DONE...!! US Navy | Blue Angels A-4F Skyhawk

Jos Jansen
Everything is ready and collected for the next build...stay tuned!

Sergej I
Oooooh, the shiny one, stock up on GX100 👍 😛

Jos Jansen
Pit finished with a layer of Gloss...tomorrow a subtle wash and a matt layer...!

Stefan Fraundorfer
Blue Angels - I'll be in of course. The cockpit looks good Jos.

Jos Jansen
Welcome aboard Sergej I and Stefan...👍!

Jos Jansen
I have a question mates, which blue color do you prefer for a Blue Angel aircraft?

Left the Tamiya X-4, and right the MrColor C328...I already sprayed a Gloss coat on it.

Maciej Bellos
In!

Robert Podkoński
According to the article on Blue Angels in the Scale Aircraft Modeling, Vol. 29 no.1 (March 2007) Skyhawks were painted with Finch Paint & Chemical Co. Blue Gloss 643-14-14. Generally it is recognized as a mix of Insignia Blue FS 15044 and Insignia White FS17875 in 2:1 proportion. Personally, I would choose Mr.Color here...

Robert Podkoński
You're absolutely right Roland. I have never dared to mix these paints, however - there is always warning "do not mix different brands"...

Patrick Hagelstein
Ooh! I have a Blue Angels Hornet hidden in my stash somewhere. Interesting to follow this journey into 'Blues'... 😉

Nathan Dempsey
I've almost missed this one! Looks like a good start Jos ?

Jos Jansen
Thx mates...I think I go with your suggestion Roland, a mix of Tamiya and Gunze. Next weekend a try-out...! So far my progress this weekend, this Hasegawa kit is a walk-in-the-park build...👍!!

James C
Cool project Jos 👍

Jos Jansen
Thx James, great to have here mate!

Erik Leijdens
A flying start Jos!! Looks great already and will become another masterpiece 🙂

Nathan Dempsey
Glad to hear this is a nice kit Jos. I have this one to build one of my Argentine Scooters.

Robert Podkoński
Thx Roland for this useful info. Next time I will try lacquer thinner.

Carlos Cisneros
If it's not too late for you, the Blues had the wing slats kept shut at all times on their A-4Fs.

Lots of photos here:

skyhawk.org/article-unit/blues

Jos Jansen
Thanks guys!

@Carlos, thx mate ... great value your information, I'll restore it this weekend! BTW didn't know about that site, great!

Gidge
Count me in

Carlos Cisneros
@Jos, you're quite welcome. That site is superb reference for all things Skyhawk related.

Jos Jansen
Welcome Gidge!

Second attempt Carlos, thx for the tip mate...😄, slats are closed now...

Carlos Cisneros
Excellent!

Jos Jansen
@Carlos...find pictures of the Blues #7 with open slats...?!

[img1]
[img2]

Erik Leijdens
@Jos; The Blue Angel's A-4s had the slats "bolted" in the up position to prevent inadvertant aerodynamic deployment during close formation perfomances. Their TA-4 did not have the same treatment applied to its leading edge slats, so they would be deployed on the ground. All other A-4's would also have their leading edges down while parked.

Erik Leijdens
Not my knowledge but seen this on ARC! 🙂

Jos Jansen
Thx mate, there's also no way back...because they're now glued to the wings 😉...👍

Carlos Cisneros
Yes, I've seen the photos of #7 with slats down. But only #7 had that. All of their single seaters had the slats fixed closed.
You're on the right track with your slats in the closed position.

Now go find the original Van Halen "Dreams" video with the Blue Angles flying Skyhawks for some reference and entertainment and enjoy yourself😉

Mark D
Hey, also a Blue angel! Nice! I've sprayed myself some test areas and I think I go for a 50-50 mix of mr Color 5 and 328

Nathan Dempsey
This is really getting me pumped to see them at Sun n Fun this week. Super Hornets too!

James C
Lucky bugger!

Jos Jansen
Frickin' awesome James...thx mate! Damn Nathan, if only I could go there...you lucky bastard 😄 !! Enjoy the Blues show including Fat Albert.

Łukasz Gliński
That (vid included) makes me wanna immediately build a blue scooter😉

James C
Haha... Thank Carlos instead Jos, his comment made me remember it 😉

As a K1W1, I really adore the A4.... a special place in our heart and fond memories of it in RNZAF service 👍

Mark D
Hi Jos, can you tell what yellow suits the yellowhammer decals?

