Hasegawa 1:72 EA-3B Skywarrior - Craig Sargeant
This is the Hasegawa kit of the EKA-3B which I started in 1999, when Hasegawa first released the kit, and started converting to an EA-3B of VQ-2 from Desert Storm - the last A-3 flying operationally.
The photos I have all show the aircraft as it appeared AFTER Desert Storm where the shark mouth and some other artwork was added.
Even though this pic was taken in 93, this is pretty much how she appeared during Operation Desert Storm.
Kit has Cutting Edge update set which provided the large underfuselage canoe, the seamless intakes and the two main comms antennae, the wings are the Wolfpack resin wingfold set (added about 4 years ago when they were released), and the kit has the Eduard set added.
I have cut holes in the fuselage to add the three windows on the starboard side, as well as filling and opening various vents.
Here are the added windows. You'll note the first attempts were too small and not far enough apart, so were filled in, and correct ones added.
Here are the parts still to be added. I have now added Master Models' NATO refuelling probes to the mix (top left corner).
Here is the small progress, and I did some changes:
Replaced the Cutting Edge belly canoe with the Hasegawa one (from the newest Hasegawa release where some parts are in resin)
Finished the cockpit
Added the crew entry door on the starboard side and raised baffles (covered in Tamiya tape while I sand a window)
Moved the rear window further aft to clear the door
Extended the fuel probe fairing further aft to account for the fuel tanks being moved further aft on the non-bomber versions
Added the nose gear
Added the retracted tail bumper with a scratchbuilt wheel
Redid the 3 nose vents
Painted and attached the engine fronts
Added the intake under the radome and filled the two intakes either side of the nose (on this version they need to be closer in toward the nose gear bay and further forward)
I have also started correcting the canopy framing and the outboard slat shape