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A-7 Paint kit and repaints...

Navy Chief said:
Looks like maybe the aircraft was transferred to 205 from another squadron, and they painted the squadron symbol on it until they had time to do a entire aircraft paint. NC
Click to expand...


Thats probably right. I just looked at some other photos I have of bird no. 511 and its a different BuNo.

You never know how aircraft move around between active duty and reserve units. I recall a few years ago that the marine reserve squadron at NAS Atlanta (VMFA-142 Flying Gators), had an FA-18A taken from them by the Blue Angels. Dont know about now, but the Blues flew A model FA-18's because they were not needed as combat ready aircraft and the USMCR aircraft was relatively low hours for an A model.
 
delta_lima said:
Hi NC,

It was tricky, but I think I have it pinned. 1979.

What threw me for a loop was that the photos of the grey top+belly scheme I had were dated 1979, but most photos of VA-83 A-7s, right up to 1982, have high-vis (grey top, white belly) - so that was counterintuitive, suggesting a reversal of the transitional schemes ... so I did some digging ...


So, my hunch was 1979, since that's when other units were flying that scheme - take VF-74's F-4, for example ....

http://www.cloud9photography.us/US-...VW/2627056668_Fstsfcp#!i=2627056668&k=Fstsfcp

But to really double-check, I vetted the 1979 Forrestal cruise book photos ... not many there, but bingo - there was that one-colour, all-grey fuselage ... you have to look closely, but you see no white belly ...

http://navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv59-80/256.htm
http://navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv59-80/257.htm



And then, I see the cruise book images of their 1981 Forrestal cruise, and their A-7Es are now sporting white undersides ... a reversal indeed, back to full high-vis

http://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv59-82/398.htm
http://navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv59-81/308.htm

The 1982 cruise book shows they continued with high vis (grey top, white belly) then too ...

http://navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv59-82/393.htm
http://navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv59-82/398.htm

So there's the scoop on the lovely, but short-lived 1979 era VA-83/Forrestal cruise livery. Maybe Steve can help it come back to life for us in the sim?

Now back to NC's question: if you were in during the last full year of VA-83's A-7E period (1987), then the ram emblem you'd have seen was this, right?

A-7E_VA-83_CV-60_1986.jpeg


Photo was taken in 1986, but assuming the scheme was the still the same or very close the next year ...

Anyway, a fun research project to spend lunch at ... hope it helps our paint teams ....

dl
Click to expand...

I remember just as 83 was winding down 3 of them came into Willow Grove. Well one did and broke...two others flew up with parts for the fix, and they were in this paint.
 
Duckie said:
You are most welcome, sir. Glad you like it. I've always liked VA-12 too! :encouragement:
Click to expand...

Outstanding!!! Flying Ubangis! I feel like I am getting a complete set of certain squadrons with A-4's and A-7's. Now going to have to think about A-6's. "-)

I must admit I am somewhat distracted by the awesome Metal2Mesh Mirage 2000c I bought the other day. what a sweet ride.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends here. :)

Eric
 
That is one clean SLUF with great colors, reminds me of NADEP Jax and seeing the freshly painted Royal Thai A-7's taxi by on the seawall.
 
Thanks very much guys. It is a clean one but still tweaking. For me, it's hard to get it just the way I want. I tend to get it to one of the 2 extremes, to clean or too grungy.
 
Thanks in advance for the VA-12 paint, Duckie. That squadron's tail symbol is my one of my favorites, along with VA-192's Golden Dragons. The Flying Ubangis "Kiss of Death" design was awesome! NC
 
Done tweaking. This is as dirty as this one's gonna get! :mixed-smiley-010:

Got to package it and write it up. Should be uploaded by tomorrow evening.

VA-12SLUF2_zps15bfacb1.png


VA-12SLUF1_zpse6ca8ba6.png
 
2 for the price of 1! :biggrin-new: This one and the VA-12 will be uploaded tomorrow (it' too late and I'm tired tonight). Sorry for the delay on the VA-12 but while working on the NATC bird I found some more nits that needed to be picked! Anyway, they'll both be uploaded tomorrow afternoon.

NATCA-7_1_zps78406f5a.jpg


NATCA-7_3_zpsc75606e6.jpg


NATCA-7_2_zps55aac02f.jpg
 
Thanks DL. :encouragement:

They have both been uploaded to the SOH Library. Now it's up to the Keepers of the Files.
 
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