Detail & Scale latest subject in their ‘Colors & Marking’ Series is the Grumman A-6 Intruder in US Navy service. Intruder, is not only its name but also encapsulates the role of Grumman’s Attack aircraft. It has flown in active service for almost 35 years during which it served in many conflicts from Vietnam up to its swan song flying over the skies of Bosnia. The two authors Mike Heideman and Rock Roszak have put together this detailed monograph profusely illustrated with 309 color photos and 9 color profiles.
The review looks at the soft back print edition although the publication is available in digital format with Apple Book and Amazon Kindle.
The introduction describes earlier books on the Intruder by Detail & Scale, published way back in 1987. As the A-6 served for another ten years, it was decided that it was high time for an updated book.
The first chapter looks at the ‘Intruder Paint Schemes’ that adorned the A-6 during its thirty-four years of service. There have been three schemes including:
- Light Gull Gray over Gloss Insignia White
- Overall Gloss Light Gull Gray
- Tactical Paint Schemes [TPS]
There are two pages featuring three view profiles of the overall gloss light gray and the TPS schemes. The latter is probably the most interesting personally as it includes some very weathered looking airframes. Challenging to achieve on a scale model, but studying the images will help you in your quest to capture the look. The varying degree of fading and retouching means you can be as subtle or really go to town on the appearance.
The two main parts of the book concerns the documentation and description of the two fleets: the Atlantic and Pacific Coast Squadrons.
Atlantic Coast Squadrons include:
- VA-34 Blue Blaster
- VA-35 Black Panthers
- VA-36 Roadrunners
- VA-42 Green Pawns / Thunderbolts
- VA-55 Warhorses
- VA-65 Tigers
- VA-75 Sunday Punchers
- VA-85 Black Falcons
- VA-176 Thunderbolts
- VA-205 Green Falcons
Pacific Coast Squadrons:
- VA-52 Knightriders
- VA-95 Green Lizards
- VA-115 Arabs / Eagles
- VA-128 Golden Intruders
- VA-145 Swordsmen
- VA-155 Silver Foxes
- VA-165 Boomers
- VA-185 Nighthawks
- VA-196 Main Battery
- VA-204 Firebirds
The sections on each Squadron contains a historical narrative from its inception. The various variants utilised are covered and this is backed up with numerous photographs in chronological order. The odd KA-6D sneaks in there too. The photos have abundant written detail describing colors, markings, and anything else worth noting that all but the hawked eye might miss. The images of the weathering and paint fading are priceless in their value to modellers. There are seven side profiles featured in the book drawn by Rock Roszak. One illustrates the experimental camouflage scheme on a A-6A of VA-85 of the ‘Black Falcons’ [Page 53]. It is the Intruders take of the USAFAir SEA scheme. Speaking of unusual schemes there is an image from above of the temporary overall three-tone green camouflage of a A-6E TRAM on page 2. Not to mention the two-tone green upper camouflage of one of three A-6A’s on page 4. There are numerous images focusing on the mission markings applied to the rudder or around the nacelle. Of course, being the US Navy, there are many images of colorful CAG Intruders included. Interestingly there are some less than colorful CAG Intruders included too.
The book is not just a valuable resource of the ‘Colors & Markings’ of the A-6. it also provides a wealth of visual information such as the configuration of open flaps, slats and airbrakes, wing fold mechanism, crew access ladders and fuel tanks. On the theme of fuel tanks there is a good catch of a VA-75 ‘Sunday Punchers’ A-6E TRAM borrowing a fuel tank from VA-85 ‘Black Falcons’ There are numerous types of bombs as well some interesting images of the Intruder A-6E TRAM totting the ACMI pod and AGM-88 HARMS’s. Not to mention a host of images firing the imagination of any modellers wanting to create a diorama or two. Print quality of the images is very good, though the digital versions do offer expandable high-resolution images.
Colours & Markings of the A-6 Intruder in US Navy Attack Squadron Service
- Authors: Mike Heideman and Rock Roszak
- ISBN: 978-8-3530396-7-9
- Format: A4
The print edition costs $23.99 with the Apple Book and Amazon Kindle digital versions priced at $14.99.
Conclusion
This monograph is food and drink for any modeller inspired to build Grumman’s pugnacious Attack bomber. There are so many images providing inspiration for the modeller between the covers. Although its interesting trawling the net for images, it is so much more convenient to have a resource like this at your fingertips sitting on the shelf. Colours & Markings of the A-6 Intruder in US Navy Attack Squadron Service is a considerable body of research bringing together a fantastic pool of contributors, hence the sheer number of photographs and information. It is a comprehensive documentary of the US Navy Squadrons utilising the Intruder. I can see quite a few modellers searching for sources for some of the markings, inspired by images in this book. Which makes this book a great one stop source of color and markings for the Grumman A-6 Intruder. A superb addition to the modellers or aviation historian’s library. Just hoping there is a book in the pipeline for the EA-6B Prowler
Many thanks to co-author Rock Roszak for sampling a copy of the book.
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