A-6E Intruder | 'Jackal 410' Completed

Paul Moore
Did it to the real thing justice? Are you kidding me! I think you photo shopped real photos into that diorama. 😎. It's stunning! I hope that's going to the IPMS Nationals next summer Len. And yes, I am extremely gratified and humbled by your intent and build! The attention to detail from the ordnance load-out to the external power chord, "remove before flight" flag in the cockpit, flak curtains done just as I remember them, and the tie-down chains …to the ….everything! All those details really give life to this build! Now I challenge you to instill the trepidation of coming back to the boat for a night trap in a build. Hmmm….that's an interesting challenge. I'll have to give that some thought ….

So I tip my hat to that build. I guess I'll send photos when I complete mine ….but I'm not going to beat that. Phil Flory had a stunning Intruder build in 1/32 scale but you outdid him. And that's an accomplishment!

Thanks for including me into the research. It brought back a lot of memories and was fun discussing them with you. Congratulations Len. I just looked at your photos again. It really does look like photos of the real aircraft!

Len M
I appreciate the compliments Paul, though there are too many flaws that judges would tear apart. Hopefully what I lacked in technical skills is made up for in research and attention to detail. Things like the Eduard Rockeye decals had one stripe but the Furball Bombcat sheet, being designed for F-14s, had the correct two stripes for the Navy's thermal protective coating. Or things like the deployed Skipper fins as we discussed before. Interestingly enough, Flying Leathernecks is coming out with a new Skipper that I wish I'd waited for because the Hasegawa rocket motor isn't the most accurate shape. I had to steal the speed brake parts from an A-6A kit because, although permanently closed, this BuNo still had the old panels with the holes. I hope I got the RBF flags in the right positions that would be commonly used in between missions. I saw some pics of the one woven through the steps of the boarding ladder and wanted to replicate it because I thought it was a neat touch. I found a PDF of the NATOPS manual and found the positions for the 7 pins in the ejection seat which was "fun" replicating. That reminds me, I saw a few pics with the NATOPS thrown up on the BN side of the glare shield. I should print out a small copy and place it up there. I also tied to replicate paint touchups as best I could. That panel line on the front of the vertical stabilizer had a distinctly different shade in the pictures I could find of this airframe. Even things like trying to get the flight deck tie down layout right had me looking at overhead pictures of the Ranger and other Forrestal-class flight decks. I figured out where the jet was parked from the reference picture and worked my way from there. I found spacing distances from different tie down instruction sheets, and the original 60mm spacing I tried seemed way too far apart based on photos. My final layout seems pretty close based on the chain layout in the front-on photo I was trying to replicate. The nose wheel (which I had to modify to turn) is turned a little too much, but that was intentional to keep the base size more compact. I cut one of the chains too short on the nose wheel and since there was no way I was getting another chain up into the wheel well at that point I had to switch to a closer padeye that's different from the one in the photo. I know there are other things I missed and mistakes I made accuracy-wise, but it wasn't for lack of effort. Sometimes the lack of photo evidence means it can't be proven it wasn't that way. As one of the few that's seen the real thing, if it's good enough for you then I guess it's good enough for me.

Paul Moore
I love your last sentence! And the NATOPS QRH (Quick Reference Handbook) is a great idea. That was a common place to set it down.

Michael Kohl
I cannot judge this build by personal experience of course, but what I see pleases my eyes. Very well done and atmospheric build.

Len M
Thank you

Paul Moore
Len,
The non-skid on the spine and wing root is perfect. What was your technique for that?

Len M
I first masked off the areas and then applied Mr. Surfacer, stippled on with an old brush. AMMO by Mig also makes an Anti-Slip Paste that you could probably use, which is how I did the thermal coating on the Skipper and the non-skid on the flight deck. With all the masking removed, I sprayed my Ghost Gray base colors. I then freehanded Euro I Dark Gray over all the non-skid areas. I could've remasked the areas but pictures seems to show a lot of touchup paint and wear causing soft demarcations so the freehand was good enough for me. I then drybrushed the areas with some more grays to finish the effect.

Thomas Bischoff
Gorgeous result indeed!

Len M
Thanks

Mr James
Lovely lovely lovely. That is a beautiful model. Wonderful detail, expertly weathered and superbly presented.

Neuling
A masterpiece.

CaptGPF
Flawless - the only thing missing is the deck crew - but I'm not complaining!

Rui S
Gerat work 👍

Paul Moore
Len …. Just looking at this again. Wow! Amazing. I hope you enter this at IPMS Nationals!

Tim Lingle
This piece is a perfect example of someone who is really "rockin it!" Fantastic Job Len!