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AIRFIX/HELLER
1:72 DOUGLAS AD-6 SKYRAIDER |
Reviewer:
Dana McGee (rec.models.scale)
Kit Review submitted:
16 April 2005
Model Details:
Airfix AD-6 Skyraider (Modified to an AD-4N)
Aircraft History:
The Douglas Skyraider was originally developed during the latter part of the Second World War, to meet a U.S. Navy requirement for a carrier-based dive-bomber/torpedo bomber. Its original U.S. Navy designation was XBT2D, but this was later changed to AD. It’s only other serious competitor was the Martin AM Mauler, which had the same basic configuration. The Skyraider saw extensive service in the Korean War with an AD-4N flying the first Skyraider strike. The French used the AD and it was also exported to other countries. Although production ceased in 1957, the type continued to serve with both the Navy and U.S. Air Force right through the 1960’s in Vietnam, before being replaced by aircraft such as the A-7 Corsair. With the introduction of the 1962 tri-service designation scheme, basic designation changed from AD to A-1. The original AD designation was reflected in one of the Skyraiders nicknames - ‘Able Dog’. This was an appropriate title for an unglamorous but very effective aircraft. The total production run was some 3,160 aircraft.
The Kit:
The Airfix kit (This is also the Heller kit), which was originally issued in 1968 and is still available at Hobby shops and of course on Ebay differing only in decals and paint schemes. The other injection-molded single seat 1/72 Skyraider kits are produced by Hasegawa (very nice but expensive, with no option for open speed brakes), Tsukuda which has some glaring inaccuracies in shape along with molded on wing bomb racks which are very thick (This is the same kit sold by Fugimi and Hobbycraft), Also the IMC kit which is not worth buying unless you really want the extra battle damaged parts.
The Mold:
Given the age of the mold, it is in very good shape - I have seen other kits of the same vintage where the quality has markedly deteriorated. Riveting and raised panel lines are all clearly defined. The kit consists of 88 parts, including a one-piece canopy. All other parts are attached to the loose sprues that are usually found with kits of this age. I saw very little flash. There are the usual injection marks on various parts, although only the marks on the weapons pylons need to be cleaned up. The kit is actually rather accurate in size and shape with two glaring exceptions, the tail is canted heavily to the right, The fuselage molds have a jog along the upper edge to make up for the twist, also the cockpit is about 5/8 inch too far back.
Building:
Starting with the fuselage as this will require allot of work to correct. The two major problems are the tail is heavily canted to the right and the cockpit is (in scale) about 4 feet too far back. (I noticed this after the fuselage was complete and primed as I couldn’t get the proper fuselage upper line, more later). I started by first cutting the rudder free so as not to damage it, then sawing the left fuselage in along five lines at the fuselage tail juncture. Bringing the fuselage together after trimming the jog off the left fuselage, then cutting the right side in two places and twisting the leading edge of the vertical fin straight.
The fuselage and tail gaps were then filled with sheet card and super glue to line everything up; all was covered in a heavy coat of Green Putty. After this the inner speed brakes housings were cut out and after thinning the speed brakes they were super glued flush in place and also covered in Green Putty. (This also goes for the bottom speed brake, as the 4N does not have any speed brakes). Not much surface detail left after this and I didn’t re-engrave it either
© Dana McGee 2005
When dry 220 grit sandpaper was used to flush it all in, then a few more coats of putty and sanding with finer paper to smooth it out. I then added a custom interior with a bit of extra detailing, and glued the forward area together. It was at this point that I noticed the fuselage had a sway back appearance to it that just wasn’t right. After test fitting the wings I noticed the cockpit sits way too far back. Sooo, the interior was ripped out and the opening moved forward (about 5/8 of an inch) just over the wing leading edge. Now so much for the interior detail, I just added in a new instrument panel and the kit cockpit and faired the fuselage again, this time it looked much better. You might be thinking about now with all the mods to the fuselage what happened to the horizontal stabilizer plates, they were ground off during the mods and new ones made from sheet plastic using a Hasegawa kit as a guide. (If you are now wondering why I did all this when I had the Hasegawa kit available, the answer is the Airfix kit cost me 75 cents at a yard sale and the other over $20.00. I’m also a big fan of Airfix kits (been building them for 35 plus years now) and still enjoy the effort it takes to correct them, much more satisfaction when finished. (Watch for the build review on my scratch built Airfix TBM-3W).
