U.S. Navy MD-3A Flight Deck Tractor Model

The MD-3A is a purpose-built flight deck tractor. It saw extensive service on all aircraft carriers and large-deck amphibious ships of the U.S. Navy, starting from as early as 1962 and until the late 1990s. Apart from the aircraft towing and positioning, these vehicles were employed to start up aircraft jet engines. For this purpose many were fitted with gas turbine start units mounted in the rear.

This 1:72 scale model kit, produced by F4Models (cat. # 7008), contains resin and photo etched parts to build one MD-3A tractor.

Notes:
- The MD-3A tractors were seen with at least three different types of the jet aircraft start unit; the kit #7008 includes the type of start unit that was the most common.
- Compared with the older plastic and resin models of the MD-3A tractor, the kit #7008  features the following:
   - Accurately shaped driver's compartment, with correct width (which is 36% of the real vehicle's overall width, whereas the older kits have it at 52% of the overall width), front and real walls.
   - Accurately shaped front and rear wheels (which have twin tires on the real MD-3A, whereas the older kits contain single-tire rear wheels).
   - Detailed jet aircraft start unit.

- A small number of MD-3A flight deck tractors were also employed on the Royal Canadian Navy's HMCS Bonaventure and on the Argentine Navy's Veinticinco de Mayo aircraft carriers.
- Somewhere in the mid 1990s the U.S. Navy started the process of upgrading the venerable MD-3A's with a newer version. This new tractor, designated as A/S32A-31A, differed from the original by having wider and slightly raised aft end, wider rear wheels and some other minor improvements. Having a different geometry, the A/S32A-31A variant is not intended to be built from this kit. Consequently, this model kit is only suitable for the 1960's through 1990's dioramas & aircraft and not suitable for the period from 2000 onward.
- This kit is only for modellers with experience and high level of skill.
- This kit production is extremely limited. Write directly for ordering.

Royal Navy 1940s-1950s Flight Deck Tractor Model

This tiny tractor, known as Clarkat, was derived from an industrial tow vehicle and first saw service with the Royal Navy in 1944. The tractors facilitated flight deck operations on the Royal Navy's fleet and escort carriers during the final stages of the World War II. They continued in their service throughout the Korean War and have finally been withdrawn from carriers in the mid 1950s with the advent of much heavier jet aircraft. Along with their mother ships, a number of such tractors continued to serve on the Royal Australian Navy's HMAS Sydney and the French Navy's R95 Arromanches.

This 1:72 scale model kit (F4Models cat. # 7026) contains resin and photo etched parts. On a carrier deck diorama the model can accompany such Royal Navy aircraft as Avenger, Corsair, Barracuda, Firefly, Sea Fury, Sea Hornet or Firebrand.
A 1:48 scale kit of the same tractor was also produced (F4Models cat. # 4002).

Here are some historic photographs that show this tractor in action: link, link.

Royal Navy 1960s Flight Deck Tractor Model

This type of flight deck tractor, known as Tugmaster, was derived from an industrial tow vehicle and first saw service with the Royal Navy in the late 1950s. It has served on the Royal Navy aircraft carriers through the 1960s and was replaced late in the decade with a new purpose-built 4WD tractor.

This 1:72 scale model kit is from F4Models (cat. # 7033). The kit contains resin and photo etched parts, decals and instruction sheet. The model will fit nicely into a Royal Navy carrier deck diorama accompanying Sea Hawks, Sea Venoms, Gannets, Scimitars or Sea Vixens.

Here are some photographs of the real vehicles in action: link, link, and a very useful Royal Navy film: link.

Royal Navy 1990s-2010s Flight Deck Tractor Model

The original purpose-built 4WD/4WS flight deck tractor first saw service on the Royal Navy's Audacious class carriers in the late 1960s. It went through a number of modernizations, changing in appearance. This particular model kit represents the last incarnation of the tractor, in service on flight decks since the 1990s and until the mid-2010s.

The 1:72 scale model kit is produced by F4Models (cat. # 7005) and includes resin and photo etched parts, decal and instruction sheet. The set also contains parts for building a standard Royal Navy tow bar.
On a flight deck diorama this tractor can accompany your 1:72  Sea Harrier FA2, Harrier GR7 / GR9, Sea King, Lynx or Merlin.

Here are some "in action" photographs (link, link) and a diagram that explains the evolution of this particular type of flight deck tractor:

Royal Navy 1970s Flight Deck Tractor Model

This purpose-built 4WD/4WS flight deck tractor saw service on the Royal Navy's Audacious class carriers (HMS Eagle and HMS Ark Royal) as well as on HMS Hermes since the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s.

This 1:72 scale model kit is manufactured by F4Models (cat. # 7022) and contains resin and photo etched parts, decals and instruction sheet. Parts for building a tow bar that was in use by the Royal Navy since the 1970s till the present day are enclosed as well.

This tractor can accompany your 1:72 Scimitar, Sea Vixen, Gannet, Buccaneer, Phantom FG1, Wessex  or Sea King.

Here are some photographs of this type of tractor in action: link, link, link.

U.S. Navy A/S32A-31A Flight Deck Tractor Model

The A/S-32A-31A flight deck tractor was in service on all U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and amphibious ships between the mid-1990s and mid-2010s, including Kitty Hawk, Enterprise and Nimitz class carriers as well as Whidbey Island, Harpers Ferry, Austin, Tarawa, Wasp and San Antonio class amphibious ships. On aircraft carriers this type of tractor was typically equipped with a gas turbine unit for starting jet aircraft engines. 

This 1:72 scale model kit, manufactured by F4Models (cat. # 7002), contains resin and photo etched metal parts, decals and instruction sheet. Parts are provided to assemble the tractor with or without the air start unit (two variants of the air start unit are offered).

