A-6 SEA Experimental Scheme

[tc2324]

I going stick a pin in this one and say it`s done. I had planned to shorten the rod and place a blurred Vietnam base underneath it, but on hindsight, I`ll save that for something else. 

I based the scheme on this photo....,

 

...... showing an A-6A from VA-85 in SEA in July 1965.

Now I`ve seen a number of A-6`s in various experimental schemes from the era, but never with this weird USN intermediate blue underside. Now you could argue that the exposure of the photo plays a big part in the shades and you would be absolutely correct. Saying that, I thought it would be fun to just go with the flow and see what happens.

This build is certainly not one of my best, but it gave me a bit of much needed experience in practicing/recreating bomb drops as well as making an in-flight A-6 which both real world and what if enthusiasts may appreciate.   





 


 


 


Thanks for looking.

[DogfighterZen]

Looks very good! I've always loved a good in-flight display an this one fits in with the best i've seen so far, great work!

[TomZ]

Looks very good indeed

TomZ

[chrisonord]

Looks bob on in that colour scheme to me 
Chris

[zenrat]

 

[Dizzyfugu]

Very cool find - I've never seen such a paint scheme either. All USN machines from the cammo experiments I know just had their upper surfaces painted over with greens, SEA or SAC colors - but they all retained their bare white USN undersides, sometimes with the waterline and some Light Gull Grey visible. And it must be some intermediate blue (looks like the early USN blue grey from WWII to me? Upper surface could be FS 34079), since the white drop tanks on the pic give a good reference? Even if it was fake it looks very good - and your build does it good justice! Love the bombs' arrangement, too, neat idea and great execution. 

Makes me wish to try this or a similar scheme on a Skyhawk. 

As a side note, a quick web search revealed another version of the pic (on wikipedia), more reddish and claiming that this was a VA-42 machine:

[TheChronicOne]

Very cool!!! Any time someone can find a way to put blue on an aircraft I'm all for it. 

[NARSES2]

Very nice, particularly like the way you have the bombs as "just dropped" 

[b29r]

Very sharp, tc!  A neat scheme and display, and I really like the bomb drop.  I'm betting that was tricky to do

Best regards,
Kem

[tc2324]

Thank you all for the kind comments chaps. 

Dizzy, looks like your correct. I looked at a few different references during the build, including profiles and decals sheets, and they all claimed this is a VA-65 machine so I went with that.

Yet now checking up the Bu.no, it was indeed with VA-42 at the time of this picture being taken.

I also found out that this A-6 was upgraded to an A-6E and involved in a fatal aircraft collision in the Atlantic destroying the aircraft in the mid 70`s. (Should of done my homework better...)

[Dizzyfugu]

Well, it's a whif, and IMHO the real world reference does not matter much. AFAIK many USN units made cammo trials with different types of aircraft and patterns - it's the impression that counts (at least to me), and from this point of view it's a very good representation of the topic. 

[Snowtrooper]

The experimental camo schemes from Vietnam War are seriously underrepresented, and this one is a well executed model of one, with or without whiffiness

The falling bombs are a nice touch too.