Hasegawa 1/48 TA-4J Skyhawk
By Gary Meinert
Introduction
Long after releasing the first kit in the 1/48th Skyhawk series in late 2000 (the A-4E/F), Hasegawa has finally produced a kit of the principal two-seat variant, the TA-4J trainer.
For the Skyhawk history, kit description, and build, see my article in the March 2002 Internet Modeler on Hasegawa's A-4E. The TA-4J kit has most of the same parts as the A-4E, and the building experience and construction issues will be very similar.
The Kit
Obvious new parts for the TA-4J include the new fuselage, additional (rear) cockpit tub and contents, and the new canopy. The fuselage consists of the usual left and right halves, but there is a separate nose section with left and right halves as well.
All part trees are packaged in one large bag, except for the transparent parts which are in a separate bag. A nice touch is the plastic dam around the leading edge of the upper wings to protect the slat rails. The clear sprue tree also has a cage to protect the canopy and windscreen.
The expected high-quality molding of parts with petite engraved surface detailing is present. However, there are some ejector pin marks that the modeler will have to deal with in the gear doors, flaps, and slats. I noticed a couple of long, shallow sink marks on the bottom wing surface.
Features include choice of wing root inserts (with or without 20mm cannon) and separate leading edge slats. The flaps and speed brakes are also separate, positionable parts. The canopy can be posed open and there is a jack to support it, unlike in the A-4E kit.
The cockpits are complete with instrument panels, control sticks, rudder pedals and multi-part ejection seats. The seat backs and cushions have molded-on belts. I particularly like the quilted cockpit sidewalls molded into the inside fuselage halves.
All five wing pylons are provided along with two drop tanks. A boarding ladder is also included.
Many parts are marked not for use; these are leftovers from previous kits.
Instructions & Decals
The exploded diagram instructions with numbered steps have the usual clarity. There is also a parts map showing all the sprues and parts. Color call-outs are for Aqueous Color and Mr. Color paints. The comprehensive marking and painting guide is on the back page of the instructions.
The decal sheet is beautifully produced with vibrant colors. The options are for two aircraft:
--TA-4J Bu.No. 154373 of Composite Squadron VC-1
--TA-4J Bu.No. 158094 of Training Squadron VT-7
The tail code letters (UA, A) are printed over the tail colors. They are also printed separately so that the modeler can paint the tails and place the letters later. The modeler will have to paint the appropriate nose and wing colored panels anyway, since these areas are not covered by the decal sheet.
Conclusion
The TA-4J is a very welcome addition to the Skyhawk family.
Hasegawa's modular engineering complicates the building process but gives us more variants of an airframe. The TA-4F and OA-4M are possible future releases.
There are some recent aftermarket TA-4J decals by Fightertown and Afterburner intended for the Classic Airframes kit, but these should be useable on the Hasegawa kit as well.