Skyraider Floatplane

[zenrat]

In the mid sixties the PDRV, needing to supplement it's ageing Wyverns which were having trouble coping with the level of blockade runners in the Bass Strait, managed to acquire enough pre-loved Skyraiders to outfit a number of squadrons.
These aircraft were completely overhauled and refitted to PDRV specs at Victorian Aircraft Factory No.1 at Tullamarine.  Most came out of the VAF sheds looking like they did when they went in (albeit stripped of arrestor hooks and wing folding mechanisms) but those destined for Revenue Protection Squadron No.3 at the Martha Cove seaplane station in the Mornington Archipelago had learned to swim losing their undercarriage and growing a central float and wingtip stabilisers in the process.

The aircraft depicted is Yellow 23 "Lucy Lastic" and is finished in a typical PDRV Archipelago Camouflage scheme with the post Korea roundels.  She's carrying the rockets and laser guided bombs the Revenue Protection planes use for interdicting larger vessels trying to run the Bass Straits without paying their passage.

PDRV Skyraider 002 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

PDRV Skyraider 001 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

PDRV Skyraider 003 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

PDRV Skyraider 004 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

For my first 1/72 aircraft build in 30 years (Cliff! I feel old!) i've used a Heller Skyraider with the floats from an Airfix Kingfisher.  The GBU-12s are from a Hasegawa weapons set.

[Thorvic]

Nice idea and what a beast !!!! 

[NARSES2]

Gorgeous colours

[Weaver]

That looks great - the colour scheme is excellent! 

Hmm, makes me think about an AD-5 4-seater with a Grumman Duck-style faired-in float...

[ericr]

beautiful floatplanization! 

[Librarian]

Absolutely superb . Those colours are mesmerizing, a work of art. More Skyraider whiffs from everyone .

[comrade harps]

Excellent!

Love that disruptive maritime scheme - it's an inspiration.

Btw, are you from Mornington way yourself?

[Ed S]

Great model. The camo is outstanding. I have an old Monogram A-1E that I'm thinking of turning into a floatplane.  Yours inspires me to move it up on the priority list.

Ed

[kitnut617]

I like the very imaginative camo 

Only comment I might make ('cause I like doing things with floats), Kingfisher's max takeoff weight is about 'half' of what the Skyraider's 'empty' weight is.  I think I would have used a 1/48 scale Kingfisher float --

[Captain Canada]

Wow.....great stuff ! Love the camo. The mix of camps looks awesome....always been a fan of blue camo, and mixing in some 'true' camo colours really sets it off. The kill markings are nice too ! An with a weapons load like that.....why not !

Great job for sure. Love to see centreline floatplanes.

[pyro-manic]

I agree with kitnut617's point about the size of the float. But it looks great nevertheless!

[reddfoxx]

Lovely!

[ChernayaAkula]

Wicked!  Fantastic idea and gorgeous camo scheme! 

[sandiego89]

Great paint job!

[Leading Observer]

Superb camo - I may borrow it  for my Sea Dart