Matchbox Grumman EA-6B Prowler
![Album image #1 Album image #1](/albums/img/8/2/7/894827-15194-38-720.jpg)
Matchbox had some nice artwork on their boxes.
![Album image #2 Album image #2](/albums/img/8/2/9/894829-15194-78-720.jpg)
Kit is from 1979. And you can’t buy much for £1:49 anymore.
![Album image #3 Album image #3](/albums/img/8/2/6/894826-15194-89-720.jpg)
The old decals took useable, so I’m going to make the “Zapper”.
![Album image #4 Album image #4](/albums/img/8/3/5/894835-15194-92-720.jpg)
Lunchtime at work. This might be how I lost the under-wing pylon?!
![Album image #5 Album image #5](/albums/img/8/3/7/894837-15194-37-720.jpg)
![Album image #6 Album image #6](/albums/img/8/2/5/894825-15194-80-720.jpg)
Notice the rear canopy in the middle of the box. It was misformed. No returning that to Matchbox.
![Album image #7 Album image #7](/albums/img/8/2/4/894824-15194-54-720.jpg)
Matchbox gave you the option for wings spread or folded. Going to babe this one flying.
![Album image #8 Album image #8](/albums/img/8/2/3/894823-15194-95-720.jpg)
Ah, when kits came with figures. Faces painted and base coat and ink on.
![Album image #9 Album image #9](/albums/img/8/2/8/894828-15194-64-720.jpg)
Aircrew ready to put in the model.
![Album image #10 Album image #10](/albums/img/8/3/1/894831-15194-79-720.jpg)
Just a little bit of etching.
![Album image #11 Album image #11](/albums/img/8/3/0/894830-15194-27-720.jpg)
Canopy repaired with an old coke bottle.
![Album image #12 Album image #12](/albums/img/8/3/4/894834-15194-31-720.jpg)
Black basing always makes a model took bad ass.
![Album image #13 Album image #13](/albums/img/8/3/2/894832-15194-59-720.jpg)
Making a pylon from plastic card.
![Album image #14 Album image #14](/albums/img/8/3/3/894833-15194-46-720.jpg)
Marble coat on.
![Album image #15 Album image #15](/albums/img/8/2/3/897823-15194-56-720.jpg)
Mixed my own Gull Grey from what I had on the shelf.
![Album image #16 Album image #16](/albums/img/0/5/5/909055-15194-66-720.jpg)
And the white goes on.
![Album image #17 Album image #17](/albums/img/0/5/6/909056-15194-11-720.jpg)
![Album image #18 Album image #18](/albums/img/0/5/7/909057-15194-73-720.jpg)
![Album image #19 Album image #19](/albums/img/1/2/2/914122-15194-39-720.jpg)
Mixing the colours together for the nose wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped. It was a little too pink and flesh at first.
![Album image #20 Album image #20](/albums/img/1/2/3/914123-15194-18-720.jpg)
Clear coat before decals.
![Album image #21 Album image #21](/albums/img/1/2/4/914124-15194-53-720.jpg)
![Album image #22 Album image #22](/albums/img/6/2/3/918623-15194-10-720.jpg)
Really happy with the way the old decals went on.
![Album image #23 Album image #23](/albums/img/1/6/6/922166-15194-40-720.jpg)
I read that lacquer thinners works well with floor polish. I tried the Self Levelling Thinners and wow, does it ever make a difference!
![Album image #24 Album image #24](/albums/img/5/3/4/923534-15194-72-720.jpg)
Home made mud wash.
![Album image #25 Album image #25](/albums/img/6/0/1/927601-15194-34-720.jpg)
Ta Da
![Album image #26 Album image #26](/albums/img/6/0/2/927602-15194-63-720.jpg)
![Album image #27 Album image #27](/albums/img/6/0/3/927603-15194-60-720.jpg)
![Album image #28 Album image #28](/albums/img/6/0/4/927604-15194-31-720.jpg)
![Album image #29 Album image #29](/albums/img/3/8/3/928383-15194-98-720.jpg)
I’m going to have to get the “blurred” sea print, but this will work.
