The US publisher’s latest Colors & Markings book details US Navy schemes worn by the capable A-6 Intruder.
If you’re a fast-jet modeller who enjoys variety, Grumman’s A-6 intruder is a dream subject considering the many different unit liveries it has worn. It was also a prodigious carrier of different underwing stores. Thankfully, too, there has been a decent choice of kits in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 scales over the years (think Italeri, Fujimi, Kinetic, Hobby Boss and Trumpeter), many still being available.
If you want to start building on an Intruder theme, or you’ve already taken the plunge but need extra reference, Detail & Scale’s new Colors & Markings softback book offers a splendid array of photographs, covering all Atlantic/Pacific Fleet squadrons. It also provides narrative and imagery on the three different schemes worn by the aircraft… Gloss Light Gull Gray/Insignia White, overall gloss Light Gull Gray, and the Tactical Paint Scheme variations with different shades of low-visibility grey.
Good-quality colour three-view illustrations are provided and there are useful ready-reckoner tables of Atlantic and Pacific Flet A-6 units, listing unit names, numbers, home bases, tail codes/air wings, and time periods. Each unit is examined in number order (split into Atlantic/Pacific sections), with appropriate all-colour imagery showing different examples of each units markings.
Learn about Detail & Scale’s examination of the F-14 Tomcat
This is a hugely impressive collection of A-6 photos, both for their quality and the visual cues they provide the modeller. Besides the main focus – colours and markings – you also get plenty of views showing weapons loads, this subject often being considered an afterthought by some modellers. And anyone wanting guidance on how the A-6 weathered over time also has plenty of reference here, as several rather grubby airframes grace the pages. Many images are useful in how they reveal what the at-sea practice of anti-corrosion painting looks like.
The photo captions are full of beneficial information regarding airframe features, markings, stores and the like, and the images also give much food for thought concerning which units’ aircraft you might like to portray… inevitably leading to enjoyable internet searches for aftermarket decal sheets!
This is another excellent effort by Detail & Scale, which no self-respecting Intruder enthusiast should ignore. The print edition costs $23.99 but there’s also a digital version for Apple Book and Amazon Kindle, priced $14.99. Both are available from Detail & Scale.
Colours & Markings of the A-6 Intruder in US Navy Attack Squadron Service
By: Mike Heideman and Rock Roszak
Format: 281 x 216mm
ISBN: 978-8-3530396-7-9
