Subject: Re: 1/72 Heller Skyraider - Khamer Air Force
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "MORENO V. Fernando I. EXIROS.MX" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:16:44 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: MORENO V. Fernando I. EXIROS.MX 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 10:52 AM
  Subject: 1/72 Heller Skyraider - Khamer Air Force

               
  Dear Steve, please find here the article for this aircraft. Please publish it as soon as you can. 

  Thanks

  1/72 Heller A1-H Skyraider 

  by Fernando I. Moreno Villa
  --------------------

        1.jpg

   

       

  The Aviation Royale Khmère (Royal Cambodian Air Force) was created in April 1954, under French military advice and supervision, and received several aircraft and helicopters, including some 15 AD-1 Skyraiders from France. Later, other Skyraiders came to the inventory from defecting South Vietnamese pilots. These planes saw action against Khamer Rouge guerrillas and North Vietnamese troops along the border in late 1960's and were out of service by 1970. 

  Click on images below to see larger images

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  THE KIT

  It seems to be one of the oldest Heller kits, with heavily raised panel lines and rivets, no wheel bays and some crude cockpit detail consisting of a control panel, a seat and a bulkhead. The cockpit floor did not match fuselage interior correctly and it required a lot of sanding. Detail inside is scarce and demands some scratch building to make it a little bit more realistic. Fuselage halves and wing joints also required a lot of sanding and putty to look acceptable. Ordinance consisted of 10 simplistic HVAR rockets, a couple of 500 lbs bombs and three fuel tanks. Bomb pylons were not accurate in shape and position. 

  CONSTRUCTION

  As usual, cockpit is first. The kit included a base for the seat with bulkhead, but no pedals or side control panel, which were added from scratch. Then I closed the cockpit and proceeded with masking and painting. Wings required a lot of putty in all joints, which made me erase some rivets and panel line detail. I drilled the cannon barrels and placed all aerials and antennas from scratch, including the small air intake behind the cockpit. Also the radar operator's door, which was never really used by this air force, was rescribed and a rounded piece of clear plastic was placed as a window in both sides. 

  Click on images below to see larger images

        4.jpg 
       5.jpg 
       6.jpg 

   

  PAINTING

  This was my chance to try a new tip found in the forums. First, I applied a coat of Testors enamel Silver to achieve a smooth surface for the metalizers. Then, I masked flaps with wet squared pieces of newspaper. It worked better than expected and I was able to spray the rest without damaging the already painted areas. However, it is hard to notice the different shades. I think I did it better with the SVAF Bearcat. All red bands were painted after the coat of silver and before metalizers, using the wonderful Tamiya masking tape. 

  DECALS

  I obtained the Cambodian roundels from the Microscale set by exchange in the ARC Forums. They proved to be very useful, but some of them very fragile. I lost several during the application. Special thanks to ARC members Glynn Jacobs and ed_s. Numbers were printed in clear decal paper. 

  WEATHERING

  I applied very thinned black paint (about 80% alcohol + 20% flat black) with my airbrush at cannon barrels. Then I did the same after applying several fast passes in flat gray + black trying to replicate the typical exhaust stain pattern of the Skyraiders. 

  CONCLUSION

  This kit needs a lot of work and some skill to make a good representation of the real one. You would need to use aftermarket pieces or to do a lot of scratchbuilding work to improve detail, but I think this kit is not worth of such investment. Better try with a Hasegawa or Fujimi. Anyway, it offers a good chance to practice techniques and to do some experiments. 

  REFERENCE

  The Air Combat Information Group website. www.acig.org 

   

  Thank you all and regards from Monterrey, México.

  Fernando

         7.jpg  

      Photos and text © by Fernando I. Moreno Villa 

  2008

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