Have you ever pondered whether or not the Douglas Skyraider would be such a popular modeling subject if not for the fact that migs where shot down by the only US Navy A-1 Squadron with cool markings? Fortunately, we do not have to answer that question.
Personally, I have always loved the skyraider since the day it was introduced to me back in 198(?) something, at the local K-Mart. The box art/photo looked amazing. The big bumblebee on the tail combined with big red bombs/fuel tanks, and red and white striped propeller tips was more than I could take--the kit was coming home with me.
I am not sure what ever happened to my Monogram A-1H, but I do have distict memeories of brush painting those big drop tank bomb thingies with Testors Flat Red. Naturally, when Tamiya released their version of the kit with the same markings, I had to have it.
I am not sure when exactly I purchased my Tamiya Skyraider kit; however, I am pretty sure it's been on the shelf for at least 10 years.
I did some initial work when I had bought the kit (speed brakes glued in place and started the cockpit). I think it got put on 'the shelf' because I was very displeased with the poor job I did gluing in the speed breaks in place..
Now I am finally getting back to work on my Tamiya A-1H. So far I have got the wings together and finished the cockpit (added PE seat belts and picked out some switches with red/yellow tamiya acrylics).
I also cleaned out the speek break lines with a tamiya PE saw and sanded the surounding fuselage (where I had spattered glue) with a 1500 grit sanding sponge and airbrushed said are with gull grey.
After painting, the speed breaks look perfectly fine.
I have also painted the exterior area around the cockpit to ease masking later and am ready to close up fuselage.
The kit is definately on my list to finish in 2022. I plan on finishing with with Tamiyas LP paints and either use the kit markings or the ones from the CE sheet I have.
