I am working on my Tamiya USAF A-1 Skyraider and would like to build it as a close support bird flying on a ground strafing mission. I was considering adding two gun pods, which I have seen in combat photos, the rockets from the kit, and Hasegawa napalm bombs. Would this be a proper load out? Could the napalm be carried anywhere else other than the two inner pylons? What about the gun pods?
[:D]
But seriously, folks…
For Navy/Marines
For the USAF
http://skyraider.org/skyassn/imcol.htm
Check the galleries
Here’s one with a gun pod, weight’s offset by a drop tank on the other plyon. Tenth SPAD down the page:
http://skyraider.org/skyassn/otherpics/mignard/4407ccts/4407ccts.htm
Regarding load-outs, I’m no ordie, but gunpods would be easiest to boresight the farther they are inboard. I’d also hazard a guess that the heavy stuff is inboard, lighter stuff outboard
The weapons load was variable. I ahve seen pictures of them with the 20mm pods on the main pylon with dispenser tubes next, and then 2.75inch rocket pods, some with the nose caps and some without. Other aircraft carried cluster bombs, napalm, and rockets. It just depended on how they wanted them configured.
When the A-7Ds of the 3rd TFS at Korat took over Sandy Alert, they were set up with rockets and cbu dispensers.
The weapons load was variable. I ahve seen pictures of them with the 20mm pods on the main pylon with dispenser tubes next, and then 2.75inch rocket pods, some with the nose caps and some without. Other aircraft carried cluster bombs, napalm, and rockets. It just depended on how they wanted them configured.
When the A-7Ds of the 3rd TFS at Korat took over Sandy Alert, they were set up with rockets and cbu dispensers.
Hans
Can you tell me the difference between the napalm bombs in the photos? Was the silver type heavier than the OD?
I’m not exactly sure which napalm canisters you’re looking at, so I don’t know which one you want. But, from what I can see, all the napalm canisters are silver, they’re the ones with the red stripes & markings, which I know is the ID color for incendiary (meaning fire) devices. Ordnace in OD with yellow markings is HE. The other tanks on the SPADs are fuel tanks, the OD over grey tanks… As to the weight of the napalm canisters used on the Skyraider, I don’t have that reference handy, but I know that they are measured in gallons, not pounds. So figure the capacity of the canister in gallons, and then multiply the number of gallons times the weight of a gallon of napalm, and you can figure it out. Overall, naplam canisters aren’t all that heavy empty, they’re just fuel tanks, more or less…
Here is the napalm load in question
The skyraider looks to fully loaded with napalm.
The silver canisters look to from the BLU family of napalm while the green “bombs” appear to be either Mk 47 or Mk 77. Amy I correct?
I don’t think there were any Mk 77 anpes in Vietnam… I’d go with Mk 47s, but I don’t have any references that show the 47s painted at all, other than the red markings…
I’ve seen them with just about anything and everything that could be attached to the hardpoints on them. Often with so much junk under there that it seemed like they’d never get off the ground. The only thing I never saw under one was a load of snakeyes, but then again I actually only saw them once every couple months when I was down south.
gary
Any Mk 47s out there in 1/48 scale?
Dunno… I won’t say there aren’t, but I don’t know of any. Might have to do it with a modded fuel tank…
EDIT_ I think I may have a link you want…
http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/asetds/u-b.html#_BLU
You may want to check the True Details line of Resin ordinanceput out by Squadron. They make several items specifically for the SPAD, including napalm cans, CBU dispensers, Minigun pods, and Rocket Pods.
I used to go by the napalm bomb dump in Chu Lai everytime I was headed to the MAG 13 and MAG 10 PX’s. Every bomb was the same in size. Didn’t matter if it was used on an A-6 or a Phantom and A-4’s. How many gallons of juice they held I don’t know, but suspect they were all pretty much the same in size no matter where you were.
gary
gary
Ive concluded the same from the research Ive done in the last few days. I ordered a set of Mk 77s from Sprue Brothers. I will make any needed mods and use them.
gary
Ive concluded the same from the research Ive done in the last few days. I ordered a set of Mk 77s from Sprue Brothers. I will make any needed mods and use them.
There were at least 9 different types of Napes and FAEs that were of different weights and lengths, from the 33-gallon BLU-10 to the BLU-72/B FAE that weighed in with 2,245 lbs. of propane…
I only saw that one size over there, and it was the only Napalm dump in Chu Lai. Your right in that they are always silver colored.
gary
Im still confused. The Skyraider in the pics I uploaded clearly has som OD green Napalm canisters under the wings and in the link of designation there are some clear photos of OD green Napalm bombs with the red stripe
Dunno what to tell ya, pard… Aside from an AF Ordie chimin’ in, I got no clue… All I ever heard about was like, “Sandy on station, Snake & Nape”…