TAV-8A Colors

[Bruce Archer]

Hi All!

     Thanks for the info on the AV-8B(NA) colors. While I wait for the green I ordered to arrive, I took down from the shelf of doom a Bobcat TAV-8A, Harriert2/4 kit I started 15 years ago. Well after putting a cockpit in, new landing gear, proper wing tips , and adding new nozzles and exhaust plates I have two questions:

 

1- Did the Marines paint their TAV-8As in the grey/green wrap around scheme?

2-Are their decals available?

 

Thanks!

 

Bruce

[scotthldr]

Would depend on the timeframe. From delivery up until the late 70's early 80's, it would've been 34079 Green and 36118 Grey uppers with 36440 lower. It then changed to 34064 Green/36099 Grey uppers and 36440 lowers, which is the same scheme that the AV-8B’s first wore as per your other other thread. Eventually the 36440 was dropped and they went wrapround, but only on T/AV-8B’s.

 

As for decals, Caracal did a sheet but I think it covered only AV-8A's?

Edited April 14, 2021 by scotthldr

[Giorgio N]

2 hours ago, scotthldr said:

Would depend on the timeframe. From delivery up until the late 70's early 80's, it would've been 34079 Green and 36118 Grey uppers with 36440 lower. It then changed to 34064 Green/34099 Grey uppers and 36440 lowers, eventually the 36440 was dropped and they went wrapround.

 

As for decals, Caracal did a sheet but I think it covered only AV-8A's?

 

Were many of the two-seater painted in wraparound? I've never seen a picture of a TAV-8A in such scheme.

Thinking about it, I can't remember having seen the single seaters in wraparound either and pictures I've seen of these taken after retirement showed grey undersurfaces. I may be wrong but I believe that the wraparound scheme only appeared on the later AV-8Bs.

 

[scotthldr]

Yes you are quite correct, I got rather ahead of myself with my answer.😆. By the time they went wrapround they were flying the AV-8B.  I’ve amended my original answer accordingly👍🏻 Sorry for any confusion.

Edited April 14, 2021 by scotthldr

[CT7567]

On 4/12/2021 at 1:11 PM, Bruce Archer said:

 

2-Are their decals available?

Your best bet may be asking after spares from the Sword T.2/TAV-8A kit, as I would assume a number of folks with that kit plan to build a British variant.

 

Decals for the A/C may be be helpful but I'm not sure if the early two-seaters were ever operated outside VMAT-203, which doesn't appear on any currently (or even recently) available sheets. In fact the only one I know of is an old Microscale sheet for the AV-8B (marks were similar enough they might pass, e.g. the tail codes were in light gray vs. the earlier white).

[Vingtor]

12 hours ago, scotthldr said:

Would depend on the timeframe. From delivery up until the late 70's early 80's, it would've been 34079 Green and 36118 Grey uppers with 36440 lower. It then changed to 34064 Green/36099 Grey uppers and 36440 lowers, which is the same scheme that the AV-8B’s first wore as per your other other thread. Eventually the 36440 was dropped and they went wrapround, but only on T/AV-8B’s.

 

As for decals, Caracal did a sheet but I think it covered only AV-8A's?

Were not the AV-8As and TAV-8As delivered in British colours, the same as for the RAF aircraft?

Nils

[Hook]

18 minutes ago, Vingtor said:

Were not the AV-8As and TAV-8As delivered in British colours, the same as for the RAF aircraft?

They were, being built in Great Britain, but during depot overhauls US paint equivalents were used for repaints. 

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[tonywood]

VMAT-203 decals are included on the Caracal decals AV-8A sheet. You could use these with the BuNo from the Sword two seater decals.