This is an oldie that many will recognize and it covers five aircraft. Now when this sheet was first printed, the only kit around was the Matchbox A-4M and it was an early variant without the fin tip pod, so the instructions provide information on how to made the modifications. Of course, we now have the excellent Fujimi kit in 1/72 so no need to do any cutting and hacking to get into specs.

First up is a black and white A-4M from the Naval Weapons Evaluation Facility in Kirkland AFB. On one side the black is on the top and the other it is on the bottom.

The next three are in standard light gull grey over white, starting with a VMA-311 aircraft from El Toro, followed by a VMA-214 plane when based in Iwakuni, Japan.

The third Marine Skyhawk is the 2,960th and final A-4 to be delivered and this one is in special markings with blue along the upper surface of the fuselage and fin.

The final scheme isn't shown but it is an A-4N with no markings and 'Skyhawk II' emblazoned along the side. It is in the standard Israeli camouflage of the day.

Though the sheet includes insignia for two as well as data markings, the red is off register, making many of the decals unusable as they are, though some can be salvaged by careful trimming. As Superscale basically just copied one side of the old Microscale instruction sheets, any upper and lower markings information is missing, a problem with old sheets in Superscale packets.

September 2006

Review copy courtesy of your editor and his wallet.