F4D/F-6 Skyray and F5D Skylancer Book Review
By David L. Veres
| Date of Review | December 2018 | Title | F4D/F-6 Skyray and F5D Skylancer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Tony Buttler | Publisher | Guideline Publications |
| Published | 2018 | ISBN | n/a |
| Format | 56 pages, softbound | MSRP (GBP) | £14.00 |
Review
Among the comeliest American fighters of the 1950s and '60s was Douglas' F4D/F-6 Skyray – the only pure delta to achieve US Navy and US Marine Corps operational service.
Now Tony Buttler deftly details Douglas' daring design – and its stillborn Skylancer successor – in Warpaint's latest monograph.
Number 117 in the legendary series, the succinct, 56-page study spans the total tale –development, deployment, and disposition.
Buttler's copiously illustrated compendium sports dozens of color and B&W photos. I counted almost 150 crisp, clear images.
Richard J. Caruana's superb color profiles sample the vivid swath of Skyray camouflage & markings. And his 1:72-scale drawings will help fact-check your favorite scale "Ford".
Tables also recap Skyray production, BuNos, units, tail codes, and specifications. And a seven-page section summarizes "what might have been" – Skyray's unsuccessful scion, the F5D Skylancer.
Modelers will love the two-page "in detail" coverage. And a full page listing of Skyray and Skylancer kits, decals, and accessories nicely wrap things up.
"Skyrays," Buttler notes, "never fired a shot in anger". But for over 60 years – from Lindberg's and Hawk's early kits through Airfix's offering to Tamiya's gorgeous efforts – it's remained a modeling favorite. And this Warpaint title perfectly illustrates why.
Recommended!
My sincere thanks to Guideline Publications for this review sample!