Fulton Recepcion inspired me to build  all the a model of each type of aircraft flown by VMF/VMA/VMA(AW)/VMFA(AW)-225.  Early in their history they were known as the Vagabonds and later became the Vikings.
The first model I finished was the 1/48 Academy (mostly) F4U-4B.  I managed to find a good picture of one of their post-war F4U-4s in the In Action book, so I based the model on it.  I drilled out the holes corresponding to the .50 cal  gunports and ejection holes.   The kit cockpit and mainwheels were swapped out with True Details replacements.  The kit engine was replaced with an engine from a AMT F7F kit.  The wing-root oil cooler inlets, pitot tube, and propeller were replaced with corresponding parts from Hasegawa/Pro-Modeler F4U-5N.  The gear doors, rocket stubs, and antenna masts likewise came  from a Tamiya F4U kit.  The canopy and windscreen were replaced with vacuform versions from Falcon.  (The vacuform F4U-4/4B windscreen from Squadron does not fit the wider Academy kit.)  The markings were cobbled together from various sheets.

The second model I finished for this project was a 1/48 Tamiya Skyraider.  The squadron flew both the AD-4 in gloss sea blue and AD-6 in gull gray over white.  I chose  to build the model as an AD-4 in the former scheme.  It was built largely out-of-box with some exceptions.  The seat and canvas cover behind the head rest came from an old KMC resin set.  The rotating beacon on the tail, one antenna behind the cockpit and two antennas ahead of the tail wheel were removed.  I didn't bother to sand off the armor plating around the cockpit because photos I found didn't show whether or not it was present.  The inboard wing pylons were modified to the AD-4 style.  The droptanks were modified Tamiya F4U centerline tanks.   The markings were again cobbled together from various sources.  The stars on the tip of the tail and wingtips were custom-made by Mike Grant.

This Hasegawa A-4C was built built almost out-of-box except for a Cutting Edge ejection seat.   The decals were again cobbled together except for the Mike Grant 'CE" tail codes and 'VMA-225' squadron codes.
I am currently working working on a Monogram A-6 Intruder and a Hasegawa F/A-18D is waiting on the yet-to-be-built shelf.
Happy Birthday Marines - former and current, especially those deployed and under fire.

John