Going to make a start this afternoon on one of my projects for this year, 3 old Matchbox F3D Skyknights.
The first will be completed as a Korean War nightfighter and the other two in hi-viz training colours and a Vietnam EF-10B.
So, here’s the first in it’s rather sad battered box.
The decals in this one look they’re past their best, but I have two perfect sheets from the others in the stash.
This one had been partially started when I bought it, fortunately nothing has gone AWOL. But, the engine parts have been glued to the fuselage rather messily with old tube glue.
First job, clean up that glue!
Thanks for looking.
6 Likes
A drut living up to its name. 
Look forward to see how this goes. 
1 Like
Thanks. I don’t think it will be too difficult to sort those out. Some gaps to fill, bit of milliput will do the job I think. I’ll probably put some FOD covers on the intakes too.
If anything, it lets me know that is potentially a problem area when I do the others. Might need a little trimming to get a good fit.
1 Like
Fine choice! One of my favorites. I did “Willy The Whale” long ago with a black finish and red decals. Will be watching this fine piece of plastic coming to life!
1 Like
Thanks, I’ll do my very best with it.
Welcome aboard.
I’ll definitly be watching this build, Douglas, like Grumman, had some very distinctive design lines that are just naturally asthetic and apealling to the eye especially if you’re an aircraft nut. This plane I am not very familiar with but right off the bat it reminds me of the A3D Sky Warrior (B66 Destroyer). Seems this plane was the predecessor to the EA6B in the ECM role post war Korea and early Viet Nam . .
The EA 3B
(Both pics from wiki for comparrison only)
Quite an interesting history with this plane, early jet fighter design and radar devlopement, escort fighter for B 29’s then B36’s.
I really like this period of combat aircraft history and look forward to seeing this build move along. Good luck with the glue, I know you’ll work it out.
Cajun 
2 Likes
It’s definitely an odd looking thing. There’s a bit of Skyraider in it too if you look at the wings and tail. A distinctive Douglas design. Ot even had the same escape slide as the Skywarrior, which was apparently next to useless. They finally realised this when they designed the B-66 and fitted that with ejection seats. Which reminds me that I made a start on an EB-66 quite a while ago that I need to finish.
I’d recommend Ospreys recent book, it’s a good quick reference. Talks about the night fighting over Korea, SIGINT work out of Japan and around Cuba (identifying the presence of Fan Song radar was one of the first clues the Soviets were up to something bigger there) and jamming in Vietnam. I’ve just started that section of the book.
I’ve got the Printscale sheet for the Vietnam jammer. They have a reputation of being tricky to work with, but with little else available I’ll just have to persevere with them. I’ll also need an ALQ-31 ECM pod, which for some reason Trumpeter included in their F-100’s. I’m pretty sure I have one of those so I’m hoping to find it.
2 Likes
That’s the old glue cleaned up and sanded back. I was able to pop off one engine nacelle but the other is not budging. Test fitted the intake and jet pipe parts. There’s a few gaps to fill. That’ll be fun.
1 Like
