Tamiya 1/48 Douglas A-1J Skyraider USAF Model Kit
This is a Tamiya 1/48 Douglas A-1J Skyraider USAF Model Kit. Originally designed as a carrier-borne attack aircraft, the Skyraider eventually had a distinguished career which spanned over thirty years. The A-1J variant which was introduced in 1956 equipped the U.S. Air Force, which employed it as an escort for search and rescue helicopters as well as in the normal ground attack role. Distinctive features of the USAF version such as the various antennas on the fuselage have been accurately reproduced and the kit includes an impressive arsenal of bombs, rocket pods, and gun pods with which to arm the model. One pilot figure and two marking options are also included.
This product was added to our catalog on July 29, 2020
Scott Smith
Monday, Jun 27 2022 (about a year ago)
Tamiya 1/48 Douglas A-1J Skyraider USAF Model Kit
The A-1 Skyraider was almost legendary for its abilities and toughness in the attack role. The Tamiya kit has been around for awhile but it is still one of the best kits in this scale both for price and accuracy. I do question why they chose to designate the kit as an A-1J since there were only 72 examples built of this version and externally they were no different from the A-1H other than their Bureau numbers. The A-1J was equipped to deliver nuclear weapons! The idea of launching atomic weapons from single seat piston-engined attack planes with a top speed of 318 miles an hour seems almost insane, but the fact that 72 A-1Hs were converted to A-1Js would suggest that there was some merit to the idea. Fortunately no one was called upon to actually perform this task. The cockpit is well detailed and has the USAF Yankee extraction seat in place of the Navy seat but it is missing a small, but noticeable canvas cover behind the headrest. Most of the AF fuselage aerials are there, but depending on the aircraft being modeled you may have to make some of them yourself. The main landing gear wheel hubs are the solid units used on AF aircraft and the larger tailwheel used by them is also in the kit. The flaps can be positioned down or retracted and the fuselage dive brakes can be built open or closed. The propeller is a bit undersized so I replaced it with one from the spares box. The weapons selection is good and the loadouts are typical of the southeast-asian theatre of operations. I finished my model as a/c #257 "Midnight Cowboy" of the 1st SOS out of Nakon Phanom RTAB in early 1970.
