This new decal sheet from
Victory
Productions is sure to please the fans of the popular little A-4
Skyhawk. The decals are designed for the family of 1/48 Hasegawa
A-4's.....but with work....it might be possible to get the decals to fit the
other A-4 kits. Included are markings for 10 different USN A-4's.
You don't get enough basic stencils to do all ten aircraft....but with kit
stencils.....you may be able to build quite a few of these aircraft (if not all
of them).
This decal sheet features
-
2 Congressional Medal of
Honor recipients...one was the only Navy jet pilot to be awarded the
Congressional Medal of Honor for actions performed during a combat mission)
.
-
1 Silver Star recipient.
-
Skyhawks from 8 different
carriers.....USS Enterprise, USS Kitty Hawk, USS Hancock, USS Intrepid, USS
Independence, USS Forrestal, USS Ticonderoga, USS Oriskany.
-
A "Lady Jessie"
plane.....read below about Skyhawk
#10.
-
High mission markings Skywawks
-
Plane of pilot who had the
distinction of piloting the first strike aircraft launched into combat from
a nuclear carrier.
-
Planes featuring "Tonkin
Gulf Yacht Club" artwork
-
One of Skyhawks destroyed
during a shipboard fire caused by a Zuni rocket from an F-4 firing and
striking an VA-46 A-4E aboard USS Forrestal.
-
Skyhawk flown by CDR James B.
Stockdale when he was shot down. He spent 7 years as the senior POW.
Skyhawk #1
is a A-4C Bu No. 147681 NG401, VA-94 'Mighty Shrikes', USS Enterprise (CVAN
65) June 1966. Of note is the massive number of mission markings
(176!!) on the side of the engine on this A-4. Paint scheme is FS
36440 Light Gull Gray on upper surfaces and FS 17875 Gloss White on
control surfaces and undersurfaces. Plane carries the name of CDR
Otto E. Krueger who had the distinction of piloting the first strike
aircraft launched into combat from a nuclear carrier. |
|
Skyhawk #2
is a A-4C Bu No. 148566 NH302, VA-144 'Roadrunners', USS Kitty Hawk (CVA
63) 1966-67. Paint scheme is FS 36440 Light Gull Gray on upper
surfaces and FS 17875 Gloss White on control surfaces and
undersurfaces. This plane was shot down by N. Vietnamese AAA on Nov.
7 1967 while flying with the "Blue Blasters" of VA-34...pilot
was safely rescued. |
|
Skyhawk #3
is a A-4C Bu No. 148576 NP681, VA-216 'Black Diamonds', USS Hancock (CVA
19) 1966. Paint scheme is FS 36440 Light Gull Gray on upper surfaces
and FS 17875 Gloss White on control surfaces and undersurfaces. This
plane was assigned to CDR Carl 'Tex' Birdwell who was awarded the Silver
Star for his actions during a strike against the Haiphong petroleum
facilities on July 7 1966 |
|
Skyhawk #4
is a A-4C Bu No. 149493 AK312, VA-66 'Waldos', USS Intrepid (CVA 11)
1968-69. Paint scheme is FS 36440 Light Gull Gray on upper surfaces
and FS 17875 Gloss White on control surfaces and undersurfaces. This
plane was unique in that it carried the name of 2 different junior
officers on each side.....one pilots name on port side....other pilots
name on starboard side. |
|
Skyhawk #5
is a A-4E Bu No. 149993 AG303, VA-72 'Blue Hawks', USS Independence (CVA
62) 1965. Paint scheme is FS 36440 Light Gull Gray on upper surfaces
and FS 17875 Gloss White on control surfaces and undersurfaces. This
plane was piloted by LCDR Jack Davis during the first successful anti-AAA
mission at Kep airfield north of Hanoi. Markings also include "Tonkin
Gulf Yacht Club" artwork which was applied on the cruise home. |
|
Skyhawk #6
is a A-4E Bu No. 150118 AA414, VA-46 'Clansmen', USS Forrestal (CVA 59)
1967. Paint scheme is FS 36440 Light Gull Gray on upper surfaces and
FS 17875 Gloss White on control surfaces and undersurfaces. This
plane was one of the planes lost during a shipboard fire caused by a Zuni
