A/S32A-31A is a current flight deck tractor for all active U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and amphibious ships. On carriers the vehicle is typically equipped with a gas turbine unit to start jet aircraft engines. When compared to the older MD-3 tractor in service since the 1960's through the 1990's, the A/S32A-31A has a different rear end and a new starter unit. The vehicles have served or are in service on Kitty Hawk, Enterprise and Nimitz class carriers as well as Whidbey Island, Harpers Ferry, Austin, Tarawa, Wasp and San Antonio class amphibious ships.
The kit is produced by F4Models (cat. # 7002). I scratch-built some braces and levers from thin wire; the folded air hose comes with the kit and is molded in resin. Painting and weathering is done with Vallejo acrylics, MiG neutral wash; the final coating is Vallejo varnish.
Then there are some pictures of my model of the A/S32A-32A hangar deck tractor.
The A/S32A-32A is a purpose-built vehicle the U. S. Navy uses to tow, turn and position aircraft on hangar decks and elevators of its aircraft carriers and large-deck amphibious ships. It is in service today on all U.S. carriers and large-deck amphibious ships (Tarawa and Wasp class).
This kit also comes from F4Models (cat. # 7004). It's mostly an out-of-the-box build. There are quite a lot of parts on the small photo etched fret, including very fine mesh screens; some require rather delicate bending. I have added metal wire pieces to model various hydraulic lines and the axle that moves the towing arms. Painting and weathering is again straightforward.
Now both tractors await dioramas to be placed on.
