Douglas A-1H Skyraider USN 1/40 Scale Mahogany Model

$ 199.95

Introducing the ready-built AA1NT Desktop Model. This 1/40 scale model was handmade with precision and accuracy to produce the finest model that will be the centerpiece of your collection for years to come. This model is a perfect gift for pilots and aviation enthusiasts alike. Not too big or too small, this model features a wingspan of 15 inches and a length of 11.75 inches. This model features a very accurate paint scheme with realistic panel lines.

This collectible model AH-1 Skyraider shows one of the anachronisms of the Vietnam War – a slow, propeller-driven aircraft flying with high-speed jet fighters. But this was no dusty antique - the heavily armed Skyraider played a vital role in ground attack and rescue missions. Painstakingly built from Philippine mahogany by skilled craftsmen using a wealth of detail, this 1/40-scale model USAF AH-1 Skyraider makes a great gift for any veteran, aviation enthusiast or history buff.

In the Vietnam War, pilots of mach-busting, high-tech jets had a nickname for the ungainly AH-1 Skyraider – the Spad, because it seemed as old-fashioned as the World War I fighter. But when the jet pilots were trying to avoid capture after being shot down, they welcomed the sight of the old attack plane, with its four 20mm cannon and ability to loiter for hours.

Developed during World War II as a carrier-based long-range dive bomber, the A1-H was designed by Ed Heinemann of Douglas Aircraft, who would later design the successful A-4 Skyhawk jet attack bomber. The AH-1 first flew on March 18, 1945, with service delivery beginning in 1946.

Powered by a Wright R-3350 radial engine of 2,700 horsepower, the Skyraider could carry up to 8,000 pounds of ordnance on 15 hard points – more than the bomb load of a B-17 Flying Fortress. In addition, it also carried four 20mm cannon in its wings.

In Vietnam, the U.S. Air Force began using the Skyraider as a ground-support aircraft, unlike the Korean War, when its service was limited to the Navy,

As the Vietnam war progressed, USAF A-1s were painted in camouflage, while Navy A-1 Skyraiders were gray/white in color; again, in contrast to the Korean War, when A-1s were painted dark blue.

An A-1 Skyraider on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force is the only surviving Air Force Medal of Honor aircraft. On March 10, 1966, Maj, Bernard Fisher was leading a two-ship element of Skyraiders to the A Shau Valley to support troops in contact with the enemy. Six Skyraiders were striking enemy position when Maj. D. W. "Jump" Myers’ aircraft was hit and forced to crash-land on the airstrip of the Special Forces camp. Myers took cover behind an embankment on the edge of the strip while Fisher directed the rescue effort. Since the closest helicopter was 30 minutes away and the enemy was only 200 yards from Myers, Fisher decided to land his two-seat A-1E on the strip and retrieve Myers. Under the cover of the other A-1s, he landed in the valley, taxied to Myer's position, and loaded the downed airman into the empty seat. Dodging shell holes and debris on the steel-planked runway, Fisher took off safely despite many hits on his aircraft by small-arms fire.

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