Douglas A-1J Skyraider undercarriage help please

[Pappy]

G'day "Sandy" experten,

 

I am building the Tamiya 1/48 A-1J (USAF) variant for the current Bomber/Strike GB and I have a question regarding the main undercarriage legs,

 

Each of the main gear legs has a small recess

 

The instructions don't seem to indicate what is supposed to fit into these notches, nor do they suggest that they need to be filled in. I noticed that there are two unused landing lights (F2) on the clear sprue

 

 

 

I imagine these would fit into the recesses but as I said, the lights are not mentioned anywhere in the instructions. I was thinking that other versions (A-1D?) use them but that these were not required on the A-1J however, I have already had a look at the BM walkaround pics which are excellent, but neither the USN or USAF pictures show u/c mounted landing lights so I am still looking for an answer

 

If anyone knows and has some reference pics that would be awesome,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

Edited January 27, 2022 by Pappy

[72modeler]

Not really sure, but I think they might be where catapault hooks would be fitted on those Skyraiders that were carrier-based. See the link to a Tailhook Topics article by Tommy Thomason. I'm guessing the variants flown by the USAF and SVNAF did not have them. @Tailspin Turtle would be the man who would know, and as for the landing lights, I'm kinda fuzzy on where they were fitted on A-1J/H's, but I believe they were fitted under each wing towards the tip, and were hinged down when in use as taxy lights; I don't think the carrier based Spads had them, as there was no need for them. There was some discussion on this topic a while back- in 2017, I think- look for Skyraider wingtip landing lights.

Mike

 

http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2018/06/ad-4w-skyraider.html

 

 

[Pappy]

Cheers I will have a dig back through. The launch hooks for the cat strop makes sense as well.

There are a couple of depressions with a type of hook near the wing root (similar to the location on the F-4 Phantom) which I assumed were the cat launch strop attach points. Anyway, thanks for the input, I will go digging,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

[gingerbob]

Well, I looked at the instructions for the A-1H and they are the same as the J- no mention of anything going there, and I didn't spot a use for the lamps.  It'll be interesting to find out the answer (if we do).  That notch is toward the back side of the strut, and it seems to me that the "clamshell" door would block a lamp mounted there.

[f111guru]

Pappy,

I would agree with every response so far. Sometimes it would be nice to climb inside those that draft up the mold specs to know just what their thinking is. were they thinking to make an AD-3W, AD-4W, AD-5W, and the AEW-1 series aircraft that would have the catapult bridle hooks on the main gear legs. Or was it something else. Just a thought.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

[Pappy]

14 hours ago, gingerbob said:

Well, I looked at the instructions for the A-1H and they are the same as the J- no mention of anything going there, and I didn't spot a use for the lamps.  It'll be interesting to find out the answer (if we do).  That notch is toward the back side of the strut, and it seems to me that the "clamshell" door would block a lamp mounted there.

 

9 hours ago, f111guru said:

Pappy,

I would agree with every response so far. Sometimes it would be nice to climb inside those that draft up the mold specs to know just what their thinking is. were they thinking to make an AD-3W, AD-4W, AD-5W, and the AEW-1 series aircraft that would have the catapult bridle hooks on the main gear legs. Or was it something else. Just a thought.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

 

I have come to the same conclusion after also looking at the Navy variant instructions on-line. I think that Tamiya had (have?) plans to release other versions but for whatever reason have not.

 

Thank you everyone for all your reposnses, they have been very helpful,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

[Finn]

Located elsewhere on Tommy's site, shows lights on the struts:

 

 

Jari

[Tailspin Turtle]

9 hours ago, Finn said:

Located elsewhere on Tommy's site, shows lights on the struts:

 

 

Jari

Finn - thanks, I saw the question but then got distracted. The Air Force added landing lights out on the wing tips. Link to follow.

[Tailspin Turtle]

1 hour ago, Tailspin Turtle said:

Finn - thanks, I saw the question but then got distracted. The Air Force added landing lights out on the wing tips. Link to follow.

It took me a while to find it and it is for the A-1E only, but one should probably look at the A-1J being represented pretty closely for details like this: https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2017/08/usafvnaf-1es.html

[Pappy]

On 1/29/2022 at 2:31 AM, Tailspin Turtle said:

It took me a while to find it and it is for the A-1E only, but one should probably look at the A-1J being represented pretty closely for details like this: https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2017/08/usafvnaf-1es.html

 

G'day TT,

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply and the links, it has been very helpful,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy