Jump to content

A-1H Skyraider question


Recommended Posts

Hey all,

 

I have the 'Nam Tour of Duty Skyraider and I want to model the famous Navy Toilet Bomber Skyraider,

 

What mods, if any,  do I have to make to make it the Navy version?  I've looked online, and the aircraft look visually the same..

 

Any help would be appreciated

 

Cheers,  Ian

Edited by imatt88
Spelling
Link to post
Share on other sites

The Navy version used the solid rubber rear tire, which is already depicted in the kit. The Air Force had  inflated tire and some configuration had landing lights attached to either the legs or wing tips. I haven't come across a USN A-1 with lights on the legs yet. Otherwise, there are no exterior differences. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Brengun models makes a nice little kit for this. Includes resin toilet, etch parts and decals for the aircraft. I got mine from rebelalpha on eBay. I think I paid $12-15 for it, can't recall exactly.

 

Midway sailor website has some good pics as well of this aircraft.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The USAAF version A-1J was fitted with the Yankee extraction seat, while early USN A-1Hs had the standard seat used in earlier versions. In 1965 some USN planes were retrofitted with the Yankee seat. Since you haven't specified what kit in what scale you're using, it's hard to determine what's in the box. The two Tamiya 1/48 issues have different seats for the -H and the -J; the -H especially is pretty rudimentary. The Monogram 1/48 kit seems only to have a rather generic representation of the early USN seat.

 

Here's a link to one of Tommy Thomason's blog showing the detail differences:

http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/11/ad-1-skyraider-standard-vs-extraction.html

Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, seawinder said:

The USAAF version A-1J was fitted with the Yankee extraction seat, while early USN A-1Hs had the standard seat used in earlier versions. In 1965 some USN planes were retrofitted with the Yankee seat. Since you haven't specified what kit in what scale you're using, it's hard to determine what's in the box. The two Tamiya 1/48 issues have different seats for the -H and the -J; the -H especially is pretty rudimentary. The Monogram 1/48 kit seems only to have a rather generic representation of the early USN seat.

 

Here's a link to one of Tommy Thomason's blog showing the detail differences:

http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/11/ad-1-skyraider-standard-vs-extraction.html

He's using the monogram 1/48 kit. He mentioned the tour of duty kit. That was the Monogram 1/48 kit released at the same time as the TV show in the 80s/90s. 

 

Monogram%205454%20A-1H%20NAM.JPG

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, thanks. I saw reference to that when I poked around the net, but I wasn't certain if that was the only kit and only scale so produced. The question still remains of which seat was found in the plane(s) used for the movie. I'm guessing the Yankee seat is likely since the movie was made in the 80s. If it's important to the OP, True Details makes one -- 48424.

Link to post
Share on other sites
16 hours ago, Charlie D. said:

Tour of duty ran from 87-90 on CBS. Regardless of what it says on the box, the kit is essentially a Navy skyraider.

 

He's looking to build the toilet bomber that flew off the Midway. Not an Air Force version. Kit seat is accurate for a Navy version.

 

http://www.midwaysailor.com/midwayva25bomb/

Right you are. From what I've just read, VA-25 had their A-1s retrofitted with the Yankee seat in 1967, which was after the toilet bombings since VA-25 was only on Midway through late fall 1965.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm not sure what seat Monogram was going for either. But, honestly, replacing it would cause way more headaches than it's worth since it's molded integrally with the cockpit tub. I'd just paint it up and roll on. The only real thing that I would do is cut the weapons off of the pylons to do the correct configuration for the Midway airplane.

Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Chriss7607 said:

I'm not sure what seat Monogram was going for either. But, honestly, replacing it would cause way more headaches than it's worth since it's molded integrally with the cockpit tub. I'd just paint it up and roll on. The only real thing that I would do is cut the weapons off of the pylons to do the correct configuration for the Midway airplane.

 

I used the CMK (maybe out of production now).I remember it was straight forward, wasn't too much problem.

 

42907045832_0648b68378_z.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

Interesting. I don't think I ever saw the CMK cockpit. It looks good though. I think it was KMC that did a set of weaponless pylons but they're out of production. I want to say that I remember reading that the bombs Monogram molded on are the wrong type for one of the boxings. Either the Air Force or Navy didn't use the fuse extenders.

Link to post
Share on other sites

It's all good stuff. I didn't know that the CMK cockpit would fit the Monogram kit with little fuss. It depends on how far you want to go with it I guess. The CMK cockpit, resin pylons (if you happen to find them) , and I think someone just did a replacement cowl for it. Of course the correct weapons and decals. On the updates you could easily spend more than the kit! 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Exactly. You could easily get carried away. If I were doing a Mono, I would only add a QuickBoost pylon sets, only because the Monogram big inner pylons are on the short and small side . Plus all the weapons were cast with the pylons, so you don't have much options but to use what's there. All the other stuffs, cowl, seat, are not noticeable, if you execute a well build model, unless you totally fixated on the shortfalls, and gotta have them right.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hasegawa re-issued the Monogram 1/48 A1H as the toilet bomber for the Japanese market. I bought one years ago.They turn up on ebay from time to time. I prefer the Tamiya kit and am using the toilet and bomb rack on my Tamiya kit.

Edited by F4DPhantomII
Link to post
Share on other sites

Yup, I saw that guy.  He has quite a few sets available.

 

I picked up his Skyraider update set.  Looks good in the pics, so we'll see.

 

He also has a control surface set and weapons pylons set as well

Link to post
Share on other sites

Don't forget to include the tail fins on the toilet bomb.   They were bolted or welded to the back of the frame that held to commode.   I have a resin upgrade set that I got in a trade some years back and it did not mention or include anything regarding tail fins.  

See pic.  va25specbomb-009b.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

Ya gotta love that.

 

I got 109ace's update set in the mail, and it looks pretty good.

 

I like it, and will probably buy more of his stuff

 

Cheers,  Ian

Edited by imatt88
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...