The Douglas F4D-1 Skyray was designed in the late 1940s using aeronautical information captured from Germany at the end of the war. It captured several world records and became a very effective interceptor.

US Navy interest in a delta wing interceptor led Douglas to commence design in 1947. It was ordered by the US Navy in December 1948 and the prototype flew on 23 January 1951. It set a world speed record of 1211km/h in October 1953 and five world time-to-height records in May 1958.

The first production F4D-1 flew on 4 June 1954 and deliveries to the US Navy began in April 1956. When production ceased in 1958 a total of 419 had been produced. At its peak it served with 11 US Navy, 6 US Marines and 3 Reserve squadrons and it remained in service until the late 1960s.

This model represents a F4D-1 of VF-74 in the late 1950s.

Airfix 1/72 kit. Completed in July 1989