Colour schemes for A-1 Skyraider in French service

[EPinniger]

Yet another question from me - Anyway, I'm intending to build my Revell 1/40 A-1 Skyraider as a French (Armee de l'Air) aircraft but cannot find any photographs or drawings of French Skyraiders despite much Google searching.

 

I don't have much info on Skyraiders in my reference library (most of my books are on WW2 or earlier subjects) and the pictures I do have are all of USN/USAAF planes.

 

What colour were they normally painted? I remember seeing a French Skyraider at the Duxford air show a few years ago, from what I remember it was in a natural metal scheme.

 

Any advice or links would be greatly appreciated.

[EPinniger]

No French modellers and/or Skyraider fans here who could help me out?

I tried searching for "skyraider armee de l'air" on Google, loads of links but none with any photos or drawings

of French aircraft.

[Fancherello]

hi

I'm rahter a jet guy, but if I remember well, French Skyraiders were all painted. I'll have a chat with a friend who knows the subject far better than me and will try to provide you some reference

Fanch

[Fancherello]

a few pics there:

http://www.cocardes.com/galerie.php?sujeti...AD-4N_Skyraider

 

[Derek B]

Model Art Decal System produced a full set of 1/72 scale decals for French Skyraiders, and yes, they are natural metal/silver. If you ask Jean-Pierre Desprez (of the above decals) nicely, I'm sure that he would send you a scan or a copy of his artwork for youu to use as a reference.

 

Regards

 

Derek

[Dollar65]

Hello,

 

I might have a few pictures that could help you for your project, and that I will e-mail you, once you provide me with your address. Do you have a high speed connection, or will big files be a problem?

 

Here are a few pics found on the internet and stored on my HD:

 

 

 

 

To the best of my knowledge, planes were painted silver, and reportedly over the blue USN paint (I even have a color picture of a partially blue plane with french markings).

 

I hope to have time to send you some stuff in the evening.

 

Cheers,

 

Laurent

[Stef (#6)]

Hello

 

Here is what I remember from scratch, not having my documents at hand;

 

3 squadrons have been using the skyraider in french service, those of the 20th Escadre

I don't remember exactly the squadron numbers, but each had squadron colors like this : red, willow green and orange yellow;

 

Of these 3 squads two were involved in operations in Algeria, while the third was based in Djibouti, but I'm not sure they went to algéria

 

Planes were mostly AD4 N (with side door and radio/radar compartment, but htere were also sevral AD4

 

Colors and markings :

 

Planes were received from america and send to Bordeaux, where they were modified by a company named sferma :

 

Mods were : airbrakes welded in closed position (so definitely NO french Spad with open airbrakes !!! )

changes in radio equipment leading to aerial beeing moved and one addtional hook-shape atop fuselage aft cockpit; other mods do cover remove of the center weapon pylon, while the two inner pylons were replaced by rounded ones. Last they were repainted aluminium dope overall, often directly over sea blue gloss. English rockets used instead of the usual US HVAR (but these were also seen, tough)

 

There is a 1:48 mod set available frome MDC, including fuel tanks (much like Hellcat, Corsair or Tigercat ones), etched seat belts etc, and a decals sheet too. There was a limited run from Tamiya france with decals; I still have both the MDC and Tamiya decals, so I'll be happy to scann both Inst sheet for you, to give you an idea

 

Markings :

 

Squadron colors, atop vertical fin, with individual ID letter, and on the front LG doors, again with ID letter on it and wing tips;

Still on the vertical fin, a little french flag, and under it the original BuAer, plus the SFERMA logo, and depending from squadron, squadron badge (which is more often displayed on the engine cowling)

Roundels 6 positions, with yellow outlines

Planes serving in Algeria had large yellow ID stripes, on the upper wing to help localising crashed planes from above

A black antiglare panel front cokcpit, extending down the fuselage sides rear of the exhausts

A black walkway area at wing root

Rocket pylons are indentified on the wing leading edge by small stencil like number, even and uneven numbers on each wings

Aux tanks remain sea blue gloss or black and are badlly weathered

 

plane id in solid block black letters on fuselage, like "20-XX"

 

here is what I remember and will try to do the scans asap.

 

HTH

 

Cheers

 

Stef (#6)

[Stef (#6)]

and a few corrections : rockets were not english, but french T10, with specific mounts

the center pylon wasn't removed, but simply wasn't fitted to these version ...

Rounded leading edge pylons were not french mods but genuine USN ...

 

[EPinniger]

Thanks very much for the help.

I'm probably not going to start the Skyraider until the 1/32 Tiger Moth is more complete (probably a week or so) so there's no rush, but any scans/photos of colour schemes and plans would be very helpful.

[Rick190]

Here's the link to a GREAT website about the A-1, including information on its use by the French: http://www.skyraider.org/

 

Hope it helps.

 

Rick