And also, it can be used for a very first version of the Skyhawk as it is the only kit with the first style canopy windscreen, with a curved shape. Later on, the more common windscreen was adapted as the original one distorded the view of the pilot. I wanted to make this kit into a prototype of the A-4. 

The decals obviously are also a bit old fashioned... as you can see. 

But what did the prototype look like? 
The pictures from very old magazines obviously motivated me further as the A-4 was at that time a "secret plane" called the Bantam bomber .... 

I also found a very old drawing, seen here... note the 'shape' below the fuselage... it also requiring the long spindly undercarriage legs.

[ Click for details ]

The exhaust pipe was not covered yet and this was removed from the model. I used an old droptank to get some sort of tailpipe. In 'Wings of Fame' magazine the serial/type designation was covered with tape and paper for security reasons, so the same was to be done on this model! Remember the Cold War? 

As no single skin rudder with stringers was yet used on the prototype, the rudder is a straight forward piece of card. So modify the kit's rudder. See pictures above. 

A cockpit interior was added, made with a very simple floor, a new seat from card including the headrest. Also, the fairing of canopy towards the fuselage needs to be a little bit more pronounced, check pictures and you will see what I mean. 

The horizontal all moving stabilizer need a cover plate at the hinge, make from thin card. The undercarriage in this kit is very simple and the main legs are 1 mm too short. Add a piece of strip of 1 mm thick in the undercarriagebay to correct this. The main wheels must be replaced; I used a whitemetal set nr. V160 of Airmodel  but you can search in your "left overs" box for replacements as well. You can also add a centerline tank and don't forget to engrave the airbrakes in the rear fuselage. And the nicest very obviously detail is the long pitotboom on the nose. 

The finished model, note the curved windscreen... 

In the first stages of testing, the prototype flew without the arrestorhook and was really having a metal look. I used Rub‘n Buff for the top aluminium surfaces. The lower surfaces of the wing were 'white' and the detail (black) panels were also added. The markings came from some spare Microscale / Superscale transfers. 

A final coat of  Johnson Klear after the application of the few decals completed it all .... 

To A-4 page (2)....