1/48 AMT ES-3A "Shadow"

by Joe Volz

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This is the AMT ES-3A Shadow kit in 1/48th scale. The Shadow was the Electronic Intelligence version of the S-3 Viking, serving for a short time in US Navy Carrier Air Wings. There were two squadrons, VQ-5, and VQ-6 which would send detachments to the various deployed Battle Groups. They were retired in 1999 and replaced by land-based EP-3's. The AMT kit has the parts in it to build either the S-3A, or the ES-3A. I chose to build an ES-3A from VQ-5 aboard the USS Carl Vinson, using Aeromaster's decals.

The kit is of excellent quality and detail, and goes together well with only one notable issue. That would be the engines. The fan blades are just too big to fit properly inside the nacelles. I've built two of these kits, and it was the case with both. I sanded the outer rim of the fans down to make them fit, and secured the nacelles tightly while the engine assembly dried. I puttied the resulting seam, and smoothed with acetone as it is difficult to sand in the confined area. The cockpit is sparse, with decals for instruments, but is difficult to see anyway with the heavily tinted windscreen. I chose to install a crew, made up of parts from various Hasegawa figures, and secured them to their seats with masking tape harnesses. The remainder of the kit was assembled without issue.

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I painted the model in overall Polyscale Lt. Ghost Gray, and coated with Future for decaling purposes. The excellent Aeromaster set was combined with their Low Viz Viking stencils (available separately), and went on with no problems. Another coat of Future was applied to seal the decals, and I proceeded to apply an enamel wash to the panel lines.  Some pastel chalk and airbrush "touch-ups" completed the weathering. After applying a coat of Polyscale Flat, all of the many antenna so prominent on the ES-3A were applied.

Joe

Photos and text © by Joe Volz