Warbird Information Exchange

Kennet Aviation’s Skyraider, Bu.126922/G-RADR, debuted it’s new paint scheme at North Weald, on Sunday 5th June. Now wearing VA-155 markings.

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I am more of a Vietnam Skyraider buff so forgive the question, but is this paint scheme accurate for an AD-4N or just a AD-4? Or accurate at all? Can anyone share details of what this scheme represents?

Looks like it turned out great. By the way, was the previous paint a gray Intrepid scheme?

Ken

Purdy!

Funny that I should think that now, when as a little kid just starting to build plastic models, I thought the Skyraider was kinda ugly. Later, after I got older, read more about it, its operational history and its original development, I began to appreciate it more. Maybe understanding of the relationship between form and function comes with maturity, but "functionally" the Skyraider is one beautiful machine!

I especially came to love the story about how the Navy rejected Douglas' initial proposal for a new attack platform and then Ed Heinemann and his team essentially re-designed it and came up with the Skyraider in just one night - and then it went on to be one of if not the actual longest production piston aircraft ever in service with the Navy.

This photo also got me thinking...aside from the Skyraider (with a R-3350) and the Goodyear F2G Super Corsair (with a R-4360), what other single-engine, single-seat taildraggers had engines bigger than the relatively "common" R-2800?

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Hawker Sea Fury/Martin Mauler/Blackburn Firebrand/Curtiss XP-62//Curtiss XBTC-2/Hawker Tempest 11

Taildragger?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dougl ... _River.jpg

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Fisher P-75

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

That's a GREAT looking scheme... Skyraiders always look best in overall GSB, I think.

Lynn

The Sea Fury was never in production with the 3350. Those only started to appear after guys started importing them and the Centauruses became too difficult to maintain.

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VA-155 flew both the AD-4 and AD-4NA, as well as several other models of the Skyraider between 1951-58 before transitioning to the A-4D Skyhawk. It appears that this scheme is supposed to represent an AD-4NA on their Korean/West Pacific cruise in 1953, which seems right since the unit wasn't designated as VA-155 until February of 1953. Here's a color profile I found of one of the -H's the unit flew:

http://cybermodeler.net/aircraft/a-1/images/A1H_VA155.jpg

Not sure if the paint scheme would've changed much during that era, so I'd imagine it's pretty accurate. Very nice and attractive scheme either way.

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Matt

But the Centaurus IS bigger than an R-2800.

The CENTAURUS displaces 3270 c.i. and even with all the monkey motion required to process incoming and outgoing air it made 3000 H.P. which puts it pretty high on the 'damned stout' scale.
And don't short sheet the BOEING XF8B-1 with a 4360

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I just remembered a couple of others. Convair XA-41 & Vought had a testbed for some purpose using the airframe of an TBU powered by an R-4360.

For some reason this post didn't make it, so here it is again.
I had mentioned the Boeing XF8B-1, but also the Curtiss XBT2C, Blackburn Firecrest. Cheating a bit 'cause they're turbo props but bigger by HP, Westland Wyvern, Piper Enforcer & Douglas A2D Skyshark.

Following posted in the UK on Key (from a source very close to the aircraft!!):

Interestingly, the Kennet Skyraider has been repainted into the original colours that she wore with VA-155 in the early fifties, while flying off the USS Princeton. Kennet was fortunate to find a pilot who flew that same aircraft in the Korean theatre. He has some great stories to tell.

Checking his log books and squadron data it shows that each aircraft in the squadron, and therefore 126922, must have flown over 70 combat missions in Korea. A real "Warbird".

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what an awesome plane

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