Back in the early/mid 1970s, I was stationed at NAS Alameda. First with VAQ-130 with their EKA-3Bs and later attached to VR-30 which had a number of different types. Being unmarried, I was pretty well forced by lack of funds to live in the barracks. The barracks I was destined to live in for much of that time was right at the end of the east/west runway. Many a Saturday or Sunday morning, as I was trying to sleep in, I was rudely awakened by the blast of the latest batch of weekend warriors in their orange tailed monsters taking off from just a few hundred feet from my bed! To say that I was less than thrilled was a bit of an understatement, however, it did force me to crawl out of bed in time to get to the chow hall before breakfast was over!

Those days are gone forever. I have retired and NAS Alameda is just a memory as it was closed after the Gulf War. What has become of it I do not know, but I do imagine that there are a number of ghosts haunting the hangers where those Corsairs used to live!

This sheet has three subjects, two of the CAG birds. All are in gull grey and white. The first is a CAG bird from VA-203 and has a nice multicolored fuselage band with blue in the tail. Next is a rather dull bird from VA-204 with just a red tail band and red stars. It has no tail code and I wouldn't doubt if this aircraft was photographed before it had a chance to have them added. It should have 'AF' on the tail. Finally, a CAG bird from my nemesis of old, VA-303 at Alameda. I never saw this particular paint scheme so it must have been there during the few years I was away from the base. This one is particulary nice with a blue tail and a nice golden hawk.

The recommended kit for this sheet is the Revell A-7A, but modern modelers will want to search out the super Fujimi A-7B kit to use. There are enough common markings for all three aircraft on the sheet, but only enough national insignia for two; and some of those look off register. You even get instrument panel decals, which were sorely needed if you used the Revell kit!!