1/48 Tamiya A-1H Skyraider

US Navy

by Le Thanh Tung

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I just finished this bird last week, more probably on Sept 10. This one was built straight from box. This kit is really beautiful, nice details, good decals for a famous designation, reasonable parts arrangement and last but not least, the instructions were always clear and detailed as is the Tamiya style.  At the very first step, I predicted a future treatment to antenna wire, so I decided not to glue the fuselage and wings together.

The upper fuselage was painted with Humbrol code 129 for Flat Gull Gray. The lower was with Model Master Insignia White.

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The bombs were airbrushed with Model Master Olive Drab and the yellow circles were brush painted with Tamiya Flat Yellow (XF-3), because Tamiya did not provide decals for those circles and they were too small for an airbrush and masking tape. Therefore, painting by hand is the only and last resort.

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Oil leaks on the landing gears, external fuel tank, wings and engine are simulated by thinned Clear Smoke (X-19) of Tamiya.

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As for a antenna wire from vertical tail to fuselage, I used a very small brass wire from a motor from a kids RC toy. First, I twisted to make a small ring, glued it with superglue and secured it with a toothpick. I took a spring from ball point pen and chose the one which had lowest resiliency to make sure it would not break off the thin brass wire. Then I cut a paper-clip to the desired length and glued it in the inside of the upper fuselage. The best way is to glue it into the two holes for the  airbrake details from both sides. I drilled a 0.3mm hole on the back of upper fuselage, then thread cooper wire through that. Note that the ring of a wire must be on the inside. Well, this is the hardest part, you have to measure the length of a wire from vertical tail to a ring and save a short distance from a ring to a metal paper-clip bar because that distance will be for a spring. I glued the wire into the vertical tail first and left it overnight to completely dry. Last thing to do was to connect a spring to the wire and a small bar. This treatment is to give extremely extensive wire.

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Smoke lines on both sides of fuselage were painted with Red Brown and Flat Black of Tamiya, then I applied black pastel right from the exhaust pipes and faded downward to the rear. (20) Brown pastel and Flat white drybrushing are applied for weathering on upper and also lower fuselage. With this bird, the lower fuselage can be seen very clearly on display, so I had to weather all the details.

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And here she is, my A-1H Skyraider.

Hope you enjoy it.

Tung

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Photos and text © by Le Thanh Tung