This packed sheet presents five choices of markings for the A-1 Skyraider modeler.  Most of these aircraft carry the familiar flat gull gray 36440 upper surfaces, and gloss white undersides typical of the Navy aircraft of the 1960s-80s.  No national insignia are given, so you will need to mine them from another source.  Most folks would want to consider Hasegawa’s 1/72 offering as their model choice, but the instructions recommend what was available at the time the sheet was printed, Airfix and Monogram.

The first  choice is a Spad from VA-52, which operated the aircraft from 1959-1967.  This is a two-seat A-1E, which was used in three Vietnam cruises taken by the squadron.

The history of VA-25 dates back to 1943, although the squadron didn’t officially form until July 1959.  They operated Skyraiders from the beginning, and the squadron was the last to operate the A-1 when it returned aboard the USS Coral Sea in April 1968 from serving in Southeast Asia.  The A-1H was replaced by the A-7 Corsair II, which itself was replaced by the F/A-18 Hornet, still operated today by the “Fist of the Fleet.”  The aircraft shown here is noted as being preserved today at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida.

The next example is an AD-6 (later redesignated A-1H) of VA-75.  They operated the Spad from 1949 until 1963, and this example was flown from the USS Independence. 

Option #4 is another AD-6 (A-1H), this one from the Marine Engineering Squadron AES-12 at Quantico, VA.  This option is a little more colorful, using insignia orange, gloss black and white.

From 1955-1966, the Skyraiders of VA-176 served the Navy.  This example carries the notable black and yellow wasp insignia from its tail to the upper fuselage, aboard the USS Intrepid.  This aircraft also carries a large number of mission markings.

http://www.skyraider.org/skyassn/skysqds.htm#anchor889953

November 2004

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