Skywarrior Walkways

[thepureness]

Hi everyone. 

 

I'm looking to build a different subject to my usual kits and I'm quite fancying a shot at one of the Trumpeter Skywarrior kits. 

I'm trying to do a bit of research myself but also reaching out to the group here. 

 

The walkway on the top of the aircraft, was this common to all versions and was it always present. A great deal of the walkarounds I've found the photographer didn't get any views from above.

 

I know trumpeter make some major errors with their kits from time to time and I know they didn't provide the walkways as decals, but on some of their boxings they don't show the walkway as present 

[72modeler]

You might see if you know someone who has the Warpaint Number 112 on the A-3D or the Aerograph Number 5 on the A-3D.  If you look at photos that show the upper surfaces, some have a grey walkway that runs along the centerline with  a swept section that extends out along each inner wing; many photos show the absence of these walkways. Perhaps @Tailspin Turtle might be of assistance, but the A-3D blogs I saw on his website did not cover markings per se or the walkways.

Mike

 

This photo from the AVGeekery website is the best one I could find that shows the walkways. Submitted for informational purposes.

Edited October 25, 2021 by 72modeler

[theplasticsurgeon]

Walkways was something that I deliberated over during these two builds.

Hasegawa 1/72 Skywarrior which had decals, and 

Rareplane 1/72 Skywarrior which had nothing, so I copied those from Hasegawa.   

I'll look out the Scale Aircraft Modelling for Skywarrior later, but most photos show walkways as in 72 modellers photo.

One reason being, the ditching hatch, that rear central window of the canopy was routinely left open for ventilation and access - leading straight to that walkway. 

[71chally]

It's a subject I'm very keen on, and have built a couple of the Hasegawa examples, I have some Trumpy kits (plus loads of tasty Hypersonic correction resin!) and they do omit the walkways which appear on the boxart.  The good news is that they are pretty straightforward to paint on and edge using thin black decal.

Not sure about the dark blue scheme, but In all the images I've seen of the standard gull grey/white aircraft the walkways are present, the importance of which I would say is touched on by theplasticsurgeon, the canopy hatch was routinely left open for take-offs to aid with getting out of the aircraft in the event of a ditching. Probably pretty important for servicing access of the Whale aswel!

 

Edited October 24, 2021 by 71chally

[thepureness]

I'm looking at the ERA-3A version and on this photo I'm not sure if it is there

 

 

 

[71chally]

On some aircraft it is quite indestinct, the two greys seem close in tone, in others it's a lot more distinct. Looking at that pic on Airliners, I would say the walkway is there, but very faint.

[Junchan]

These 2 diagrams are from the MIL-STD-2161A.

Jun in Tokyo

https://www.flickr.com/photos/horaburo/albums

 

[72modeler]

On 10/26/2021 at 10:37 AM, Junchan said:

These 2 diagrams are from the MIL-STD-2161A

Very interesting, Jun! However, the documents you posted show matte black for the walkways, and in many of the color  period photos, they are clearly grey. Decisions, decisions! BTW- thanks for the posted diagrams!

Mike