1/48 Matchbox A1E Skyraider |
Gallery Article by Darius Aibara
on
Nov 12 2003
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The 1:48 Matchbox range, although limited, did provide some US Navy aircraft not kitted (until recently) by other manufacturers. These included the Kaman Seasprite, NA Fury and the A1E Skyraider. In common with their other kits this one is moulded in different colours of plastic with some recessed panel lines but with minimal detail in the
cockpit and undercarriage bays.
Click on
images below to see larger images
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This was one of the earlier kits that I built and so it originally suffered from a poor paint job (no primer used in those days) and silvered decals. An article in FSM about the first tour of the USS Enterprise in 1962 showed photos and artwork of
VA(AW)-33 A1E's with painted over rear canopies and a column of stars on the rudder. I decided that my A1E was due for a major overhaul and duly modified my earlier efforts. The kit decals that I had used were for
VA(AW)-33 (without the tail colour) and so I carefully painted over the silvered decal areas of the unit markings, and the rear canopy.