1/48 Monogram A-1H Skyraider 

by Bud Highleyman

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Indochina War -- 10,000Day War -- Vietnam War anniversary Feb 1 2007

 

This is the Monogram offering of the A-1H Skyraider modified to represent plane #572 "Paper Tiger II" of VA-25. I did not modify the basic kit or it's inaccuracies per se other than cutting off the molded on munitions and flash suppressors on the 20mm guns.  I used 500 lb bombs from the Monogram F-84F and the WWII style 500lb bombs from my spares.  For the SPB (special porcelain bomb) I modified a 1/48th plastistruct toilet to represent a flushometer and cast it a copy of in Durnhams wood putty. I made the brackets from a bent piece of pie tin (apple as I recall) and attached those to the pylon.  Only later did I find out that the the porcelain bomb also had a fin attached to the outlet ring.  I preshaded the panel lines with Model Master black enamel and finished the rest of the aircraft off in Model Master enamels. The exhaust stain is ground up pastels.
The decals come from the Aeromaster sheet, which includes the VA-25 emblem for the SPB.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

In September of 1965, Lt. Col. Stoddard flew A-1H #572 "Paper Tiger II" on a bombing mission in North Vietnam with a special bomb to celebrate the 6 millionth pound of ordenance dropped on North Vietnam. There are a few wonderful stories floating around on the net about this bombing mission and the people involved. I did have the opportunity to have a brief discussion with one of the deck hands that was there through someone else. I learned quite a bit from that conversation. There is a good web site dedicated to this event  at :
http://www.midwaysailor.com/midwayva25bomb/

Bud 

Photos and text © by Bud Highleyman