Note that the assembled kit on the photographs above contains an inaccuracy: in reality the driver's cutout should be slightly narrower. The resin parts have been corrected since, and the kit content photograph (see below) shows the correct driver seat layout.

Here are some photographs of this type of tractor in action: link, link, link, link.

Externally the A/S-32A-31A tractor differs from the older MD-3 (in use since the 1960s through the 1990s) by wider rear fenders, slightly raised rear deck, different wheels and, starting from the mid-2000s, a totally new air start unit, as indicated on this diagram:

French, Italian & Brazilian Navy Flight Deck Tractor Model

These French aircraft tow tractors, manufactured by Fenwick company, first saw service on the decks of Clemenceau and Foch aircraft carriers of the French Navy in the early 1960s. When Foch was sold to Brazil, her compliment of tractors went along with the carrier, renamed São Paulo in the Brazilian Navy. The tractors were in use on São Paulo in the early 2000s. A small number of these tractors was supplied to Italy for service on the Italian Navy's Giuseppe Garibaldi aircraft carrier in the 1990s and the early 2000s.

This 1:72 scale model kit is from F4Models (cat. # 7012). The kit contains resin and photo etched parts, decals and instruction sheet. On a diorama this vehicle may accompany such Marine Nationale aircraft as Alize, Etendard / Super Etendard and F-8 Crusader, as well as Alouette and Super Frelon helicopters. When modelling the São Paulo's deck, the tractor would fit well along Brazilian Skyhawk jets, Cougar and Sea King helicopters. It can even be matched to an Argentinean S-2 Turbo Tracker as those visit the Brazilian carrier from time to time.

Some photographs of this type of tractor in action: in French Navy service, in Brazilian Navy service, in Italian Navy service.

Royal Navy 1960s Heavy Flight Deck Tractor Model

This type of flight deck tractor, known as Tugmaster, was derived from an industrial / airport tow vehicle. It first saw service with the Royal Navy in 1960 on HMS Victorious (R38) but was swiftly phased out late in the decade and replaced with a new purpose-built 4WD tractor.

This 1:72 scale model kit is from F4Models (cat. # 7009). The kit contains resin and photo etched parts, decals and instruction sheet. The model will fit nicely into a Royal Navy carrier deck diorama accompanying Gannets, Scimitars, Sea Vixens or Buccaneers. A 1:48 scale kit of the same tractor was also produced (cat. # 4001).

Some photographs that show this type of tractor in action: link, link.

Royal Australian Navy Flight Deck Tractor Model

This type of flight deck tractor was in service on the Royal Australian Navy's aircraft carrier, HMAS Melbourne, since the late 1960s and until her decommissioning in 1982.

This 1:72 scale model kit is from F4Models (cat. # 7010). The kit contains resin and photo etched parts, decals and instruction sheet. On a diorama this vehicle may accompany such RAN aircraft as A-4 Skyhawk and S-2 Tracker, as well as Wessex and Sea King helicopters. 

For reference purposes, here is a photograph of the real vehicle: link.

Soviet / Russian Navy Flight Deck Tractor Model

These tractors, known as project 3913, were specially designed for towing and maneuvering aircraft on the aircraft-carrying cruisers of the Soviet Navy. They entered service on the Kiev class ships in the mid 1970s and later continued to serve on the Admiral Kuznetsov.

This 1:72 scale model kit is from F4Models (cat. # 7003). The kit contains resin parts, clear parts, photo etched parts, decal and instruction sheet. On a diorama this vehicle may accompany such aircraft as Yak-38, Su-33, Su-25UTG as well as Kamov helicopters (Ka-25, Ka-27 and Ka-31).

U.S. Navy BNO-40 Flight Deck Tractor Model

This type of tractor was first used by the U.S. Navy in 1943 to tow and position airplanes on the busy flight decks of the aircraft carriers. These ubiquitous vehicles served on all USN carriers, including CVs, CVLs and CVEs.
By the mid-1950s, after seeing through both the World War II and the Korean war, these tractors were replaced on the U.S. carriers by newer types, while a number of them went to work for the French Navy along with their mother ships that became R96 La Fayette (ex USS Langley) and R97 Bois Belleau (ex USS Belleau Wood).

This 1:72 scale model kit is from F4Models (cat. # 7007). The kit contains resin and photo etched parts, decals and instruction sheet.

Here are some photographs of this type of tractor in action: link, link, link.

U.S. Navy MD-1 Flight Deck Tractor Model

MD-1 flight deck tractors entered service with the U.S. Navy in the mid 1950s. Apart from the aircraft towing and positioning, they were employed to start up aircraft jet engines. For this purpose many were fitted with gas turbine start units mounted on the platform in the rear. MD-1 tractors served on Essex / Oriskany class, Midway class and Forrestal / Kitty Hawk class carriers of the U.S. Navy until mid 1960s. They have also been employed on the Royal Canadian Navy's HMCS Bonaventure and on the Brazilian Navy's Minas Gerais aircraft carriers.

This 1:72 scale model kit is from F4Models (cat. # 7001). The kit contains resin and photo etched metal parts with options to build the tractor in several configurations, e.g. with or without the air start unit, with two types of the front grille and various arrangements of the ballast weights. Decal and instruction sheet are included.

A model of this tractor will fit nicely into a U.S. Navy carrier deck diorama. In particular, when such aircraft as the F3H Demon, F4D Skyray, FJ-4 Fury, F9F-8 Cougar, F11F Tiger and early variants of the A4D  Skyhawk and A3D Skywarrior were in service, the MD-1 was the only type of tow tractor on the carrier decks.

Here are some photographs of this type of flight deck tractor in action: link, link, link, link, link, link, link.
Interestingly, when in civilian use, this type of tractor was capable of towing medium-sized airliners: historical photograph.