Caracal Models CD 48050: USN AD-5/A-1E Skyraider

Units: See review

Price

$15.99 which includes US shipping

Reviewer:

Scott Van Aken

Caracal Models has done a second sheet for the Revell/Matchbox 1/48 A-1E Skyraider and this time it concentrates on the USN and USMC versions. There are seven markings options for this one and most of them are quite colorful. In fact, you'll need some da-glo red/orange for many of them.

First option is a drone controller from VU-1 at Barbers Point in 1962. This is probably one of the most colorful schemes around with an engine grey fuselage, yellow wings and horizontal stabs with a daglo tail and wing bands.

Next is an overall sea blue plane from the Reserves at Los Alamitos in the early/mid 1950s.

The third scheme is from a training unit at NAS Sand Point during the 1960s. By this time the planes were in light gull grey over white, but training planes overpainted much of that with daglo.

Fourth up is a standard scheme from VA-125 in 1965, one of the last years of Skyraider training in the USN.

In a similar scheme but with the Reserve band on the fuselage is one from NAS Anacostia in the 1960s.

Another standard scheme option is with AES-1, a Marine unit in the 1960s.

Finally, a plane with the Naval Air Test Facility at Lakehurst in the 1960s. THis has some color on the fin and wing tips. Notice that only a few of these options have the large black area on the fuselage side to try to hide the exhaust staining.

As with all Caracal Models sheets, this one is printed by Cartograf and includes a full color painting and markings booklet. kits on the market that can use it, I anticipate a lot of folks snapping this one up.

March 2014

Thanks to www.caracalmodels.com for the review sheet. Get yours today from this link or have your local shop order it for you.

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