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Julian Shawyer
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FAA Skyraider Mk.1 & Tow Tractor.

August 2, 2017 · in Aviation · · 38 · 3.5K

This is a I made a couple of years ago in the markings of a Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm .

The Royal Navy had in fact, operated the -4W early warning Skyraider, designated AEW.1 and flown by 849 Naval Air Squadron during the 1950s.
I've always liked the aircraft ever since I was bought a Revell 1/40th scale Skyraider by my grandfather. It had working features if my memory serves me correctly, this included, folding wings, retracting undercarriage and detailed engine to name but a few.

The kit I've built here is the 1/48th scale Douglas A-1H Skyraider.
This was the fifth Tamiya Skyraider I had built. The others being, Two U.S. Navy, and Two U.S.A.F Skyraiders.

Normally, I keep aftermarket details to a minimum, but this time I used a Eduard Zoom set, several Quickboost Resin Sets, including Plylons, gun barrels, a boot cockpit enclosure and antennas. The decals came from various aftermarket sheets.

The main colours of Extra Dark Sea Grey and Sky are from the Mr Hobby range of paints. The remainder being Tamiya Acrylics.

The marking represents a Skyraider Mk1 of 700A NAS based at RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) Cornwall.
The nose art is a pirates face deriving from the comic opera, The Pirates of Penzance.
The tail markings depict the letter ‘A ‘ with a hawk, and the CU tail code for Culdrose.
I chose 771 fuselage number because my son arranged a flight for me with 771 NAS in a Sea King before they dispanded.

The Tow Tractor a Skunkworks 1/48th Royal Navy Tractor painted with Tamiya Acrylics and weathered with a Flory wash.

Reader reactions:
16  Awesome

17 additional images. Click to enlarge.


38 responses

  1. Wow! Love the Skyraider and you have certainly made it justice. Am in fact putting the last bits on a second Whif `Raider myself and will post in a few days. Great way of making sub assemblies all the way, painting included, before actually gluing the bits together. But what happened to the exhaust stains on the side? It´s a bit clean, isn´t it?

  2. Truly outstanding! The painting of both the aircraft and the tug is great as is the weathering you've done.

    Great job, Julian!

    PS - It's awesome that you got to ride in a Sea King, thanks to your Son!

  3. Good job, Julian...in ALL aspects (you know what I mean). 🙂

  4. Impressive work, like this one, thanks for sharing with us!

  5. This is really beautiful and delicately weathered congratulations Julian!
    I suppose the Aew's employed by the RN had a different camo as they weren't carrier based machines or were they?

  6. Cause that blue grey on light grey is great !

  7. Great build, nice tractor, love the flight deck.

  8. That airplane is so clean, no 'Raider pilot would set foot in it for fear of something falling apart. 🙂

    Cool idea.

  9. LOVE THIS !

    Ian.

  10. I don't usually "get" what-ifs, but this one is very convincing, and those Fleet Air Arm colours really suit the Skyraider, helped, there is no doubt, by your subtle weathered finish. I lived in Camborne for a few years as a youngster and thoroughly enjoyed the airshows at Culdrose.

    • Thanks George. This is the only what-if I’ve ever made. I visit Cornwall a lot to see my Son. I leave the A30 at Camborne and cut across to reach Helston. I’ve been to a few Family Days at Culdrose, but only one airshow. On that occasion, it rained most of the day.

  11. Thanks George. This is the only what-if I've ever made. I visit Cornwall a lot to see my Son. I leave the A30 at Camborne and cut across to reach Helston. I've been to a few Family Days at Culdrose, but only one airshow. On that occasion, it rained most of the day.

  12. Wonderful. At first glance, I thought, "What, I didn't know that the British had Skyraiders! Or was it Australian? Hmm, nice markings, which unit was that?". You got me on this one! 😆 AND it is a very nicely finished model.

    • Thank you Martin, I'm pleased you like it. The British did have Skyraiders, but not this version. It was the AEW aircraft they used. I posted a link in an earlier post if your interested. Both the British and Australian Navy's did paint their aircraft in the EDSG & Sky scheme though.

  13. Really very nice! Very clean finish and nice details. Well done.

  14. NIce work Julian, looks like one of those should have beens!

  15. Boy, the FAA colors sure make the Skyraider look sporty! I wonder how the black and yellow Suez stripes would go with it?

  16. Lovely job Julian. Royal Navy markings suit it beautifully.

  17. Thank you Tony. You can't really go wrong with those colours.

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