AbleDog - Murph's Skyraider in 1:100

[Don Boose]

Michael - I hope you will not mind some additional discussion about the identity of the VNAF A-1E you photographed. Let me know if you prefer no further discussion on that topic and I will say no more and will just enjoy your excellent build.

Mike - I agree that the yellow graphic below the cockpit would help, if we can find another image that identifies the aircraft. I have had no luck so far.

I would never say "never," but the serial number you identify seems unlikely. So far as I know, all the VNAF Skyraiders were ex-U.S. Navy birds with six-digit serials beginning "13" (1 for Fiscal Year 1951). The tail or fuselage numbers usually (but not always) dropped the "1" and were five-digit numbers beginning in "3." US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos--Third Series (130265 to 135773)

The black and yellow checkered fuselage stripe positively identifies the aircraft as of the 23rd Tactical Wing, which normally operated out of Binh Hoa. I have a personal interest since the 23rd TW supported the ARVN battalion to which I was assigned as an advisor in 1966-67. We loved those airplanes!

The tail code appears to be kWe (certainly kW; the third letter is fuzzy to my eye).

The initial letter "k" indicates that this was an aircraft of the 518th Fighter Squadron.

If the code actually is kWe, then this is an aircraft that the artist Co Vu painted. If his painting is accurate, the serial was 132629 and the tail number was 32629. However, Co Vu's painting does not show the yellow marking below the cockpit.

A lot of "ifs," as is often the case in trying to track down specific aircraft.

Unfortunately, Joe Baugher does not document 132629, but he says that A-1Es 132628 and 132629 were "to South Vietnam AF."

The source of the image below is Co Vu's website: VNAF: 2012

My other sources for this screed (in addition to Co Vu's and Joe Baugher's web sites) are:

Byron E Hukee, USAF and VNAF A-1 Skyraider Units of the Vietnam War, Osprey Combat Aircraft 97, Oxford: Osprey Publications, 2013.

Jim Mesko, VNAF: South Vietnamese Air Force 1945-1975, Carrolton, TX: Squadron Signal, 1987.

VNAF Skyraiders: VNAF Skyraiders

Don

[MichaelS]

Not a problem at all Don. As I recollect better it probably was Bien Hoa. I vaguely remember we were doing some support work further south than our usual AOP for Tricky Dick's "Cambodian Excursion" (Lost a few flight schoolmates based in IV Corps in that one. Our "intelligence" ( a misnomer if there ever was one) said there would be nothing but small arms ground fire. Then the radar directed AA that wasn't there opened up on the Cobras the first day.)

One thing I am wondering about with Murph's AD is the engine front. All the SPADs I saw had "shutters" covering the engine inlet. Is that just an AF thing?

I still have it on my list to dig out the original photos. My "need to know" is stirred up by this as well.

[Texman]

Michael,

You mention "shutters" covering the engine inlet.

Can you be more specific? The only thing I can think of is the
FOD covers that are installed to keep things out of the inlet/ducts.

[Texman]

Follow up....I have found photos of the A-1, all users, with these "shutters".
It appears they fold inward into the cowling, then back out to block the
area in front of the engine.

I assume your referring to these..



Possible purposes -
1) Used as the mentioned FOD cover
2) Used to control engine temperature

But now I see what your referring to.

[Don Boose]

Michael - I have been looking at a lot of images of A-1s, and I am not seeing shutters. Just an open cowl and the crankcase cover.

As in this photo (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/316166836328684905).

Do you have an image of these shutters, Ray?

Incidentally, as far as I know, all the USAF and VNAF A-1s were ex-Navy birds.

Don

[Texman]

Don, they are inside the cowl. I just found a good picture of them.

[Don Boose]

I see them now. For some reason, your image didn't show up when I previously read your post.

Unless deployed, I don't think they would be visible on a model. At least one less than 1/33.

Don

[Texman]

That's because I found/inserted the picture while you were posting

[MichaelS]

Yes now that I think about it when parked they had those covers on. Those damn heliokopters over there blew dust everywhere!

[Don Boose]

Taking another look at the first of Michael's images, I realize that the yellow graphic below the cockpit is a Rescue marking carried by some, but not all, VNAF A-1s.

Image source: https://hiveminer.com/Tags/douglas%2Cvnaf

How did we both miss this, Flyboy?

Don