Douglas A2D-1 Skyshark
Rareplanes vacu


Skyshark model in 1/72  scale
 
The Skyshark was a project of Douglas in 1950 to design a fast aircraft with a counter rotating propeller and a jet engine. The aircraft flew but the gearbox caused problems. Meanwhile, full jet aircraft began to emerge so the Skyshark project was cancelled. 

The kit is from Rareplanes and it is a vacu-form kit with a number of metal castings such as the propeller blades.
The kit can be made rather straight forward when you have some vac form experience.

The real Skyshark used parts obtained with the Skyraider aircraft, so for the model a number of Skyraider parts can be also used.

As I had a very old Fujimi Skyraider kit, I used the wings of this kit for the Skyshark model. The leading edge typically of the Skyshark at the fuselage junction was obtained by extending the Fujimi parts with bits of the vacu wings. Also, the tailplane was used of the Fujimi kit.
 

The Skyshark is finished in high gloss Sea Blue of the US Navy, typical for the period. I used Xtracolor paint that was sprayed on the model. Markings were obtained from the scrap box and from some commercial decals such as from the Aeromaster AD set 72-143. 

 

The kit poses no problems with the fuselages needing only limited amounts of filler. 

The pitot tubes were made from metal needles and details painted on. The exhaust area has a dark brown colouring with exhaust fumes coming out. Otherwise, the model was not weathered as it flew only shortly as a prototype. 
 

The propellers are fitted in two sets on two disks that fit on an aixle. The cockpit area is very small and needs no big detailing effort as hardly anything can be seen.

The wheels came from the Skyraider kit although the legs were converted as these are longer on the Skyshark. Also the droptanks from the Fujimi Skyraider could be used although they needed to be sanded to get rounded noses. 

   
      An upper view of the A2D-1 

The model is a nice addition to my other USN models of the period.
Skyshark 1/72 model  
douglas skyshark  
skyshark
 
skyshark
 
skyshark muroc
 
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References:
- McDonnell Douglas aircraft, Putnam 


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Created November 27, 2000