Hobby 2000 72017 - 1:72 Douglas A-4M Skyhawk

Plastic model kit of the American Douglas A-4M Skyhawk attack aircraft in 1:72 scale

The A-4M Skyhawk II was the final and most powerful version of Douglas's famous light attack aircraft, built specifically for the United States Marine Corps. It is distinguished by the more powerful J52-P-408 engine, an enlarged canopy giving better visibility, a braking parachute at the base of the fin and the avionics hump behind the cockpit.

Hobby 2000 72017 is based on Fujimi sprues, complemented by a new sheet of waterslide decals printed by Cartograf and self-adhesive masks for the glazing. Both marking options are aircraft of the legendary VMA-214 "Black Sheep" squadron: WE-6 from 1979 and WE-01 flown by Lt Col T.R. Carstens from MCAS El Toro on 28 April 1989.

What you will find in the box:

• Plastic sprues with airframe, cockpit and undercarriage parts
• Clear parts for the canopy glazing
• Parts for underwing stores and external fuel tanks
• Self-adhesive masks for the glazing
• Waterslide decal sheet printed by Cartograf covering two marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 72017
• Manufacturer: Hobby 2000
• Length of the finished model: approx. 170 mm
• Wingspan of the finished model: approx. 116 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate

Please note: the kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Building the model:

The Skyhawk was one of the smallest combat jets of its era, so the 1:72 model is compact and built from a sensible number of parts – a good choice for modellers taking their first steps with jets. The cockpit and ejection seat are best painted before the fuselage is closed up, and with such a small airframe some nose weight helps the model sit firmly on its nose gear leg.

Marine Corps aircraft of the late 1970s and 1980s wore the classic scheme of light grey undersides and grey upper surfaces with colourful squadron markings on the fin – the instructions give paint codes for both options. The extensive squadron decals look best over gloss varnish, which prevents decal silvering, and the model can be finished with satin varnish. For extra crispness you may want to consider metal pitot tubes and seat belts, available separately as aftermarket accessories.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Modelling knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes or an airbrush
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Gloss varnish for the decals and satin varnish for the final finish
• Decal setting solution to help the decals conform to the detail
• Modelling wash to emphasise the detail and panel lines

About the aircraft – Douglas A-4 Skyhawk:

The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was created in the early 1950s as Ed Heinemann's answer to a Navy requirement for a light attack aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons. His team went against the trends of the day and produced a machine roughly half the weight specified – so small that it needed no folding wings, which simplified the structure and saved weight. The aircraft soon earned the nickname "Heinemann's Hot Rod".

The Skyhawk entered service in 1956 and remained in use for decades, developing from a Cold War nuclear strike aircraft into the workhorse of the Vietnam War, where it flew thousands of attack sorties from carrier decks. The design proved extremely durable and receptive to modernisation, and its simplicity made it easy to service in field conditions.

The A-4M Skyhawk II was the culmination of that evolution. Ordered by the Marine Corps, it received the more powerful Pratt & Whitney J52-P-408 engine, an enlarged canopy, a braking parachute and expanded avionics housed in the hump behind the cockpit. The last example was completed in 1979, after twenty-six years of continuous production of the whole family. The A-4M served with Marine Corps units until the late 1990s, and Skyhawks of other versions flew in several countries for much longer.

Original aircraft specifications (A-4M Skyhawk II):

• Length: 12.27 m
• Wingspan: 8.38 m
• Height: 4.57 m
• Empty weight: approx. 4,750 kg
• Maximum take-off weight: approx. 11,100 kg
• Crew: 1
• Powerplant: Pratt & Whitney J52-P-408 turbojet of approx. 50 kN thrust
• Maximum speed: approx. 1,100 km/h
• Fixed armament: two Colt Mk 12 20 mm cannon
• External load: bombs, unguided rockets and guided missiles totalling up to approx. 4,150 kg
• Production: approx. 2,960 aircraft of all A-4 versions (1954–1979)

About the manufacturer – Hobby 2000:

Hobby 2000 is a Polish model company based in Katowice that builds its range around its own themed releases of plastic kits. Each box contains sprues from an established manufacturer – in this case Fujimi sprues – combined with the company's own artwork, illustrated assembly instructions and a new decal sheet. The waterslide decals for the brand's kits are printed by Cartograf of Italy, valued in the industry for their thin carrier film and accurate colour registration. Most of the aircraft releases also include self-adhesive masks for the glazing, which makes painting the canopy frames considerably easier. Hobby 2000 selects its subjects around specific campaigns, units and pilots, and Polish themes appear regularly in the catalogue. Print runs are limited, so once a release sells out it rarely returns. For the modeller this means access to proven tooling in a boxing with carefully researched markings that are often hard to find elsewhere.