGBs in the Jag.  The markings are for a 1999 SuE with both Tiger and NATO 50th anniversary markings, plus Kosovo mission markings so the LGBs may actually be more timely. 

We'll see...

[DogfighterZen]

That Scooter's looking very good!

...Totally fictional colors for a French aircraft... 

I wouldn't say totally. Maybe for a French navy plane but the Mirage 2000's camo is very close to that scheme so i think it makes a bit more plausible.



Pic by David Monniaux - CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=195801

[AeroplaneDriver]

That Scooter's looking very good!

...Totally fictional colors for a French aircraft... 

I wouldn't say totally. Maybe for a French navy plane but the Mirage 2000's camo is very close to that scheme so i think it makes a bit more plausible.



Pic by David Monniaux - CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=195801

Yeah, it's pretty close to the Mirage scheme.  I meant the specific colors.  They are the same ones I used on a Swiss Rafale and loved the combo. It's also not a thousand miles away from the Aussie scheme. 

[chrisonord]

Very nice 
Chris

[DogfighterZen]

That Scooter's looking very good!

...Totally fictional colors for a French aircraft... 

I wouldn't say totally. Maybe for a French navy plane but the Mirage 2000's camo is very close to that scheme so i think it makes a bit more plausible.



Pic by David Monniaux - CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=195801

Yeah, it's pretty close to the Mirage scheme.  I meant the specific colors.  They are the same ones I used on a Swiss Rafale and loved the combo. It's also not a thousand miles away from the Aussie scheme. 

Understood.

Not that i don't like the Aussie scheme but i do prefer the colors you used, there's not as much contrast between them because the tones are inverted. By this i mean that where your blue is darker than the grey, the Aussie scheme has a darker grey and lighter blue.
BTW, i've had the Scooter in mind for a while and looking at your build made me bite the bullet and i ordered the Hobbyboss 1/48 A-4M just a few minutes ago...
I know it's a simpler kit but it's readily available and cheaper than the Hasegawa but what matters is that i'll finally have one to build.