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The first A-7E TPS colors trials?


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Ok,someone PULEZZZ!! settle this once and far all...

Did the Navy or a squadron ever have this early TPS pattern and colors,before settling on the two colors 36320/36375.

I have an old SuperScale sheet with paint scheme/pattern of 36320 on top fuselage and vert stab,the leading edge of wings(ala A-6/Ea-6B)36440,the 3/4 of the rest and the lower wings/fuselage/upper fuselage walkway from behind canopy back to tail in 36495.

I also have the KoKu Fan magazine on the TPS subject in 1980-83 which only shows the now standard two tone.

Terry :hmmm:

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There is a pics that I found once on airliners.net of 157514 that look like it has the color scheme you are talking about. So they might not have been wrong after all.

Edited by achterkirch
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achterkirch-

I saw the picture you mentioned, I'm not so sure this isn't the two ghost grays. Navy Air Colors Vol.2 1945-1985by Doll, Jackson and Riley has a picture on page 76 of Modex 413 from VA-195 in the same or similar scheme, dated 1982. The gray in the book photo is not quite as dark, but there is still a strong contrast between the two grays. Could be these are not 36320/36375, or that the batches of paint on this jet just happened to be fresh and of a higher contrast with each other. Still cool looking, though.

Anyone have anything definitive to answer Terry's original question? Inquiring minds want to know.

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I have an old Koku Fan book on US Navy attack aircraft. There are color photos of VA-195 A-7Es from 1982 and Va-27 which clearly shows 36495 on the bottom of the aircraft and on the fuselage below the wing. However, I have never seen 36495 on the top except for the markings. The very light gray was only used for a very short time before it was replaced by light ghost grey, and apparently by only a few squadrons as photos of this scheme are relatively rare. Hope that helps.

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