Tamiya 1/48 A-1H Skyraider
The Skyraider was a late WWII Douglas design to fulfill the United States Navy requirements for a carrier-based, single-seat, long-range, high performance dive/torpedo bomber that would be a follow-on to the Dauntlesses, Helldivers and Avengers.
A straightforward design, the big bird featured large straight wings with no less than seven hardpoints apiece.
The type was used by the USN over Korea and Vietnam and by the USAF and the RVNAF during the Vietnam War, where it became famous for being able to take a good amount of hits and keep flying.
Apart from attack, the plane was modified to serve as a carrier-based airborne early warning aircraft, replacing the Grumman TBM-3W Avenger.
The Skyraider was rugged with good survivability over low level combat environments, could carry a respectable load in both quantity and variety, had long loiter time and was relatively easy to keep airworthy. so, it was no surprise that this “anachronism” stayed operational for such a long time, finding its niche in the Vietnam War, where its qualities fit like a glove there. A total of 3,180 were built.
Tamiya 1/48 Skyraiders are really fine kits, considered by many to be the best 1/48 Skyraiders to this date (2024). They are ‘modern” with excellent molding, fine engraved panel lines and feature a good level of detail.
https://modelingmadness.com/review/korean/us/usn/attack/pena1.htm
Happy Modelling!
Great job on a wonderful kit by Tamiya. Weathering is super well-done.
Thank you so much, my friend @bails!
Beautiful job Spiros! I particularly like the more subtle exhaust stains.
Thanks a lot, my friend @guitarhack5!
A flawless build, my friend Spiros!
Really like the subtle weathering and the fact you didn’t load a whole bunch of ordnance and as such preserved the original profile of the Skyraider.
Awesome piece of work.
Thank you very much, my friend @alfred!
Wonderful. The weathering looks so realistic. WELL DONE!
Thank you so much, my friend @eatontkd!
Very well one - the exhaust stains look just right.
Thank you very much, my friend @chasbunch!
It's been a while since I've seen a Skyraider here. Your finish has that classic rugged, worn, Spad look. Well done, Spiros!
Thank you so much, my friend @gwskat!
Very nice Skyraider Spiros @fiveten
Have this kit in my stash ever since it first reached the market and plan to build it once I get my hands on some new decals, cause the ones OOB are long time damaged.
I also like the fact that you kept the ordnance to the minimum, not usual on Skyraider builds 😉
Thanks a lot, my friend @holzhamer! Leaving ordnance off saves a lot of effort, too 😁
Excellent Skyraider. It is also on my to-build list 🙂
Thanks so much, my friend @jp! Looking forward to yours!
This Skyraider looks amazing, Spiros @fiveten
Great result on the painting and weathering.
Definitely a big bird and amazing to see that there are even seven points per wing to attach armament.
Thanks so much, my friend @johnb! Yup, a big number of ordnance points!
Excellent build, Spiros!
Thank you kindly, my friend @blackmopane!
Great build Spiros, @fiveten. It really is an impressive plane that had an impressive service record. Also, something that is lost in the pictures is just how big this plane is. You have built a great representation of an important piece of aviation history.
Thank you kindly, my friend @luftwaffe-birdman!
Excellent Spad Spiros !
Thanks a lot, my friend @ramair67!
You’ve done a wonderful job on a great kit!
Thank you very much, my friend @tolss!
Beautifully finished, my friend Spiros, and an informative write-up, an important aircraft in US naval history, but I still prefer the looks of the Gannet,
Thank you kindly, my friend @chinesegeorge! There's something special in the Gannet looks for sure!
Beautifully done! I am finishing up a USAF Spad version of this kit as I'm reading this1 It is a fantastic kit, and one of the easiest I've built in quite a while.
Thank you so much, my friend @jebenite1! I love the USAF version and look forward to see yours done!
Great build and write-up Spiros. Your photo with the flat bottom of fuselage reminded me of the Fiat G. 50, another transition aircraft - and anachronism.
Thank you very much, my friend @bobd56az! Indeed that view brings the G.50 in mind.
Very nice, Spiros! Excellent weathering.
Thanks a lot, my friend @roofrat!
The Tamiya Skyraider is just about a perfect kit, and you have gotten the most out of it with this.
Thank you very much, my friend @tcinla!
Nice build Spiros @fiveten, this one remember an air show in France - La Ferté Allais. I'll try to recover the pictures i made.
Thanks a lot, my friend @yann! Looking forward to the pics!
Absolutely outstanding looking Spad, Spiros @fiveten. Perfectly weathered!
Thank you so much, my friend @eb801!
@fiveten, That's excellent scale modeling, Spiros! 👏 I think it's some of your best work here, just a fantastic result! 🤩
Thank you very much, my friend @garybrantley!
Very well executed, and a beautiful finish Spiros.
Thank you kindly, my friend @russjurco!
Always nice to see a Skyraider build. Thanks for sharing.
Rod
Thank you kindly, my friend @rodbettencourt!
Your model looks fantastic (even with the absence of underwing ordinance, of which I am a s****r for). I seem to recall a version of this plane that had an extended canopy where several passengers could sit. That could be an interesting conversion.
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Thank you kindly, my friend @gwfabian! Indeed, a really interesting conversion!
Very, very nice weathering, Spiros @fiveten! The bird really looks worn out!
Thanks a lot, my friend @fxrob!
A good-looking Dump Truck, Spiros!
Thank you very much, my friend @gkittinger!
Very sharp dirty Able Dog.
Thanks a lot, my friend @dbdlee!
Gotta love those Douglas dive-bombers! 🙂 Great execution on this really excellent kit, Spiros. Nice paint job and weathering is just right.
Thank you kindly, my friend @robgenev665!
A beautiful bird. I like the realistic camouflage and the beautifully shaded panels.
Thanks a lot, my friend @milantesar!
Nice work, Spiros. That’s a fun kit.
Thanks my friend @j-healy! It practically builds itself! So "Tamiya"!
I'm always impressed how much weaponry could carry this plane!
Indeed, my friend @lis!
Beautiful build Spiros! I always look at your work for the details: weathering in particular on this one. You're such an inspiration.
Thank you kindly, my friend @eatontkd!
Nice work on my favorite Spad scheme!
Steve,
Thank you so much, my friend @sjcorvi!