Cessna A-37A Dragonfly by Luis Antonio Reyes Lavin (Revell 1/48)

Revell's 1/48 scale
Cessna A-37A Dragonfly

by Luis Antonio Reyes Lavin

Cessna A-37A Dragonfly

Czech Master Resin's Supermarine Spitfire TR.9 is available online from Squadron

Construction

This is Revell’s re-release of the venerable Monogram 1/48 scale A-37A Dragonfly. These older Monogram kits cannot be compared to the latest wonderkits from the Orient.

Revell’s model demands big doses of patience and if we want to make best use of the model we might need some experience. I don’t recommended you this model if you are rookie.

Before I began, I studied all the pieces and the best way to fit them. I could see the job would be quite hard. The plane had very poor fit in the fuselage. The cockpit interior was poor too. This was a serious problem because the cockpit is very big compared to the plane size, and the transparencies are very big and very clean, without distortion which really means that a lot of work is required for the prominent front office.

When I had built over the 70% of the model I discovered a great resin cockpit set from Black Box, and Eduard’s photo-etched set for this plane. If I had used this pieces I would have avoid many problems but I wouldn’t have enjoyed building as much.

The first task was to engrave the entire model with Verlinden’s scriber and pattern. I hollowed out all the intakes, registers and air exits (photo 1). I made all the rivets of the plane with help of different drill bits. I cut the plane’s fig with the intention of built the Minigun by myself and the ammunition box and its shot mechanism too. I built the Minigun’s compartment door too, (photo 3).

The Minigun is detailed with small circles of plastic crossed by hypodermic needles to simulate the cannon’s bars, (photo 2).

The bigger part of the transformation has been realised in the cockpit. I discarded the instrument panel and I built a new one with the help of photo-etched parts (photo 4). Controls and switches are made from stretched plastic, (photo 5). The front sight is made with plastic card and transparent acetate. The ejection seats are made by scratch using the model’s seats as the basis. For the construction I have used an aluminium sheet (which I get from a pizza wrapping) and plastic card. They are each made up from more than 25 pieces (photos 6-7).

The canopy parts were modified, and the entire framing was rebuilt. The rear-view mirrors, closing system and the hydraulic action which open and close it were all rebuilt.

I repositioned the rudder and flaps to give the plane more effect. A small needlewas used for the pitot tube. I completely rebuiltthe landing gears with their respective tubes and clamps.
The tyres were filed and their tread pattern was engraved.

Weapons are a mix of the model’s parts and other kits. Better MK-82 bombs were sourced from a Hasegawa kit. I decided to include the SUU-14/A rocket launchers from a Tamiya model too.

I had to completely rebuild the fuel tanks, (photo 8).

Napalm and fuel tanks are from the original model, (photo 9).

Painting and Markings

The model was painted completely with Tamiya colours. I had to mix colours until I get the characteristic SEA shades of this plane in Vietnam.

The model has been weathered to convey the impression of a hard-working operational aircraft. The effects were achieved by airbrushed coats of heavily diluted brown and blacks from Tamiya.

The model was coated with Micro Scale gloss varnish before highlighting the rivets with a much dissolved mix of desert yellow and matt yellow. Then I passed a very fine paintbrush of 0/0 over each panel and rivet with thinned brown and blacks from Tamiya.

The model was finished with a coat of Matt Opal “Titan”.

Decals were sourced from Albatros ref. ALC-48007 and 1/48 scale Verlinden transfers.