Hey FSM,
Here’s an A-7A I built for the Vietnam War Aircraft GB. I was originally going to build a Corsair as it would have looked when deployed, but decided to do a test squadron SLUFF with this loadout. I liked the way the green sash looked on the VX-5’s tail, so I used a little artistic license on my build.
I’ve read a few reviews that bashed this boxing saying HB screwed up and made the Corsair look a little too much like the Crusader. Well, I can see that, but I’m more from the if-it-looks-like-a-(insert aircraft here)-then-it’s-a-(insert aircraft here) school. So, I can tell it’s a Corsair, thus, it’s a Corsair! The kit itself was built OOB except for a small corrections made to the rudder, the ordnance, tail and squadron markings. The squadron markings are from my decal pile and the tail markings are painted on with homemade masks. The gaskets on the windscreen are painted decal strips after the masks pulled up the underlying paint. The kit went together very nicely and I only used two small pieces of styrene as filler around the intake.
The kit is painted with Testors little square bottle and MM paints. Weathered with pastels and Flory washes.
Let’s get on to the pictures!
Feel free to share your comments, criticisms, or questions.
Thanks for looking! Happy modeling!
Cheers,
-O
Great markings and ordnance. Nice job. What’s the story with the blue ordinance?
Thanks John! My understanding is any ordnance painted blue is non-explosive training rounds.
Again, thanks for the pat on the back!
Nice build, O! Cool seeing those tail markings.
You are correct about the ordanence, blue in Navy Marine speak is for training, I do not remember if they acctually released it or not however testing flight characteristics of a payload is in the ball park. Looks like a Corsair to me.
To back up what the other replies have stated, the blue color (FS 35109) represents an inert section of the munition. If the munition is entirely blue, like the Bullpup and Shrike missiles, it represents the correct weight and shape of the munition, and no electronic equipment or warhead will be installed. The white and gold colored tv camera seeker heads on the Walleye indicate that section is a live and functional component of the munition, while the rest of the body is inert, probably filled with concrete to replicate the correct weight and balance. If its a CATM (Captive Air Training Missile), that will be stenciled on it somewhere.
Now tht is a good ooking plne, I have always steered clear of this kit due to the bad reviews but it looks lot better built than I expected, well done.
In the SA Army we also had the blue as training munitions. From 20mm for the APC cannons through to the 120mm mortar rounds.
Theuns