Friday, May 1

Preview: Colourful & covert USMC A-6 Intruder decals from the cold war in 32nd from AOA...

AOA Decals has two new sets of A-6E Intruded decals on the way in 1/32nd scale. These are taken from a period in the 70's to the 80's and selected from USMC birds in colourful and all-grey schemes. See the scenes and decal layouts, the real aircraft & other info on them in our preview...
New colourful & covert USMC A-6 Intruder decals from the cold war in 32nd scale by AOA...

 AOA has more decals to release for the A-6E Intruder, this time in 32nd scale and these exclusively post Vietnam Marine Intruders: 

USN/USMC A-6E Intruders in the Cold War
1/32nd scale
For Trumpeter 1/32 A-6E Intruder
Decal No #32-035
VMA(AW)-533 was previously featured on AOA's first 1/32 sheet 32-001 covering their Vietnam War deployments (1967-69 and 1972-73), on sheet 32-003 covering Operation Desert Storm, and a specific VMA(AW)-533 part 1 sheet 32-029 covered the intermediate and immediate postwar periods in the early 1970s.  Now this new part 2 sheet 32-035 covers the low viz period in the 1980's, during which time the squadron deployed on multiple aircraft carriers (hence the AA and AC tail codes rather than their usual ED). Decals also included for MERs, tailhooks, speedbrakes, and ejection seats.
The four A-6E TRAM Intruder marking options included in this sheet are :
-VMA(AW)-533 Hawks AA-506/154168 from MCAS Cherry Point 1983
*No pictures of this AC

-VMA(AW)-533 Hawks AA-510/158529 from USS Saratoga 1984
Photo of  #510 in the bottom left in this Saratoga's Cruise book from 1984 
-VMA(AW)-533 Hawks AC-544/152614 from USS John F. Kennedy 1986
-VMA(AW)-533 Hawks AC-544/152614 from MCAS Cherry Point 1987



Marine Drumsticks - USMC A-6E Intruders in the Cold War
1/32nd scale
For Trumpeter 1/32 A-6E Intruder
Decal No #32-036
This 1/32 sheet covers three A-6 USMC squadrons in the peak of the high viz marking period of the 1970s, with each scheme carrying a fully painted/marked tail. Covering the mid-1980's carrier periods on the Saratoga and earlier JFK (hence the AA and AC tail codes rather than their own ED). Along with other AOA 1/32 sheets, the vast majority of 533's A-6 schemes are available.
The sheets also provide specific engine intake markings for each scheme as well as the original A-6 formation lights. For this release, only primary airframe data/stencils and markings are provided for one aircraft.  However, for those looking for full airframe coverage, a specific extensive sheet covering the A-6 airframe data/stencils and markings is available to purchase separately, see 32-026.
The three A-6E TRAM Intruder marking options included in this sheet are :
-VMA(AW)-224 Bengals - MCAS Cherry Point NC (1975) (our bird is int he rear left corner)
-VMA(AW)-322 Moonlighters - MCAS Iwakuni, Japan (1976/77) (Alternative EA/moon tail markings are provided: the somewhat unusual style of EA carried specifically on EA-06 but also a more typical style of EA is preferred by the modeller.) 
-VMA(AW)-122 Green Knights - MCAS Iwakuni, Japan (1977)

There is no set release time for these two she's as of yet - but you can email them for more information if you like, or look at their other excellent Intruder and other decals sheets on the AOA Website...