I just picked up a Hasegawa 1/48 A-4M Skyhawk for the FAW Group Build, and am wondering if anyone can help me identify a typical weapon loadout for it. I am building it in the markings from VMA-214, not sure of the time frame. The kit comes with a pair of wing drop tanks, but no centerline tank or bombs. Does anyone know what a typical bomb load would be for this aircraft? I found the 1/48 hasegawa weapon set with bombs, but I am not sure which I would use or where to find a centerline fuel tank. I am considering NOT adding the wing tanks as this will foul the flaps-down option. TIA! [:D]
Define typical!!! What is the mission? Would you like six “snake eyes” on the centerline MER, 2 250 gallon fuel tanks on the first pylons and Maveric missles on the outer pylons? Try this. A centerline fuel tank and six mark 82s on the MERS on the first wing pylons plus Zuni rocket pods on the outer pylons. Maybe a centerline tank with napalm tanks on the inner pylons plus sidewinders on the outer pylons. Note that short MERS would be used for 3 bombs on the outer pylons. The scooter has also been seen carriing an AGM 62 Walleye missle. The Fujimi 1/50th scale TA4F has a centerline tank and there may be an aftermarket tank available. Find a picture of the loaded aircraft you want to model and use that as your guide. VMA 214 (Boyingtons Black Sheep) has numerous published photos of their training flights. A common picture is a MER (multiple ejector rack) on the centerline with six snake eyes, wing tanks on the first pylons, and zuni rocket pods on the outer pylons. As far as I know the wing tanks do not restrict the flaps degree of downward travel, but I have not confirmed this yet. The Hasagawa kit is supurb, but there are several aftermarket kits that will enhance the kit even more, e.g. flaps, wheel wells, airbrakes, cockpit and seat, by Aires. All the best on your Skyhawk project. See Steve Ginter’s book on the A-4 M.
rangerj-
[:O] Wow, that’s quite a lot of info! Sorry to say I am a bit uneducated on this subject [D)], WWII birds are a bit different indeed! I’ll do some digging for what I am looking for, but thank you very much for your help! I didn’t even know what a MER was until you told me later in the post! [tup]
I can recall mostly snakes and nape. Centerline tank for sure, ordnance loaded on MERS like rangerj said.
Been 30+ years, but there was an A4M pyloned at 29 Palms in the Black Sheep Livery.
Cannot recall the exact squadron(s), but I saw many VMA 'Hawks while stationed at Cubi Point NAS, Philippines. Viet Nam had been over nearly two years at the time, so the only loads I saw were missles with a ‘sidewinder’ look but fatter…air-to-ground, I believe…three to a pylon on each wing…nothing on the centerline…but there were never A/C with bombs aboard while at the air station. This was 1975-76
Sorry you aren’t going with the wing tanks, Frank. (Love that profile!)…and the bird looks undressed without them. Fact is, I never saw an A4 take off without them as the bird had a small internal fuel load.
Thanks guys! I have been looking around the web for photos, and you’re right Nam- nearly every photo of an operational bird had fuel tanks of some kind attached (except the Blue Angels) and usually some ordinance. Question is, where do I find a centerline tank, MER racks, and snake eye bombs? [%-)]
Daywalker, PM me. I’ll dig into my stash of A-4 “pieces parts” and I think I have a few MERS for six bombs. I also think I have 250 lbs. bombs, and maybe a bunch of 500 lbs snake eyes. The centerline tank is included in the Fujimi TA-4F kit and maybe the Hobbycraft kit. I think I have one. I’ll look. I have not seen an aftermarket centerline tank, but that does not mean that it does not exsist (I’ve never looked for one). Note that the Blue Angles removed the wing tanks for the air show. They did travel with the tanks. Also note that the A-4M (Mike) model is a late prodduction model and I do not recall A-4Ms in combat in Viet Nam. As stated earlier there are photographs of Ms dropping Mark 82s (snake eyes), and there are also photos of the VMA 214 aircraft with Zuni rocket pods as well as Phoenix missles, sidewinders, sparrows, Mavericks, and bull pups. There are also “short” MERS that were usually loaded on the outer pylon with say three 250 pound bombs, or one 500 pound bomb, or even practice bombs. I’ll see what I can find and let you know next week. The first few Skyhawks weighted about 8000 pounds empty (no fuel or oil). Added thought; The Blue Angles A-4 F was an uprated “Super Foxtrot” with a power to weight ration near 1:1 which is great for flight demo aircraft.
