Douglas D-557C - French service

[mat]

The Douglas D-557C was one of the design steps towards the A2D Skyshark, which got airborne for the first time on 19 december 1950. Whereas the Skyshark where powered by a Allison XT40-A-2 made up of two Allison T38-A-1s, the D-557C used a single Westinghouse X25-D-2 turbine placed in the rear fuselage.

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The D-557C never left the drawing board - but what if the D-557C had been placed in production, entering service in the middle 1950s.

One of the services, where the D-557C could have seen service were Armée de l'air. In the post World War 2 era, france were engaged in several colonial wars, which were fought with a motley collection of mostly US planes. So in a what-if parralel world, the D-557C entered french service in 1958 - to late for the Indochina War but in time for the last part of Algerian War.

My build will be based on the 1/72 Airfix Kit of the A-1J Skyraider exposed to a lot of cutting, plastic card and PSR.

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[mat]

The first cuts have been executed. One cut to make place for a new cockpitt and another cut to remove the wing root, as the fuselage on the D-557C was a bit deeper than the A-1. And the first of likely many layers of putty added.

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[Wardukw]

The Skyraider is a big fav of mine Mat ..it's a big brutal beast of a plane and you can really see the lines of the A-1 in that first pic .

I be looking forward to this build 

[NARSES2]

Looking forward to this 

[mat]

Converting the wing with new wheel wells. The A-1 Skyraider was a tail sitter, but the undercarriage on D-557C had a nose wheel.

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[sandiego89]

Bold build!  nice

[jcf]

I've long pondered a D-557C build using the Matchbox A-1E "Family Truckster". No doubt it will most likely stay in the realm of dreams.

[mat]

I've long pondered a D-557C build using the Matchbox A-1E "Family Truckster". No doubt it will most likely stay in the realm of dreams.

Just go for it! I have a Monogram A-1E somewhere in my stash, and it would have made a great start for a D-557C - but I have other plans for it.

[Dizzyfugu]

Nice! 

[loupgarou]

Fascinating build! 

[mat]

The fin and the rudder have been separated from the fuselage. On the A-1 Skyraider the fin was turned a bit to the left to counteract the torque from the propel. As the the D-557C got counter-rotating props, there were no need for that, and I have to re-alligne the fin along the planes center line.

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[mat]

The fin is reunited with the fuselage, just now turned a bit to the right, so it align with the centerline of the plane. Its looks like I have some PSR ahead. It's now time to put some attention to the front of the fuselage. But that will have to wait for a couple of days as I'm soon off to Copenhagen to celebrate the five years birthday of my eldest daughters twins.

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[Wardukw]

   ..and have a great time to matey 😀

[NARSES2]

But that will have to wait for a couple of days as I'm soon off to Copenhagen to celebrate the five years birthday of my eldest daughters twins.

That should be fun 

Happy birthday to the pair of them 

[loupgarou]

But that will have to wait for a couple of days as I'm soon off to Copenhagen to celebrate the five years birthday of my eldest daughters twins.

That should be fun 

Happy birthday to the pair of them 

I second that!
And am following your build with interest.