rocket from an F-4 firing and striking an VA-46 A-4E. |
|
Skyhawk #7
is a A-4E Bu No. 151073 NM208, VA-192 'Golden Dragons', USS Ticonderoga (CVA
14) April 1967. Paint scheme is FS 36440 Light Gull Gray on upper
surfaces and FS 17875 Gloss White on control surfaces and
undersurfaces. This plane was flown by LCDR Estocin (the only Navy
jet pilot to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for actions
performed during a combat mission). He sadly did not survive the
second heroic for his heroic actions on two missions. The USS
Estocin is named after him. |
|
Skyhawk #8
is a A-4E Bu No. 151134 AH352, VA-163 'Saints', USS Oriskany (CVA 34)
1965. Paint scheme is FS 36440 Light Gull Gray on upper surfaces and
FS 17875 Gloss White on control surfaces and undersurfaces. This
plane was flown by CDR James B. Stockdale when he was shot down. He
spent 7 years as the senior POW and was awarded the Congressional Medal of
Honor for his resistance the N. Vietnamese interrogation and coercion. |
|
Skyhawk #9
is a A-4E Bu No. 151165 AG401, VA-86 'Sidewinders', USS Independence (CVA
62) 1965. Paint scheme is FS 36440 Light Gull Gray on upper surfaces
and FS 17875 Gloss White on control surfaces and undersurfaces. This
plane was flown by CDR William W. Bowers...the Skipper of VA-86. |
|
Skyhawk #10
is a A-4E Bu No. 152048 AH406, VA-164 'Ghost Riders', USS Oriskany (CVA
34) 1967. Paint scheme is FS 36440 Light Gull Gray on upper surfaces
and FS 17875 Gloss White on control surfaces and undersurfaces. The
"Lady Jessie" tradition, so long associated with VA-164,
originated with LCDR Richard C. Perry who applied the name to his aircraft
in honor |
|
of
his friend Mrs Jessie Beck. Perry had become good friends with
Jessie Beck while he was a student working at her Reno Hotel and
casino. On August 31 1967, LCDR Perry was killed in action when his
Skyhawk (A-4E BU. No. 151991, AH402) was hit by a N. Vietnamese SAM.
In the year that followed, the squadrons CO's aircraft continued to carry
the name "Lady Jessie" in remembrance of LCDR Perry and as a
continuing tribute to Jessie Beck who adopted the entire Squadron as
special Guests at her hotel. This plane (A-4E Bu No. 152048 AH406)
was shot down over N. Vietnam and it's pilot killed in action. This
is one of two aircraft known to have carried the "Lady Jessie"
markings during this combat cruise. |
There are 2
decal sheets included in this decal set. Lots of lovely colorful
markings as well as a wide variety of A-4 markings. The 2 decal
sheets are clearly printed and well laid out....making it quick and easy
to find the decals for any particular aircraft featured on this decal
sheet. The quality of the decals is first class and in perfect
register. The clear carrier film is very tight around the
decals. The decals appear to have very good color fastness but don't
appear overly thick.....these decals look like they will be a treat to
use...they should conform very nicely to your A-4 model.
Victory
Productions has
done an admirable job covering this special aircraft from the Vietnam
War. All too often US Aircraft from the Vietnam War are forgotten
and it is a welcome experience to see this decal sheet featuring so many
Vietnam era A-4 Skyhawks. This decal sheet is highly recommended to
anyone with an interest in the Vietnam War or USN jet aircraft or the A-4
Skyhawk. After reading on the instruction sheets about the missions
flown by the aircraft featured on this decal sheet......I am quite
interested in adding a USN A-4 to my display cabinet.
I'd like to thank
Paul at Victory Models for bringing
this sheet to my attention by sending me a review sample.
Steve |
|
|
|