Jos Jansen
@Lukasz...go for it mate, build a scooter...the Hasegawa kit is a joy to build, less putty...I loved it!

@James....a Kiwi scooter is on my bucket list 😄!!

Hi Mark, see the picture I took this afternoon about which yellow...I haven't mixed any yet, but IMHO Gunze H413 is the way to go...

Erik Leijdens
Cockpit looks fantastic Jos!

Jos Jansen
Thanks Erik, good luck with your Mosquito?

Alexander
Very nice detail painting so far on the cockpit interior, taking a seat to see how the rest of the build turns out. 👍

Robin (WhiteGlint)
Beautiful cockpit! As Alexander said, details are great and the drybrushing gives some good contrast. 👍

Jos Jansen
Thanks Alexandrler and WhiteGlint!

Ready with the primer...next step, the blue for the Blues!

Nathan Dempsey
Oh man this is going to be good ?

Jos Jansen
Absolutely Nathan...stay tuned mate!

Jos Jansen
The Blues blue ratio Tamiya Blue X-4 75% and Tamiya Royal Blue X-3...!

Nathan Dempsey
Looks good to me! Can't wait to see it against the yellow and polished metal.

Mark D
Blue looks vivid and at scale with this combination ?

Slavo Hazucha
Squadra Azurra! what a beautiful blue workout - top color, coverage & all 👍

The pit is also a little gem hidden in the blue...

Also, I cannot fail to see that like on my side, your started-to-finished ratio is getting a bit off balance 😉

Patrick Hagelstein
So true Slavo.... so true.... 🙁

😉

Jos Jansen
Some little progress...!

Robin (WhiteGlint)
That's some great colours, Jos! 👍

Mark D
Looks right color indeed, I found out with another colortest that mr color 5 is less real blue than tamiya x-4 and does not give the right deep vivid blue with the combination with the darker blue mr color 328, I think I have a good example for my blue f-18a now, so thank you Jos! ?

James C
Looking fantastic Jos 👍

Guy Rump
Looking good 👍

Maciej Bellos
What a nice blue Scooter!

Check the left wing tip, just next to the slat, from my phone it looks a bit green.

Jos Jansen
Thx guys for your great reactions...you're welcome everyone!

@ Maciej...that's correct but I still have to put the navigation lamps on the wing tips 😉

Maciej Bellos
So you have a green light ready... you are cunnning!

Erik Leijdens
Looking fantastic already Jos 👍

Nathan Dempsey
Oh yeah, that's looking great Jos. You have me digging in the stash and looking at Scooters. ?

Slavo Hazucha
Angels blue - I surely hope this gathers momentum again soon!

Neil
Just catching up here. Looks outstanding to me?

Jos Jansen
Due to some private issues in my life the MOJO was gone but Iam back half throttle...made some progress on the Blues Scooter...finally!

Mark D
Keep going, this one will for sure turn out great.

Jos Jansen
Thx Mark...!

Sergej I
Summer was shit for many 🙂
Welcome back Jos, looking forward to a long and lonely autumn 😄 😄

Maciej Bellos
Good to have you back Jos, I hope all is well now.

Sergej, the autunn might go the same shitty way for some of us.

James C
Good to see you back mate 👍

Jos Jansen
Thx mates...I haven't followed all your finished or ongoing projects, butt I will catch them up...promised!

Robin (WhiteGlint)
Welcome back at the bench, Jos. 🙂

Jos Jansen
Thx WhiteGlint...the undercarriage is in the gloss and can be placed tomorrow, but I continued with the decals from Yellowhammer...what a shitty decals they are, they tear before they are placed... 🙁

Daniel
But they stay true to their name and seem to hold their yellow color quite nicely over the blue 🙂 watching for the final act 👍

Slavo Hazucha
Jos, great to see you pick up momentum again! Blue Angel blue looks spot on 👍

Maybe we will see the Super Etandard one day after all! 😉

Hanno Kleinecke
Wow, really beautifull looking paintjob !

Jos Jansen
Thx Daniel, Slavo and Hanno...glued the undercarriage and hatches. Tomorrow a very...very subtle panelline wash on the undercarriage, because those show birds are always so clean!

