Looking for a Bearcat Kit

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Looking for a Bearcat Kit

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 2, 2003 8:46 AM

Does anyone know if a Bearcat Kit has been made? The Bearcat is the prop plane seen mostly in Vietnam films, It was used for close air support and its payload reminds me of an A-10. Anyway I would love to build one but don't know white companies make them if any do.
The bigguy

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wayne baker

Member since
February 2003
From: Medina, Ohio

Posted by wayne baker on Wednesday, July 2, 2003 8:51 AM

Hobbycraft and Testors hav released 48th scale. The Testors is very bare bones. I have a photo etched set for it. Monogram made a 72nd years ago. I haven't seen it recently. Hobbycraft has Nam decals I think.

I may get so drunk, I have to crawl home. But dammit, I'll crawl like a Marine.

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Ray Marotta

Member since
December 2002
From: Lyons Colorado, USA

Posted by Ray Marotta on Wednesday, July 2, 2003 10:03 AM

Bigguy69, I'm thinking it's the A-1 Skyraider you're looking for since you said
the payload reminds you of the A-10. The French did use the F-8F Bearcat in
Viet Nam but they were over and done with in 1954.
I do have the Testors 1/48th Bearcat kit but, as Wayne Baker said "It's very sparse
in the way of detail"
Ray

]

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rjkplasticmod

Member since
February 2003
From: A Spartan in the Wolverine State

Posted by rjkplasticmod on Wednesday, July 2, 2003 10:57 AM

You didn't specify scale but the Hobbycraft kit in 1/48 can be built into a decent model. In 1/72 there is the long discontinued Monogram kit which shows up on eBay now and then. There is a more recent 1/72 kit from Sword which is a limited run but probably superior to the old Monogram. I have only built the 1/48 Hobbycraft so can't compare the 1/72 offerings.

Rick

RICK

At My Age, I've Seen It All, Done It All, But I Don't Remember It All...

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erush

Member since
May 2003
From: USA, GA

Posted by erush on Wednesday, July 2, 2003 11:28 AM

If this is the plane you're looking for

It's an A-1 Skyraider. Tamiya makes a great kit now in 1/48 for the H and J(?).

Eric

Hi, I'm Eric and I'm a Modelholic too. I think I have PE poisioning.

"Friendly fire...isn't"

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Melgyver

Member since
March 2003
From: Lafayette, LA

Posted by Melgyver on Wednesday, July 2, 2003 11:35 AM

Eric, Great Picture! Now that's a real "prop" job! I wish Tamiya would make the slabsided "E" model. The Matchbox Kit isn't worth all the extra effort to build. Taymiya could also make a Bearcat too! I'd settle for an Academy one! I have a Testors that I was scratch building all the wheel well detail and got burnt out on it. The nose cowl just isn't right on the Hobbycraft kits.

Clear Left!

Mel

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erush

Member since
May 2003
From: USA, GA

Posted by erush on Wednesday, July 2, 2003 11:52 AM

I hear you Mel! A Tamiya A1-E would definitely go in my collection!!

Eric

Hi, I'm Eric and I'm a Modelholic too. I think I have PE poisioning.

"Friendly fire...isn't"

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 2, 2003 12:15 PM

speaking of Skyraiders, here's a 'what if' model I've been thinking about; What if, the Helicopter hadn't been developed as much as it had during the Vietnam war.
What about air/sea rescue? What about a Skyraider on floats in Navy rescue markings? I was thinking 1/48th with, maybe, 1/72nd Ju52 floats. A ladder up to the side door (enlarged/sliding door?) bubble windows on the sides etc etc.
With all that power, no ordnance, no heavy landing gear and hours of fuel to cruise, it would be just like a giant D H Beaver.
Or am I too late & someone else has done it already?

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FITTER

Member since
February 2003
From: USA

Posted by FITTER on Wednesday, July 2, 2003 4:27 PM

That 1:48 Testors Bearcat is the old Hawk kit, IIRC. A curious mixture of recessed panel lines on the fuselage and raised panel lines on the wings, the overall shape is good. Despite a lack of interior and engine detail, this really wasn't a bad kit, considering its age.

Not only did the French use this aircraft in SE Asia; the RTAF (Thailand) and VNAF also used them. One source I have states that South Vietnam grounded theirs in 1960 due to structural deficiencies, replacing them with Skyraiders, but another source shows a photo of a Bearcat in VNAF markings at Tan Son Nhut in 1967.