Now the wing was installed and putty needed along all seams, the new stabilizer plates fitted cutouts made for the elevators and these installed. Then I went back and drilled out the fuselage sides for the radar operator windows, these were then ovaled out with a small file and the fuselage door openings scribed in. (unlike the AD-4Q the 4N and the 4W had a door on both sides.) The equipment cooling scoop was carved from a solid piece of plastic (third time was a charm here as the first two flew across the room into limbo) then installed above and slightly behind the crew doors.
The rest of the kit was pretty much straight from the box with the exception of adding a set of flap control arms from an F-18 kit that met with an early demise. By this time I just fitted in the gear without doing any extra detail. The cowl flaps were cut free and installed in the open position and new glare panels were made from decal paper and added under the windscreen. (The originals were sanded off during the cockpit move.)
New rounded AD-4 style wing racks were made from the large wing end rack off of a Bell Cobra model (left only). The right one is larger more rectangular as this holds the Radar Pod. The Pod was made from a BF-110 long-range tank modified to shape. While the right tank holds a 150 gallon fuel tank, the seam was created using a long piece of stretch sprue wrapped around the length of the tank and liquid glued on.
New cannon barrels were made from stretched sprue and flared at the end as the 4N had flash suppressors.Painting & Decals:
Not much here as the aircraft is overall sea blue. I just shot it with Testors FS 15042 Gloss Dark Sea Blue. Then the cockpit engine and tires were painted flat black with the engine nose cone in medium gray, other details such as the oleo struts and disk brakes were hand painted silver. When dry the exhaust stains were dry brushed on with a light coat of medium gray followed by a thinned out flat black wash. This was also used to stain the wings behind the cannons and the oil cooler. I touched my finger and thumb in baking soda and ran them around the cowling to dull it a bit, then washed the excess off.
© Dana McGee 2005
Final Details:
Now the canopy was cut in two so I could have it open using a # 11 blade carefully run along the canopy bow until it separated. Very small pieces of thin sheet plastic were added along the lower edge of the canopy to simulate the step that the real canopy has, the frames were hand painted then the whole glued to the fuselage. The antennas were made from sheet plastic and affixed where needed. The 4N has an “L” shaped pitot tube under the right wing outboard of the last wing rack and the Data Link antenna fitted to the top of the tail was made from three pieces of stretched sprue with the center piece slightly larger in diameter than the lower and upper, this was painted black with the center section in brown. Finally the side windows were made from small pieces of clear plastic stretched over a paint brush handle. This are a bit of a chore to install due to their small size, I have 3 sets inside the fuselage as spares. Once finally in place I ran a bead of super glue on a pin around them to keep them in place. Final parts being the tail wheel and hook were installed. (The tail wheel was lost and it took me awhile to create a replacement from a 1/144 scale F-8 Crusader nose wheel).
© Dana McGee 2005
Accuracy:
You get what you pay for with this kit - the basic shape and detail are there, it’s just undercarriage, cockpit and ordnance detail are all lacking. I could say the same about almost every other kit of a similar vintage. It takes a bit to finish the mods to bring it back to a –4, but it’s just time, the total for the change over was a can of paint and, a tube of green putty and new decals. Still well below the cost of the Hasegawa kit.
Overall Recommendation:
I enjoyed the building of this model as it gave me a chance to use all my scratch building techniques and the final model looks the part of an older AD-4N. Just wish I had noticed the cockpit position prior to wasting some nice detail work. The extra piece of decal on this side is from a replacement hatch and is also on the real plane. Also notice the pitot tube under the wing.
© Photo Credit: Unknown
Restored AD-4N, the original did not have the white tail tip nor the landing door numbers.
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