Jos Jansen
Haha...okay Slavo, you remembered the Etendard...he's on my shelf of doom...maybe someday... 😄

Jos Jansen
On his wheels...almost time for the reveal, only some small detail work...next weekend crossing the finish line 👍!

James C
Looking spectacular Jos 👍

Arif Saeed
What a beauty 👏

Andrew Horton
Wow, great job! I also love the paint scheme.

Jos Jansen
Thanks James, Arif and Flight Line Media...!

Erik Leijdens
Looking forward to the finished model mate!

Jos Jansen
Thx Erik...I gave the Blues Scooter a subtle Midnight Blue panelline wash from Abteilung 502, because those showbirds are so clean. This weekend the reveal pics!

Robert Podkoński
Looks fabulous already!

Sergej I
Awesome wash! Adds great 3D

Jos Jansen
Thx Robert and Sergej...I applied the final gloss/shiny coat from Humbrol Clear Varnish. IMHO the right gloss/shiny coat...👍! Just put the canopy in place and this bird is ready for the photoshoot.

Jos Jansen
This project is done...enjoy the reveal pics mates!

Guy Rump
Very, very nice 👍

Mark D
Great work 👍 , an important piece of history in the Blue Angels aircraft series.

Łukasz Gliński
Lovely 👍

Robin (WhiteGlint)
Beautiful result. The colours are great and it's so shiny. Reminds me of clean and well polished racing car. 👍

Maciej Bellos
Excellent Jos, Excellent!

Jos Jansen
Thx guys...Guy, Mark D, Łukasz, WhiteGlint and Maciej...I really appreciate your enthusiastic comments...👍!

Sergej I
What a beauty! Great build, Jos! 👍

Nathan Dempsey
Love that shiny Scooter! A beauty 🙂

Erik Leijdens
Amazing result Jos! A true blue eye catcher!

Tas Smith
Wonderful job Jos! The weathering on the cockpit is outstanding.

Daniel
Top notch blue scooter 👌🏻

James C
That's a stunner Jos! 👍

Jos Jansen
Many thanks guys for your overwhelming nice words...after a long period of absence due to private problems I am back behind the bench full throttle!

Robert Podkoński
Awesome!

bughunter
That is a beautiful model, absolute fantastic! 👍
Is there some Hasegawa foil on the HUD? I checked the cockpit build pictures, may be I overlooked it.

Spanjaard
beautiful job Jos

Jos Jansen
Thanks Sergej, Nathan, Erik, Tas, Daniel James, Robert, Roland, bughunter and Spanjaard...great comments from great builders, thanks guys!

@bughunter: I didn't use a foil but I used this: Hasegawa TF-902 Polarize Finish Green Magenta. It's not here in the database from SCM. Perfect stuff to create a greenish shiny HUD. Check out the link to my Phantom project...!

DONE..!! | RAF Phantom FGR Mk.2 - Wildenrath | Album by Banshee13 (1:48)

Eelco Gregoire
Mooi wark!

Slavo Hazucha
Super cool finish Jos! I hope this gets you back into afterburner mode, I surely hope to see more coming from your table!

I did not yet choose to go through the pleasure/pain of building an immaculate clean aircraft, but if I do, this is going to be on the benchmark list 👍

Spanjaard
If not in the database, ten add it 😉

Jos Jansen
@Eelco...bedankt mien jong!

@Slavo...thanks mate, you should build also a showbird, from your hands its gonna be absolutely a stunner...but Iam back Sir, full throttle with a new project...:
WIP US Navy | Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet Golden Warriors | Album by Banshee13 (1:48)

@Spanjaard... 😄 "wilco"

Alexander
Flawless paintjob and finish - I really like the cleanliness of your builds, and this one definitely looks splendid (as it should, as an airshow plane)! 👍👍
You definitely did the Blue Angels justice.

Sergej I
Just awesome! 👍 🙂

Jos Jansen
Many thanks Alexander...I love the Blues livery and especially on a scooter!

Thanks Sergej...!

bughunter
So beautiful - and now a "Hells Angels" for your collection 😉
[img1]

Patrick Hagelstein
Whoaaaah!!!! 😮

Michael Kohl
incredibly beautiful.

Jos Jansen
Many thanks bughunter, Patrick and Michael...glad you liked this model...👍!

Gary Victory
Really nice work Jos.

Mathieu
Spot on! Very nice clean paint!

Robert Podkoński
Perfect work! Beautiful!