Colors & Markings of the
A-7 Corsair II - Part 2

Detail & Scale Colors and Markings Volume 10

Reviewed by Floyd S. Werner Jr.

The next up in the Detail & Scale Color and Markings series picks up where Volume 9, A-7 Corsair II in Atlantic Fleet Service, left off.  Time to represent the West Coast Corsair II squadrons. 

The Colors and Markings series focuses on the paint schemes and not the in depth walk around’s of the other series of books.  This book contains over 300 beautiful color photos on 189 digital pages.  The printed version is 127 pages, if you need another reason to update your library to a digital format.

In my opinion, the A-7 doesn’t get the respect it deserves.  It served from 1966 in Vietnam all the way to Desert Storm in 1991.  It served during a time when there were colorful aircraft in the Navy.  The gray over white scheme was the perfect canvas for the Navy squadrons.  Like the Navy, the camouflage evolved over time to the TPS which saw the end of the really colorful markings, with the exception of some CAG aircraft. 

The A-7 served in 17 active-duty attack squadrons from 1966 to 1991.  What is great about this series of books is that they are broken down by individual squadrons.  This is particularly nice for veterans who served in a particular unit.  It also allows the authors to chronologically develop the camouflage and markings.

The first part covers the history of the Pacific Coast squadrons in an overview.  Then the individual squadrons are addressed.  Some interesting paint schemes, such as the bicentennial ones are quite colorful.  The pictures are in full color and typically two per page so they are large enough to glean even the smallest detail.  That is another bonus about the digital books, the ability to ‘blow up’ a photo.  Camouflaged aircraft are not the norm, however, there are some really interesting A-7s.  Whether it is blues and grays, browns and green or black and gray there are some really in interesting paint schemes so you don’t have to be ‘bored’ with the TPS or even the grey over the white.  I particularly like the shark mouths of VA-93, especially the bicentennial one. 

Each squadron’s history is touched on in sufficient detail to track the unit from conception to retirement. 

Some of the most interesting photos are in the test and evaluation section.  Not just because of the colorful options but the unique weapons set up on the test birds.  This section also displays a lot of colorful two seaters.

To round out the book there is a section on the stencils and markings.  There are plenty of markings to go around this airplane.  This ain’t your daddy’s F-4 but it has plenty of servicing stencils.  This will prove invaluable to the model builder. 

Great full color photos of a variety of squadrons throughout the lifespan of the A-7 makes this book invaluable to the modeler and historian.  It is another great addition for your library and in keeping with the highest traditions of Detail & Scale.  I wonder what is next.  While available in print and digital format, the digital format is a perfect complement to the Detail & Scale photos. 

Highly Recommended

Thanks to Detail & Scale for the review copy. 

If you want either the printed or the eBook version of this book, check out www.detailandscale.com . 

There are a lot of books on there to peruse and make a part of your library

Thanks to Detail & Scale or the sample.

Review Copyright © 2026 by Floyd S. Werner Jr.
This Page Created on 12 August, 2026
Last updated 12 August, 2026

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