heloman1 Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Good evening guys. A question if I may? I'm building the Italeri (nee ESCI) AEW 1/ AD-4W Skyraider kit in 48th scale. The quuestion is, did the type carry/was it fitted with the armour plate on the fuselage/cockpit sides and underneath? I suspect not, which if that is the case then it will require some serious filing. Any light that can be shed would be greatfully recieved. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Hello, Colin Take a look on a following Air-Britain webpage: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/model/Douglas AD-4W Skyraider AEW1?f=&sort=airport&order=desc Several of these photos had been taken while AEW Skyraiders were still in service. Try as I may, but I cannot see any trace of armour plating. Cheers Jure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Colin, I know AD-4's and -4N's had the external armor plates fitted, and the photos I have seen of AD-4W's show some with and some without. According to a Tailhook Topics article I read by Tommy Thomason, if an AD had the additional armor fitted, the kick-in pilot step under the cockpit on either side was replaced with a small fixed ledge, so if you have a photo that shows this area of the airplane, you can use that fact to confirm the existence of the external armor plates. Not my scale, so I'm not at all familiar with the kit you are using, but IIRC, the AD-4W'salso had a wedge-shaped spoiler fitted to the leading edge of both inboard wings, so you might want to check your kit for these and consult photos. Maybe Tommy and/or Steve Ginter can enlighten us both on this topic, as they are true experts on 'hookers!'. Sure wish we could get a true Korean War AD-2/3/4 in 1/72 scale someday. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted March 9, 2017 Author Share Posted March 9, 2017 Many thanks guys, I though it improbable that the FAA cabs would be fitted with the plates. Now for some serious file work... June the link to Air Britain was imvaluable, thanks. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Just to add to the above here are a couple of shots I took at Aces High in North Weald in the early 90's. It's an ex Swedish target tug but before that I believe it was with the FAA. These are snaps I took with an iPhone of mine of original prints, so the fidelity may not be up to scratch. No idea whether any armour was removed, but I offer them up anyway. Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenPhill Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Sorry to go off subject but is that A Fiat X19 trying to hide? Its just that I have a soft spot for these rust buckets.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davepb Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 I've got a few pictures of RN Skyraiders with some interesting graffiti - can't remember where I downloaded them from, but you are welcome to them along with some "walkround pics of the Swedish plane. Send me a PM if interested. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Hello Colin I just had a look through the old BARG monograph on the AEW1 and cannot see any signs of the armour being fitted. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailspin Turtle Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 7 hours ago, Jure Miljevic said: Hello, Colin Take a look on a following Air-Britain webpage: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/model/Douglas AD-4W Skyraider AEW1?f=&sort=airport&order=desc Several of these photos had been taken while AEW Skyraiders were still in service. Try as I may, but I cannot see any trace of armour plating. Cheers Jure After looking at these pictures and some of my stuff, I'm pretty sure that there was a stall strip on the leading edge of the wing above the right main landing gear but not on the left. There were fixed scabbed-on slots on the outboard wing panel when the radome was fitted. No armor plate (it wasn't intended to go in harm's way). The oil cooler outlet was now a duct added on the sides of the fuselage aft of the cowl flaps. The catapult hooks were now mounted on the landing gear struts with a cutout in the forward facing landing gear doors. All the dive brakes were deleted. The new fact that I recently became aware of is that both finlets on the horizontal stabilizer were angled three degrees to the left like the vertical fin. Let me know if any of that doesn't make sense and I'll work up a blog post. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 5 hours ago, Tailspin Turtle said: After looking at these pictures and some of my stuff, I'm pretty sure that there was a stall strip on the leading edge of the wing above the right main landing gear but not on the left. There were fixed scabbed-on slots on the outboard wing panel when the radome was fitted. No armor plate (it wasn't intended to go in harm's way). The oil cooler outlet was now a duct added on the sides of the fuselage aft of the cowl flaps. The catapult hooks were now mounted on the landing gear struts with a cutout in the forward facing landing gear doors. All the dive brakes were deleted. The new fact that I recently became aware of is that both finlets on the horizontal stabilizer were angled three degrees to the left like the vertical fin. Let me know if any of that doesn't make sense and I'll work up a blog post. Hi Tommy, many tahnks for th einput. I picked up the stall strips but was not aware of the deflection of the finletts, will keep that in mind. i also saw the ducted oil cooler, so besides soem file wrk there is some scratch building to be done. Thanks to everyone for the input mutchly appreciated. I was astounded by my lack of Skyraider ref but then I could have passed it on to another modeller after building the Monogram kit back in the 80's. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessica Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 The armour plate was added to the AD-6 and -7. Earlier Spads never had it. Also watch out for the wheel wells. Up to the AD-5, there were no main gear doors, just a hole in the wing for the wheel when it was retracted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 You shouldn't have to do any filling in, the large holes in the fuselage sides take different panels to represent different types (it was based on their AD-6 kit), you just fit the AD-4W/AEW.1 side panels in place. AEW.1 s definitely didn't have armour plating, if of use I have got pics of the stripped AEW at Yeovilton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 (edited) Stall strips are often only added to one side, on the principle that if the *** thing was going to drop a wing, at least we 'll know which one. Edited March 10, 2017 by Graham Boak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailspin Turtle Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 (edited) 9 hours ago, Jessica said: The armour plate was added to the AD-6 and -7. Earlier Spads never had it. Also watch out for the wheel wells. Up to the AD-5, there were no main gear doors, just a hole in the wing for the wheel when it was retracted. Actually, the armor was at least retrofitted to the AD-3s and 4s. (I don't know if late production AD-4s were delivered with it.) See http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/07/ad-armor-all.html Also, the wheel-well doors were introduced on the AD-4 and the AD-5 reverted back to the open hole. The doors were reinstated with the AD-6. However, you are correct in that the AD-4W, like the AD-5, had no wheel-well doors. Edited March 10, 2017 by Tailspin Turtle Add AD-4W wheel-well configuration 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 18 hours ago, Tailspin Turtle said: After looking at these pictures and some of my stuff, I'm pretty sure that there was a stall strip on the leading edge of the wing above the right main landing gear but not on the left. There were fixed scabbed-on slots on the outboard wing panel when the radome was fitted. No armor plate (it wasn't intended to go in harm's way). The oil cooler outlet was now a duct added on the sides of the fuselage aft of the cowl flaps. The catapult hooks were now mounted on the landing gear struts with a cutout in the forward facing landing gear doors. All the dive brakes were deleted. The new fact that I recently became aware of is that both finlets on the horizontal stabilizer were angled three degrees to the left like the vertical fin. Let me know if any of that doesn't make sense and I'll work up a blog post. Yep- RH side only! See attached link with good detail photos. You da man, Tommy! Mike http://skyraider.org/skyassn/memberpics/cowell/cowell.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davepb Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 I've got a few pictures of RN Skyraiders with some interesting graffiti - can't remember where I downloaded them from, but you are welcome to them along with some "walkround pics of the Swedish plane. Send me a PM if interested. Dave PS. Here is a link on the web to those pictures : http://skyraider.org/skyassn/memberpics/cowell/cowell.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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