Not to usurp Frankie’s thread…that was some great info you have provided RangerJ!!!
A-4 has always been my fave jet A/C and I’m sure I’ll buy one in the future, but not on the radar right now. Thanks again!
rangerj- Thanks for looking into that for me, PM inbound! [:D]
Nam- I gotta agree, the “scooter” has always been one of my all-time favorite jets. [tup]
Those things used to take off two at a time…wing to wing ‘pursuit style’ and fly off and have fun. The wing tanks always made them look like they were floating on pontoons while taking off! We saw them from an elevated place and the only wheel we could see was in the nose!
Man, that’s funny! Now, everytime I look at the box I’m gonna think of that. Thanks a lot Nam! [(-D]
They’d get so low you’d only see the tip of the tail fin through the trees. I remember the wing tanks for extended loiter time, but honestly I was only concerned about where the snakes were going!
Wow, that must have been quite a sight! Can’t say I wish I was there to see it, but I bet it was incredible to watch. Thank you for sharing that, and for your service!
Daywalker, PM me again. Your earlier PM did not get through for some reason. I have some pieces for you that should help your project.
Roger that, willco. Signal inbound! [tup]
Did you check your Private Messages? Thought maybe you were thinking email instead of PM. Just a thought…
You sir are quite welcome.
Quick story if I may…
We needed some ordnance on some real estate real fast one day. At one point the BATTALION CO was next to me on the radio. I wasn’t sure if I was more afraid of him or Mr Charles. Anyway two AF F-4’s flew over quite high. dropped some snakes, and didi mau lein outta there. CO got ahem, aggravated and started yelling " we need an airstrike, not an airshow!" in the radio. Next I knew, being kinda busy with the M60, two A4’s came by so low we could read the stencilling. They dropped, chandelled up and over, flying back over us inverted, flipping us off. CO grinning like he just saw the devil stated “Now boys thats an airstrike!”
Fun and games
agentg- Now that’s a good story! Thank you for that one as well. I am truly enjoying this, do you have any others? I’d love to hear them!
Not all Air Force jets flew high and fast on ground attack missions. We launched a flight of four F-4D’s on a truck busting mission. Acft 1 & 2 were loaded with four each BLU-27 napalm and a SUU-23 gun pod on the centerline. Acft 3 & 4 were loaded with four each CBU-24’s and five MK-20’s on the centerline. After getting airborne a call went out that a Marine force was under heavy attack by a large force of VC and NVA forces. The F-4’s were sent in to help. Because of the load they were carrying, they had to get in low and slow. The VC & NVA force fell back to the heavy tree line so it would be harder for the attacking Acft to locate them. After dropping all bombs on target and the enemy realizing they had run of any thing to drop on them they started another attack. Acft 3 flew over low and slow punching off his 370 Gal wing tanks on the force. Acft 4 was making a run to do the same. Acft 1 & 2 lined up to fire the remaining 20 MM ammo left in the gun pods to set fire to the fuel from the wing tanks. Out of nowhere MK-82 LDGP’s started falling, catching Acft 3 & 4 in their bomb blast. Two Marine A-6’s were flying above the F-4’s dropping bombs on the VC. Acft 1 & 2 had to pull hard G turns to avoid the blasts. Acft 3 & 4 made an emergency landing in Phu Cat where one aircraft was repaired and flown back to our unit about eight weeks later. My aircraft 66-7690 (# 4) was so damaged by bomb fragments it had to be sent to depot for repair. All aircraft received some type of damage from small arms fire. The A-6’s just dumped their load and kept on going out of the area.
I have seen a lot of our aircraft being launched out on CAS missions. Some never returned and some crews never returned. I don’t know why everyone says the USAF crews were afraid to get down low and slow on these missions. I have seen many return home with grass and leaves stuck in the leading edge flaps, speed brakes and down the intake. I think the USAF is getting a bum rap when it comes to CAS missions. Just my [2c]
The A-4 was at no time ever cleared to carry the Phoenix or Sparrow missiles.
The ‘short’ MER is called a TER (Triple Ejector Rack)
To clarify, the A-4M in service with the US Marine Corps was never in combat.
Not all MK-82’s are ‘Snake eyes’ as the term ‘snake eye’ refers to the MK-15 retarded fin and not the bomb itself. The MK-15 has since been replaced with the BSU-86 retarted fin and the use of the term ‘snake eye’ is not used very often by today’s ordnancemen…not in the Marine Corps anyway.
Dave