Most modelers don't like low visibility schemes, and really, who can blame them. Looking at vibrant color is much more appealing to most than a sea of various shades of grey. However, beginning in the late 1970s, that was the way that military aircraft were beginning to be painted. One of the types that went through a transition is the Skyhawk. While the design changed, the first schemes, involved a sharp transition along the fuselage axis at about the middle point. This often meant that markings were dark grey on top and light on the bottom. All other markings retained their size but were in greys. Due to the difficulty in maintaining these two color markings and additional tests on visibility, the greys were redrawn to where some of the underside color was on the fin and up on the nose of the aircraft. This is the standard scheme with which the tactical versions of the Scooter stayed until it was finally withdrawn from service.

Superscale sheet 48-192 offers both of these schemes. Two are for USMC A-4Ms and one for a Navy TA-4J.

You will undoubtedly notice that my copy of this sheet is rather badly misaligned. Fortunately it is repairable, but is one of the problems one finds when buying sheets that are on sale!

Anyway, we'll start with the two USMC schemes.

• The first one is the later scheme from VMA-311 that was based at El Toro in 1983. As you see, the insignia are a normal size where all unit markings are much reduced in size.
• Next is a VMA-211 A-4M in the earlier 'split' scheme. Again, the unit markings are reduced in size.
• Finally, a TA-4J from NAS Miramar-based VC-13 in the earlier 'split' scheme. This is a bit more interesting with the unit markings in standard size. Now all we need is a decent 1/48 TA-4J!  You'd have thought that one of the 'big boys' would have produced a kit of this by now!

Typical of early Superscale instruction sheets, the color demarkations are difficult to discern on the later scheme so you will need another reference to do justice to it.

Review sheet courtesy of the editor.