Our 1:4.8 scale A4 Skyhawk has received a complete overhaul and is now on par with the best scale jets CARF-Models has ever produced. The CARF-Models A4 Skyhawk had always great surface detail, perfect outline, a wealth of scale details and the greatest flying characteristics a model jet pilot could wish for, but now it's a true ARF kit with highest prefabrication and an array of highly improved accessories coming with it.
We have simplified the design by just the right amount so that construction gets so much easier, but still leaves the complexlity to impress. So we have opted against moving slats and wing speedbrakes on the new V2 model. But on special request, of course, we can add these functional details back in as custom request.
For now, we have a silver version, on which all other versions base on. This basic kit is extremely prefabricated. All the bells and whistles can be added to make it a full scale masterpiece such as avionics hump, scale detail package, drop tanks, ordinance stations.
As a second option, we offer a painted in-the-mold Blue Angels Version where all the typical scale details are included, painted, mostly preinstalled, with the optional yellow vinyl graphics for the fin number from 1-7.
As a custom order in limited quantities, a full museum scale detailing and paint job of "Lady Jessie" as seen in the pictures will be available, on top of the silver base price. This will be an add-on to the basic silver kit, which needs to be purchased together with the silver base kit.
We did not make new molds. But we did a lot of new things on the parts which come out of them. Firstly, they are lighter than the V1. Learning from the few V1 planes we made, we know exactly where we can save weight without jeopardizing strength. Secondly, we omitted a few of the scale functions, which are not really necessary to have a great flying airplane. That simplified the constrution a lot, allowing us to add more prefabrication into the parts which could not be left out.
- we changed the way the front and rear fuselage bolt together. The bolts are well visible and much easier accessible through the air intake.
- the air intakes are removable and click on with pins and magnets. They act as two huge access hatches for all electronics installation on new, removable equipment boards.
- The canopy is removable, but does not require the complicated hinging to be installed anymore
- The nose cone is also attached with pins and magnets, readily done
- All gear doors, speedbrake doors and flaps have the inner liners INSTALLED. Not from vacuum formed plastic, but from composites
- Gear doors are hinged, control horns are installed, servo mounts are pre-fabricated (yes, all doors are servo operated now)
- Fuselage speed brake doors are cut out, inner liners installed, hinged, and ready to connect to a servo operated pushrod
- Fin, rudder, stab and elevator are left exactly like V1, but everything is prefabricated to the point that only servos have to be installed
- The wings are simplified by not having the complex mechanism for the slats installed. Slats are glued on non-movable.
- ailerons, flaps are hinged and ready to connect to servos
- all gear mounts, mains and nose, are ready to accept the new electric gear.
- a new scale cockpit made from 3D-printed resin technology drops in and mounts on rails readily installed in the front fuselage
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An all electric, way lighter retract has been designed with the help of Down&Locked in the USA. The rotating mechanism for the mains is a very special and unique design. The springs are set perfectly for the weight of the model. The nose gear has a spindle in the strut, which can extend, like the full scale, to increase angle of attack for take off. The wheels are real rubber wheels and the brakes are servo driven, allowing fully proportional braking, even allowing a mix with the steering input. The hydraulic nose gear steering has been eliminated and replaced by a fully rotating strut with a steering servo mounted on it, hidden inside the fuselage.
The engine mount has moved significantly forward, with the intention to improve the CG situation. That way we can install all electronic equipment on a tray in the air intake area and don't have to put everything right in the nose, where access has always been a problem. Only the batteries are now left in the nose. A single walled, light weight thrust tube is available, made from a hard, high grade, 0.15mm thick stainless sheet. The carbon bell mouth is mounted in the rear fuselage. Taking the rear fuselage off requires only the removal of 4 easily accessible bolts.
The 2 saddle tanks have been eliminated, instead we install a lighter and less complex, streamlined single 5 liter fuel cell in the middle of the fuselage.
Hundreds of small molded parts have been created and produced to make our A4 Skyhawk a museums piece. All air intakes and exits, refueling probe, vortex generators, arresting hook and flares compartments. also we have made clear light lenses. Inner liners for peed brake doors / panels and gear doors are already installed in the new V2 kit, all other scale details will fit the silver version of our V2 kit as well as the V1.
Mostly the F-Versions of the A4 Skyhawk had this very characteristic avionics hump installed. For many Skyhawk fans this is an important modification to give an A4 the right appearance in the air and on the ground. Depending on the version you want to build, this hump can be purchased as a light weight 2-part fiberglass set.
A very complete set of underwing stations is available for our A4 Skyhawk. It can carry up to 3 large drop tanks, rockets, bombs or other scale odnance. The stations are removable from the wing for transport purposes. The mounts for all the ordnance is very flexible and can be adjusted to the needs perfectly. All parts are hand laminated and extremely detailed.
Droptanks make the silhouette of an A4 Skyhawk unmistakenly unique, both on the ground and in the air. Our two large droptanks are extremely detailed and are mounted to the inner wing stations. A third tank could slightly modified be used under the center station. Usually these centerline tanks were not all that pointed and did not have the wings on their tail. A Mini-Servo is mounted in the tank as a release mechanism, pulling the connector when the tank drops.
The cockpit is ALL NEW. It is a 3D printed Resin structure, with extremely smooth surface. Hand painted, fully assembled and ready to mount in the rails glued into the fuselage.
The A4 Skyhawk has some very specific flight characteristics, which makes her such a beloved airplane. It can be flown very fast and very slow. The most impressive flight stage is the high alpha slow flight, all down and dirty, there is simply no more exciting fly by possible. The A4 in fast flight tracks like a pattern plane. Slow rolls, point rolls and knife edge flights are so easy since not much control input is required. And being big and heavy, the CARF Models A4 Skyhawk even presents itself like the full scale in the tight corners – it just doesn’t look like a model airplane at all.
Flying the A4 Skyhawk in airshows is like bringing a legend back to life. That’s what takes the spectator's and fellow modeler's breath away – and gives you, the pilot, that feeling of excitement, pride and confidence.
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68" (1730 mm) |
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106" (2680 mm) |
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about 40 Lbs (20 kg) dry |
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34-44 lb thrust (16-20 kg) |
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13 high power digital servos standard size (25+ kg) |
