S-3A

Mike

I believe that the Hasagawa kit is the only S-3 available in 1/72, also I don't ever remember seeing a TA-7 in any scale. Also a 1/48 scale kit can still befound of the S-3 it was boxed originally by ESCI then AMT/ERTL it builds into a pretty nice kit. One boxing of the Hasagawa S-3 was in the Navy 1 markings that Bush to the carrier a couple of years ago.

Mike

There was also an AMT release of the ES-3A Shadow in 1/48 too.

WmB

There's little to choose, IMO, between the Hasegawa and Airfix (also released by MPC) S-3 kits. The TA-7 has never been released as an injection molded kit but both resin and vac conversions are/have been available.

Falcon Industries makes (made?) a vacuform fuselage conversion for the TA-7C. It's on the same sheet as RF-8G and F-100F conversion fuselages. A Hasegawa or Airfix A-7 kit is needed to complete the conversion of the TA. Airfix once made an S-3 and Hasegawa makes one now.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

Falcon and Maintrack both have 1/72 conversions for the TA-7. As Al said, Falcon's is vac, Maintrack's is an OK injection and says it is for the Fujimi kit. Also, the Maintrack has decals for two VA-34 birds, a NWC bird and a low-viz VA-174. Falcon has no decals.

RVHP has a very nice TA-7 conversion for the Hasegawa 1/48 kit if you want to stay in the same scale with the AMT/ESCI S-3A. It contains decals for a high-viz VA-174 (like I flew).

John Alger IPMS 10906 Charlotte Scale Modelers

Hey John - Thanks for the info. I'm going to stick with 1/72 due to space limitations. BTW - I was a VA-174 PR-2 from 86 thru decom. I thought shore duty was going to WONDERFUL, but when I checked in we had what, around 40-50 aircraft? I nearly cried!

Mike

I was there in 79-80 as an FRP. Unfortunately, the A-7 and I did not get along when it came to carrier quals. Became an NFO after that.

That number of aircraft sounds about right. Line was pretty full - about 30% TA-7C and the rest E's as I recall. Pretty busy place.

John Alger USN(ret)

The Hasegawa S-3 is the only one available at this point, but it might be worth noting that it is also available in a Revell box.

Rob

Nothing wrong with being a good NFO :) EA-6B ECMO here 86 to 06 VAQ-129/VAQ-141/VAQ-35/VAQ-129/VAQ-309/VAQ-209

Allen Epps

in 1/72 airfix or hasegawa for the S-3. though as others have said RoG have reboxed the hasegawa offering.

as for the TA-7C hmm, the maintrack conversion may be re-released under the whirlybird label. they have re-released the maintrack A-7K [it was on their stand at SMW last month].

as for the falcon vacform fuselage for the TA-7 i have not seen one of them for years.

trevor