![Album image #30 Album image #30](/albums/img/3/8/0/928380-15194-99-720.jpg)
![Album image #31 Album image #31](/albums/img/3/8/5/928385-15194-56-720.jpg)
![Album image #32 Album image #32](/albums/img/3/8/1/928381-15194-59-720.jpg)
![Album image #33 Album image #33](/albums/img/3/8/2/928382-15194-71-720.jpg)
![Album image #34 Album image #34](/albums/img/3/8/4/928384-15194-89-720.jpg)
![Album image #35 Album image #35](/albums/img/5/2/2/1094522-15194-39-720.jpg)
Now flying across my son’s ceiling.
评论
59 15 December 2020, 04:56
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Looking good. Merry Christmas to you and Yours and a Happy New Year.
21 December 2020, 03:35
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Thanks Clifford. The day's I've had off I'm either teaching (making sure my son does his school work) at home or my wife wants something else done around the house! So far I've removed a wall, built a fake oak beam and fitted it, stripped the tile from the kitchen, put up new tile in said kitchen, clean the garage, cleared and decorated the basement and cleared it again new light fittings in the basement and kitchen......
It's all making this "quick build" go on for months.
13 January 2021, 18:23
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Ah, the "Honey Do" list. Oh dear god..........the HONEY DO LIST
14 January 2021, 02:50
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Decals are on and I've discovered mixing Mr Color self levelling thinners in with the floor polish. Oil wash next.
24 January 2021, 14:45
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Thank you Clifford. Your Jaguar it looking like another nice build.
25 January 2021, 03:36
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Great looking Prowler! Almost miss having those beasts around! ;-D
25 January 2021, 04:28
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Yes Clifford, I'm making her a little bit of a dirty lady. Not entirely realistic as USN aircraft were kept pretty immaculate in this paint scheme. It was the introduction of the radar absorbent matt paint (which absorbed bloody everything) that we see the heavy weathered, dirty aircraft.
27 January 2021, 04:23
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This is very true. I have a Monogram 1/48 EA-6B, watching your build is making me want to build mine. LOL.
28 January 2021, 02:35
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Very nice build so far Gareth! Joining a little late but followed this one very closely and I'm looking forward to see the roll out of this beautiful plane 🙂!
28 January 2021, 05:29
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This veteran came out great, I was a bit afraid, when I saw the pic with the wash applied, but now the weathering is on point 👍👍
2 February 2021, 09:21
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Thanks everyone. She will be hanging on my son's ceiling shortly.
3 February 2021, 03:30
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I bought some water colour pencils (pretty cheap for a pack online). I did a little weathering on the fuel tank and some boot marks across the top of the plane. I didn't go too heavy. Thanks to everyone's lovely comments through the (rather longer than it should have been) build.
3 February 2021, 12:19
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Hi Gareth. A stunning build. I love your blurred backdrop hack. Simple but really effective. Will defo be copying that at some point I the future. 👍
3 February 2021, 12:47
![](/profiles/img/15194-760-s.jpg)
No David, it's "4FX Dioramics Aerial Blur Model Base". It's from Australia. Just had a look on eBay again and I don't remember the postage being so expensive. Post was 3x more than the card.
3 February 2021, 17:48
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I can not believe that amazing result coming out from a Matchbox kit!!!
3 February 2021, 17:55
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Brilliant result don't know how I didn't see this before. I'd like to ask a question about the red airbrush in your photos. I have one of these but the needle seal was apparently some kind of jelly and disintegrated on first use. Do you know a source of spare seals for this make? Thanks, Roy.
16 November 2022, 21:46
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Thank you.
Roy, I'm afraid I don't. I've used SprayGunner for a few things now and eBay seem to have a few sets of airbrush seals, although they may take a little time coming through from China.
18 November 2022, 04:34