LTV A-7B Corsair II

VA-215 ‘Barn Owls’ High Visibility Schemes
 

1/72, 1/48 & 1/32 scales

AirDOC

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

AirDOC Decals and books are available online from Meteor Productions

ADM 72015 is the third and final sheet covering the Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II in U.S. Navy service produced by AirDOC. 

AirDOC describe this as a ‘special sheet’.  It is special in as much as it provides markings solely for machines of VA-215 ‘Barn Owls’.  

The markings are described as being “high visibility scheme” and are from the sadly missed era of flat gull grey over glossy insignia white finish with elaborate full colour squadron markings.  Details of the individual options as follows: 

• Bureau number 154454, modex 410 aboard the USS Oriskany circa 1974.  410 was a ‘line bird’ and as such bears the squadron’s basic high colour markings.

• Bureau number 154381, modex 400, the CAG bird.  Again, from the same era as the previous option and aboard the USS Oriskany.  As a CAG bird, her markings are even more elaborate and colourful than that of her squadron sisters in that her tail markings bear the colours of each of the other squadrons embarked aboard the Oriskany to make a ‘rainbow’.

• The final option is Bureau number 154463, modex 412 from 1977 when the ‘Barn Owls’ were embarked aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt.  Her markings are basically the same as the first option barring the ship’s name, more complex squadron radome marking, new Airwing indicator (to reflect the squadron re-assignment to the Atlantic fleet), the application of modified squadron insignia on the vertical stabiliser and intake, and finally, the addition of red stars to the tail markings.

Support material is quite comprehensive.  It consists of an A-4 sized sheet (printed on both sides) on good quality glossy paper that show full colour, clear and well drawn side profiles of each option as well as an upper and lower plan view.  Also included is a list of suggested kits, references (including their own - LTV A-7 Corsair II Part 1 - The SLUF (Short Little Ugly Fellow) in US Navy Service – reviewed here on Hyperscale at http://www.hyperscale.com/reviews/books/airdocpostwar12reviewrk_1.htm and available after market accessories to enhance your scale A-7, as well as detailed instructions on how to apply the decals. 

The decals themselves have been printed by Cartograf.  Everything on my sample sheet is in perfect register with the colours used appearing to be true to the original specifications.  A single set of stencil data and, national insignia markings are provided with the stencil data being confined to the larger more visible items such as intake warning and rescue markings.

The support sheets/placement guide and decal sheets (there are two – the main sheet and a small errata sheet that supplies the radome marking for the first two options) come packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag. 

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

Don’t be mistaken, this is a well produced and value for money sheet from AirDOC but I just can’t help being disappointed in as much as they have chosen to produce markings for just one of the squadrons that operated the A-7 during the colourful marking era when they could have provided a sheet in the same vein as they have for their A-7 lo-viz markings sheets which provide markings for six to seven machines from different squadrons on each sheet.  Perhaps they will in the future. 

The sheet is also available in 1/48 scale as ADM 48015. 

My gripes aside, the sheet is still recommended.

Thanks to AirDOC for the review sample

Review Copyright © 2007 by Rodger Kelly
Page Created 28 October, 2007
Last updated 24 December, 2007

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