Jump to content

1/48 A-1H Skyraider, BuNo 139768, VA-25, USS Midway, 1965. Finished 16/04.


Recommended Posts

Hello all,

 

Here is my entry for this GB - Tamiya's 1/48 A-1H Skyraider marked as BuNo 139768 of VA-25 'Fist of the Fleet', flying off the USS Midway during the Vietnam war in 1965.

 

Delivered to the Navy in 1956, this Skyraider served with VA-42 and VA-122 prior to being transferred to VA-25 in July 1964. On the 20th June 1965, this aircraft was piloted by Lt Clint Johnson and was credited with downing a North Vietnamese MIG-17 along with Lt Charlie Hartman. 139768 was passed to VA-115 in 1966 and forced to ditch in the Gulf of Tonkin due to battle damage in March 1967.

 

Kit:

 

53518169667_94df469d9e_b.jpg

53519374109_bef3b96712_b.jpg

 

Extras:

 

53519059016_eff8e191f4_b.jpg

 

I'll be adding a Quinta cockpit set, Quickboost resin cockpit piece, New Ware masks and Aeromaster decals. I've seen a few images of Spads carrying MK.81 250lb bombs, so I retrieved a few old Hasegawa examples from the spares and will add these to some the kit supplied ordnance (of which there is a lot!)

 

Reference:

 

53519059061_fe9d601d90_b.jpg

 

Been wanting to do this one for a while so looking forward to getting started (need to get that Catalina under way first though!).

 

Dave

  • Like 17
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Made a start on this one, albeit very brief - ordnance! I had initially planned to add the 2000lb WWII era bombs that come with the kit but having studied a few images and cross referencing with the Osprey book, I could only see 1000lb bombs being carried on the inner wing stations so I pulled out a couple of MK.83s from the spares to go with the MK.81s and the 2.75in  FFAR (Folding Fin Aerial Rocket) pods that come with the kit. 

 

53541643856_7007b43663_b.jpg

 

It also looks like the larger drop wing with the fins was carried on the centre line so I opted for that. The pylons between the FFARs and MK.81 will be empty as again, this seemed quite common.

 

More soon.

 

Dave

  • Like 15
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • DaveJL changed the title to 1/48 A-1H Skyraider, BuNo 139768, VA-25, USS Midway, 1965. Update 20/02.
1 hour ago, modelling minion said:

Good to see you getting the ordnance out of the way early as usual Dave.

Cheers Craig. Feels like an achievement getting all the kablooey stuff done first!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, busnproplinerfan said:

Anyone know why that Skyraider 409 is so common in models of Skyraiders?

It was credited with shooting down a Mig-17 in October 1966, the second Mig 'kill' by USN A-1s during the Vietnam war.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, DaveJL said:

It was credited with shooting down a Mig-17 in October 1966, the second Mig 'kill' by USN A-1s during the Vietnam war.

ok thanks, didn't know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A little more done. Cockpit was given a black base then a squirt of FS36231. Once dry, some weathering added then on with the Quinta decals.

 

53560228294_cd45a72c0e_b.jpg

53560228369_d829e16f26_b.jpg

 

Same story with the fuselage sides:

 

53560341015_173e8391c8_b.jpg

 

Will get the fuselage closed up over the weekend all being well.

 

Question for those in the know - when parked, were the flaps deployed or retracted?

 

More soon

 

Dave

  • Like 12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • DaveJL changed the title to 1/48 A-1H Skyraider, BuNo 139768, VA-25, USS Midway, 1965. Update 29/02.
22 minutes ago, modelling minion said:

Very nice work on the cockpit Dave.

Cheers Craig!

 

17 minutes ago, Dads203 said:

Flaps were never down when parked up Dave, that’s what all the research pointed to when I did my homework for my build. 

All I needed to know, thanks mate!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/1/2024 at 6:29 AM, CliffB said:

Wow, that cockpit looks REALLY nice Dave.

Thanks Cliff! All credit to the Quinta set :lol:

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is comping along lovely. Those Quinta decals are fantastic!! 

 

I'm still to have a go at one of these. This could be my inspiration! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/9/2024 at 9:21 AM, wimbledon99 said:

This is comping along lovely. Those Quinta decals are fantastic!! 

 

I'm still to have a go at one of these. This could be my inspiration! 

Thanks mate! The Quinta sets are well worth it in my opinion.

 

A little more done. Wings first, no issues, just a little clean up needed on the leading edges. Added the undercarriage doors (not the biggest fan of the way Tamiya does this) along with all the pylons, except for the inner most - fitting these pre-painting will make it very difficult to paint the anti corrosion strip on the leading edge of the wings.

 

53578300137_c5bdd5d698_b.jpg

53579486509_61c17933fe_b.jpg

 

Fuselage was closed up next. Again, no issues, just a little clean up around the lower intake.

 

53578300457_178b31ecb3_b.jpg

53579377953_dc93ea5e11_b.jpg

 

All the various bits and bobs ready for primer:

 

53579378048_24a885c41e_b.jpg

 

Finally, the Brassin seat arrived. An absolute work of art!

 

53579378248_7f50097079_b.jpg

53579486854_377a622d84_b.jpg

 

Will get the wings fitted to the fuselage during the week then we're pretty much ready for start of the painting process. Nice kit this!

 

More soon

 

Dave

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • DaveJL changed the title to 1/48 A-1H Skyraider, BuNo 139768, VA-25, USS Midway, 1965. Update 10/03.
2 hours ago, modelling minion said:

You're doing a great job here Dave, a really neat build mate.

That seat looks very nice and will look even better when painted.

Cheers Craig. It's a typical Tamiya kit in terms of fit with just the odd seam line to clean up. Lots of painting ahead which will be a lot more time consuming than sticking the bits together :lol:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...