Zoukei-mura SWS 1/32 scale A-1H Skyraider

[Daniel C]

This model will be built to remember the Pilot and his aircraft that was found off the coast of La Jolla, CA ( lajollasealife.com/ ) the full story is in the link. While the kit is not an AD-4L as the real aircraft was, it will be built to simulate the aircraft during the Korean War period.
The person I am building the kit for has provided the kit and all the aftermarket he could find for this project. It will be built with 1 wing folded and as wide a selection of ordnance that I can mount from the ZM weapons kit. I have asked a fellow SSMB member, Nathan to paint the pilot figure for me as I suck painting faces, and the finished aircraft will be mounted on a base to simulate a carrier deck.
The markings will be for an aircraft of VA-728 on the carrier USS Antietam on the way to Korea in 1951. Custom decals will need to be made for this.




I have started on the weapons, I will use 2x2000lb bombs, 4x250lb bombs, and 4x5" rockets for this build.


And I have also started the cockpit, there will be much photo etch to add here.




So far, so good........

[Daniel C]

OK, the weather has been brutal here in the hobby room, a little cooler today, so far! I have continued work in the cockpit replacing molded on detail for photo etch detail, the Zoukei-Mura p/e is done by Eduard and is colored.
Here is the main panel, a 2 piece assembly. I used a layer of future to glue them together, when sandwiched I am hoping to have the dials look glass covered from the future. Small amount of superglue was added to the edge of the panel after it was together.




The back of the panel shows the instruments, so I have drilled a hole in each and will add wire to the back later, the sidewall detail was also sanded off in preparation for p/e parts.




Sidewall test fit.




Today I have started the engine, very interesting, ZM went thru the trouble to mold pistons inside the cylinders...... ? It won't bee seen, but they are there if needed.
The cylinders do make aliment of the engine halves a pain in the but though, as you see I used a black sharpie to put a mark on the outside of the cylinders once I got them aligned so I could take them apart and not have to go thru trying to find the alignment again!
The cockpit and engine are molded in a very soft silver plastic, which is difficult to work with since when you sand off detail, or a seam, the "shadow" of it remains. It takes a coat of paint to ensure it was removed properly. It is also very soft, almost like working with the old soft plastic figures!!
Anyway, here are the engine pictures of the cylinders, notice what looks like a lot of flash, interesting.







More as we move along.........