Douglas F4D/F-6 Skyray & F5D Skylancer by Tony Buttler

Douglas F4D/F-6 Skyray and F5D Skylancer — Warpaint, Volume 117

An English-language monograph from the Warpaint aviation series, published by Guideline Publications. The text was written by Tony Buttler. It is not a kit but a publication on a pair of carrier-based Douglas machines. The Skyray was a delta-wing interceptor of the US Navy with a single turbojet and in 1962 it was redesignated F-6. The following F5D Skylancer never reached production.

The Skyray was built for a single task: to climb as fast as possible to an approaching bomber. The delta wing gave it great lift and a fast climb, at the cost of worse handling at low speeds and a demanding landing on deck. The Skylancer was to be its improved version with a thinner wing, but the navy gave preference to another type and the program ended with a few prototypes, some of which later served for test purposes. Together the two machines thus show how fast the requirement for a carrier fighter changed in the 1950s.

What the book contains

• Dozens of black-and-white and color photographs, close to one hundred fifty shots in all.
• Color profiles of the camouflage schemes and markings by Richard J. Caruana.
• Scale drawings in 1:72.
• A separate part devoted to the canceled F5D Skylancer.
• Tables of production, units and designations and a survey of the kits and accessories.

Who it is for

For modelers of the carrier aviation of the 1950s and for readers who are also interested in programs that never reached series production. The text is in English. Check the extent, the arrangement and the language edition on the box.