|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 2, 2005 2:56:33 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 2, 2005 3:02:33 GMT 12
I just found they have a page with built up models. The decals look great. www.gekkographics.com.au/ggmodels.htmThe top left one has that Magpie logo. It's not an A4-G as I'd thought. It's NZ6202, so was an A4-K. I asumed it was a leftover from the RAN days as many RAAF squadrons carried similar artworks, but it can't be. So what was the tail art about? |
|
|
|
Post by Calum on Oct 2, 2005 9:02:33 GMT 12
Hi Dave I can confifenatly report that the Gecko Graphics decals are surperb, both in quality and research. Both My A-4 models carry Richards decals, you've seen them but others can see them along with my other models HEREI have 2 sets of each, Richard gave me a complementary set as I helped with the reasearch, I managed to borrow a copy of the RNZAF NZAP for the painting of the Skyhawks from a mate on 2 Sqn (when in Nowra) I have since purchased another set. A look thru the credits on the bottom of the sheet reveals several RNZAF names plus a few Aussie Modelling guys I recognise including the owner of Hyperscale.com From one sheet you could probably make 2-3 complete models there are that many decals supplied. For the All white scheme , it's actually silver, prior to a re-paint and carries "the Bucket" zap. More about that HERE on the Oddz N Sodz page. The big white magpie on 02 was a zap buy 75 Sqn RAAF in Darwin 1984 post ex Pitch Black, the aircraft was left behind to await and engine change and our Aussie cousin got there.... My personnal favourite is the 75 Sqn Squashed frog zap we did on 2 Sqn in 1991, it's on the decal shhet as weel, details are A-4 Alley Oddz N Sodz pages as well. A mate and I made the stencil, I took the photos and my mate did the artwork, he's still in hence the black bars  . 75 Sqn CO was not impressed ;D, apparantly the S & S guys had to work the weekend reapinting the Tiki's. We really should have used stencil paint, but hey the flight store didn't have any ;D |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 2, 2005 14:13:30 GMT 12
Wow, you have some really fantastic stuff on your site, especially the Odds and Enz pages. I never knew about that A4-G crash at Townsville, and the photo of the Skyhawk that fell over while being washed is priceless! Sadly the link on it doesn't work to blow it up.
Some brilliant shots of the 50th Anniversary 'Golden Scooter' too that i hadn't seen before. I love that one of it above the clouds - wow.
I'd forgotten how much i loved the A4-K till you told me about your site. I had seen it briefly before quite some time ago but not all of it. I'm sure everyone else here will find it of great interest.
Here's a question, I have a magazine somewhere which I think from memory was Air Forces Monthly. I bought it in the very early 1990's. It has a photo of an RNZAF Skyhawk in it in the original colours of green/green/brown and high viz colourful 75 Sqn markings. It was apparently taken at some Aussie airshow (maybe 1988 Bi-centenary or something) The difference with this is the paint is really high gloss, I mean like polished and shining. I've never seen one so glossy.
Was this a special coat it was given for the airshow purposes? I'm sure it's not just a trick of the photo. If you haven't seen this I will look it out.
|
|
|
|
Post by Calum on Oct 2, 2005 15:32:09 GMT 12
Wow, you have some really fantastic stuff on your site, especially the Odds and Enz pages. I never knew about that A4-G crash at Townsville, and the photo of the Skyhawk that fell over while being washed is priceless! Sadly the link on it doesn't work to blow it up. Thanks I fixed that link  Here's a question, I have a magazine somewhere which I think from memory was Air Forces Monthly. I bought it in the very early 1990's. It has a photo of an RNZAF Skyhawk in it in the original colours of green/green/brown and high viz colourful 75 Sqn markings. It was apparently taken at some Aussie airshow (maybe 1988 Bi-centenary or something) The difference with this is the paint is really high gloss, I mean like polished and shining. I've never seen one so glossy. Was this a special coat it was given for the airshow purposes? I'm sure it's not just a trick of the photo. If you haven't seen this I will look it out. I haven't seen this photo. The "glossest" A-4K I've seen is the one at the RNZAF Musemn. I'm always looking for "new" A-4K images. If anyone has any they want to share please email them to me (higher rez the better). I'd love to host them on my site. |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 2, 2005 19:10:36 GMT 12
I shall try to locate the magazine then. It is way more glossy than the RNZAF Museum's one.
By the way, do you know who the pilot is (in dummy form) in that RNZAFM's Skyhawk? It is none other than the chap who made all the museum's dummies. He was a Safety and Surface Worker called Corporal John Harris. All the full sized dummies were moulded from people around Wigram, and when it came to do the Skyhawk pilot he decided this was his chance to become immortalised in the dream job of Knuck. hehe
Another Skyhawk related tale I remember was a Skyhawk or two visited Woodbourne when I was there in 1989. When this particular took off, the pod underneath where the piot kept his personal belongings in a case, opened. It literally fired his suitcase like a missile into the nextdoor vineyards! Apparently it took out a few rows of grapes!
The Skyhawk display team flew into Woodbourne after returning from Aussie when I was at 4TTS and they let us all go have a look. This was the first time I saw them as a team, awesome. They didn't do the routine but they did some of the lowest high speed passes when they left that's I've ever seen. I had a chuckaway camera and got some pathetic shots, I wish I had a proper camera back in those days.
I recall seeing Sqwawks also testing the emergency arrestor system there once too.
|
|
.
