Here's my latest project. I am using the Fujimi 1/72 A-1H and back dating it to an AD-4 in the Korean War. It's not 100% accurate but it's not a bad kit at all. All I need to do is scrounge up some after market decals.---John
Spad 4 by jvandeu53, on Flickr
Spad 7 by jvandeu53, on Flickr
Spad 8 by jvandeu53, on Flickr

Nice start, 1 of my favorite planes. I will follow this build. Keep up the good work.

Did you say decals? I might know someplace you can try.

Thanks Jess, but isn't Cutting Edge out of buisiness?
Here's my "other" blue skyraider.---John
Skyraider 2 by jvandeu53, on Flickr

It still appears that those sheets are available for sale, although I haven't attempted to place an order so I can't say for certain.

Thanks, I believe I have heard that one of the owners was selling off some stock. The whole deal with that company "going south" was a "sticky wicket" from what I've heard. May have even involved an ex? Been there, done that!---John

The stabilizers are on and I gave the air frame an overall dark blue coat of paint. I used Tamiya rattle can TS55 dark blue.---John
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA by jvandeu53, on Flickr

I started fabricating the inboard large wing pylon. I am using the kits drop tank then cutting off the pylon and fashioning it to look like the Korean War era pylons. Here is what I have so far, the pylon picture is from Tommy Thomason's and his excellent Tailhook Topics site.---John
AD-4 vs 6 Inboard Pylons Rev A by jvandeu53, on Flickr
Spad 13 by jvandeu53, on Flickr
Spad 14 by jvandeu53, on Flickr

Both pylons pretty much done, a little fine tune sanding then off for paint and assembly.---John
Spad 15 by jvandeu53, on Flickr

The site definitely is active. I ordered some B-17 decals from him recently and got them in the mail within a week. But yeah, he's just selling off excess decal stock. The "ex" rumors go back a long time.

When he was cutting resin his products were "up there" in quality, but ferociously over-priced. (Still are!) But if ya gotta have it, and he's the only game in town * * * *

Nice build BTW!!

Thanks, they are and were overpriced. As for I gotta have the answer is no, most Korean War units were nothing more than numbers, letters and insignias with an occasional fin flash. I can buy the letters and numbers, national insignias are everywhere. All I really need is pictures to show me where and what size numbers on the wings, that's the toughest part.---John
AD-4Skyraider_123937 real toko ri by jvandeu53, on Flickr

Nice build, John. Hope you will be able to mix together some decals.

Looking forward to see more

Hi John,

My dad was on Essex in 1952-53, and he had a few slides of the aircraft. Here's one of the VA-55 Skyraiders from the front. If you need a higher res shot, I'll have to fire up another computer to get it, but it does show that the tail letter was also on the starboard wing and was the same size as the tail letter:



And the cowl number is also on the upper starboard wing:



Also, the only color that I've seen that VA-55 used was a green propellor hub. Everything else was pretty standard. Hope this helps.

Jon

Hi John,

Decided to thumb through his cruise book and found this picture that might help:



This was the only photo showing the undersides of a VA-55 aircraft. The "NAVY" on the port underside wing is on all the aircraft in the book, but the size varies both as to aircraft type and squadron (VF-23's aircraft have smaller wing lettering and numbers than VF-821's, and both are Panther squadrons). I don't know if these are standard locations or sizes, or just unique to VA-55. Hope it helps.

Jon

Thanks for the excellent pictures! You're right about the buzz number repeating itself on the wing, I think. I have seen it on the right upper and lower left wing, also I have seen the NAVY being of different sizes. I guess I will just find some good picture but then a lot of them are -2 or -3 and I have built a -4 so it's a lot of searching trying to find pictures that show that particular aircraft from all angles so all the markings are shown.I don't always trust profile or box art images.---John

I have more progress. The engine and cowl are installed along with the modified inner pylons. I am thinking of leaving the canopy open, it's sparse in there so I guess I'll have to scratch build a stick, at least.---John
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA by jvandeu53, on Flickr
Spad 17 by jvandeu53, on Flickr

More progress. I painted the area in front of the wind screen and top of the engine cowl flat sea blue. I also have added the antenna to the rear spine, landing gear and forward doors, and the fuselage center line pylon.---John
Spad 18 by jvandeu53, on Flickr

Gang,

Cutting Edge did "go south" in a "sticky wicket", yet Dave has found old stock not covered by the "sticky wicket". He does sell old stock as he finds it.

He is also involved in some excellent research, esp. Operation Tidal Wave the Polesti raid.

John,

good work so far. I love those USN "blue birds".

Now I gotta go watch Bridges at Toko Ri and Fighting Lady.

Thanks Fred, I love that movie Bridges of Toko Ri. The book had Banshees bombing the bridges but the bridges were actually bombed by Skyraiders! Also the author of the book used Lt. Don Brubaker, a Skyraider pilot and lawyer from Denver, as a model for F9F-5 Panther pilot Lt. Harry Brubaker coincidentally a lawyer and from Denver also! Art mimics life?---John

Hi John

I'm really impressed with the high gloss finish. I've never used Tamiya's sprays, and I would never have thought they could give such a finish on so small a model. Have you polished the model, or is this straight from the can?



Apart from the excellent detail you've added, that alone made me think initially that you were working in 1:48.

All the best

Rowan

Rowan there are 2 types of Tamiya rattle can spray paints. Here's my untechnical explanation. I usually use Tamiya AS sprays, they are for aircraft, basically, and are not glossy but sort of semi gloss I guess you could say. Then there is TS which is actually for RC car bodies, 1/24 scale, very glossy, but there are no steadfast rules saying you HAVE to use either for cars, planes, tanks, ships whatever. I used TS-55 which actually is an RC glossy dark blue. This is my perspective only, check the net for a better explanation. HTH---John P.S.-It's straight from the can.

The wheels are now on and it's standing on it's own. The main gear doors are also installed along with the tail hook. Time to do some serious looking at markings.---John
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA by jvandeu53, on Flickr

Cheers John

I really appreciate the clarification on the spray can types. I won't claim it'll make me an instant convert, but the results you've got will certainly make me consider them in future where I'd have previously dismissed them. For me that's the true beauty of this forum - you just learn unexpected new stuff all the time.

All the best

Rowan

The prop and wind screen are on, I've also scratched a stick and have been painting some bombs. These are 200 lb. bombs from a Trumpeter F9F-2 Panther, still trying to gather up more. Would like 6 200 pounders on each wing then a couple 500 pounders and maybe a 750 or 1000 for fuselage centerline tank---John
Spad 23 by jvandeu53, on Flickr