Tamiya 1/100 scale A-4E Skyhawk kit No.PA1003 Help Wanted

[FAAMAN]

I'm a real glutton for punishment so along with the two builds I've just started on my workbench I have the 1968 Tamiya 1/100 scale A-4E Skyhawk to do.

Yes I know it's a bit of a parody with it's overly long nose, wing dihedral and some odd detail but it's a replacement for one I did in 1970 (badly).

My question to everyone here is can you help me with a side on view of the USN aircraft (411AG BuNo.149986 the first decal option) whilst serving off Vietnam with VA-86 on USS Independence CVA-62 in 1964-65?

I have a few pics of VA-86 A-4E's, even one of "411AG BuNo.149986" but it's from almost directly aft and I'm not able to make out the markings, I'm trying to sort just what her tail codes were. 411's squadron mates have the standard "last four" of their BuNo. on the vertical stabiliser but it seems that Tamiya way back then in 1968 provided the last 5, so '49986' and it just doesn't fit where it should be placed.

Any help or opinion on what I should do or were I might be able to look for further pics would be greatly appreciated.

Regards all,

Neil.

[Finn]

Check here:

 

https://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv62-65/index.html

 

Jari

 

[FAAMAN]

Jari thank very much for the link, on one page there was a side view of 411AG, just it's nose though.

I did find a 45 min Youtube vid from the cruise  here; 

 

With lotsa USN birds from then, combat footage, some NMF B-57s too. Think I found my answer too, the camera pans past a four ship flight of A-4E's from VA-86 getting readt to tank from a Whale and the last A-4E in line is 411AG and although a little blurry you do see the last four on the vertical stabiliser. So I seem to have answered my question.

Regards,

Neil

[CT7567]

Can't help on any other photo sources but I did notice this shot from wikimedia commons that shows a four-ship of VA-86 A-4Es.  Note the lead ship (modex 411) has the 'NAVY' title on base of the tail but no last 4/5 Bu.No. apparent. (Pesumably the full number is on the lower fuselage, just not clear in this image).  If the five-digit number doesn't fit this could justify leaving it off entirely.

 

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A-4E_Skyhawks_of_VA-86_in_flight_c1966.jpg

 

[FAAMAN]

Thanks for that CT567, I've got a blow up of that image only to discover that the lead ship is 414AG unknown BuNo.

One problem that us modellers have is that during it's time with the A-4E, VA-86 had fourtyseven different A-4E airframes in the 14 assigned aircraft slots over total over 4 years. There are quite a few instances that particular Buno. had two different modex numbers within the squadron.

I'm going to go with a last four "9986" for 411AG.

Regards,

FAA 😎