Douglas OA-4M “Low-Vis-Scooter”

The colors of the Scooter.  

Remembered old research results (I’ve build already 22 years ago a late Skyhawk): late Skyhawks had spoilers on the top of wings with the same size as flaps. The spoiler has 17 ribs and is divided into 18 “fields”.  

An alternative for filling of sinkholes and ejector marks. A piece off round rod (thin dish) glued with CA. After few minutes it’s possible to remove the excess with sharp scalpel. Works much better and faster than “Herumkleistern” with putty. (Sorry; don’t know what is the English equivalent for Herumkleistern)🙂 

The reflector will be installed later (after airbrushing white) because the rim is black.  

It’s astonishing how strongly aspirations of modelers have gone up: around the turn of the millennium we were over the moon about the quality of resin cockpits of KMC. Today this is not remotely longer up to scratch („Gurkenkramm“).  

I picked the best and most simply for installation parts and combined them with any scratch build parts. Forward cockpit: Anyz knobs and kit- instrument panel as base for the etched ones not yet in place.  

Escapac ejection seat.  

Completed working stations 

As usual I glued both fuselage halves with CA (Tamiya) and ethylacetate. I used small plastic pieces here and there and so despite average fit I needed 0,0g putty.
Rear area thinned down.  

Edges of wheel bay thinned down and shape restored with CA and plastic. The green outlined “dark” what you see is not a gap but CA as filler for the gap.  

It’s easier to replace the trimm tab than rework the kit. Red light made of a piece of red resin block.  

Green light in place. Actuators for aileron and trimm tab added.  

LSO light (green amber red) in place minus reshaping the clear resin block.  

Separated rudder in place.  

Joint between wings and fuselage: “black” = CA, “white” = plastic as filler.  

300 gal aux fuel tank. I used the parts from Tamiyas Skyraider because they are a much better detailed.  

Sway braces in place. The rods of silber wire coming at next after painting.  

Flattened dishes of 1,2 mm round rod and bended stripe of plastic.  

It was very curious: the windshield's fit was very poor. I spent about 30 min for trimming the thickness of the clear part and wide of the hood. 

3 of 6 airbrushing seasons completed. Unfortunately the mentioned FS colors don’t match the colors of the decal elements. 🙁 

Both upper colors mixed exactly to match with the decal elements.  

Steering for nose landing gear added.  

Ed Heinemann, Douglas' chief designer , designed spring loaded slats which operated Automatically when the speed decreased below a certain level. That means that the slats were deployed during painting of the aircraft. In the case of my plane the underside has to be light and not dark.