FITTER

IBTL

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Keyworth

Member since
January 2003
From: NE Georgia

Posted by Keyworth on Wednesday, July 2, 2003 5:24 PM

I remember that Bearcat! It was bare metal with VNAF markings. Set up as a gate guardian at Tan Son Nhut; they also had a couple of old British Dingo scout cars rolling around. Some GI's appropriated them and used them for base security for a while. Also, there was a fuselage for a(N?) AA-! Toucan; that's a Ju-52 for some of you guys. The ARVN's used it to train paratroopers to exit an aircraft. - Ed

"There's no problem that can't be solved with a suitable application of high explosives"

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, July 4, 2003 10:23 AM

THAT'S IT!! I thought it was the bearcat because I saw it on "Wings" but if you say that it is an A-1 Skyraider I'll trust you. Did they rename it like the A-10 Thunderbolt II, known commonly as the "WARTHOG." Great pic, thanks for the info, and know I know and knowing is half the battle!! HEHE

The Bigguy,

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, July 4, 2003 10:39 AM

It was more commonly known as "the Spad"

Check out http://skyraider.org/

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JGUIGNARD

Member since
March 2003
From: USA

Posted by JGUIGNARD on Saturday, July 5, 2003 9:54 AM

And if I may make a book suggestion, read Richard Drury's "My Secret War" - about his experiences flyiing A-1's from Thailand in 1969.

Jim

Most of us are acquainted with at least one "know-it-all". He may be as close as the mirror. [}:)]

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rjkplasticmod

Member since
February 2003
From: A Spartan in the Wolverine State

Posted by rjkplasticmod on Saturday, July 5, 2003 10:50 AM

If it's a Skyraider kit you want rather than a Bearcat, The 1/48 Tamiya kit is the best available with the Hasegawa the best in 1/72 scale.

Rick

RICK

At My Age, I've Seen It All, Done It All, But I Don't Remember It All...

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Melgyver

Member since
March 2003
From: Lafayette, LA

Posted by Melgyver on Saturday, July 5, 2003 1:06 PM

Jim, "My Secret War" was a great book about a Skyraider pilot and some of the politics of the Vietnam War. Enjoyed it a lot, I think I have read it 3 times over the years.

Clear Left!

Mel

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markuz226

Member since
January 2003
From: Everett

Posted by markuz226 on Sunday, July 6, 2003 2:17 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by thebigguy69

Did they rename it like the A-10 Thunderbolt II, known commonly as the "WARTHOG." Great pic, thanks for the info, and know I know and knowing is half the battle!! HEHE

The Skyraider (A-1) is different from the Warthog (A-10). The A-10 is a jet and the A-1 is a prop plane(like you said). i hope this helps. =)
~~~MarkY

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, July 6, 2003 12:17 PM

I know the diffrence between the A-1 and the A-10. The A-10 has two huge jet engines mounted in the rear out away from the fuselage to protect it and the second engine incase one was shot up. It also has a split tail and long straight wings to make it a stable weapons platform. With up to ten hard points for weapons it can bring in a lot of fire power. And don't get me started on the 20mm gatling gun right under the pilot for a simple point and shoot option. That thing shoot rounds of spent uranium!!! Anyway all I was asking was if they could have possibly renamed the A-1. By the way does anyone have a pic of a Bearcat so I can tell the diffrence between it and the A-1?

Later Thebigguy

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, July 6, 2003 4:27 PM

bigguy

Go to one of my favorite siteshttp://blueangels.org and click on "Go to Site Map" then to "All Aircraft Flown by the Blue Angels." Then click on the picture of the Bearcat, (it's the 2nd one down)

You will find several Bearcat photos there.

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erush

Member since
May 2003
From: USA, GA

Posted by erush on Sunday, July 6, 2003 10:50 PM

bigguy, The A-1 did in fact start out as the AD-6 "Able Dog" and went through many variations and designations. The most "popular" version was redesignated as the A-1 sometime during the vietnam war or right before. It had many nicknames such as Sandy and Spad, the most common was probably Sandy as that was the designation for the close air support that flew with the rescue helos during the war. It is a cool looking plane, kinda like a flying tank!

Get the Tamiya 1/48 kit. It's incredible and worth the money.
Here's a site for you too. (where I pulled the picture from)
http://skyraider.org/ check out the association link especially.

Eric

Hi, I'm Eric and I'm a Modelholic too. I think I have PE poisioning.

"Friendly fire...isn't"

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 7, 2003 5:26 PM

Hey bigguy69,

The A-10 shoots 30MM with depleated uranium (API) rounds.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, July 10, 2003 10:39 PM

my mistake on the round mm. I did not have the exact specs infront of me. Any way the A-10 is one of my fav. planes of all time. I am placing an order for the tamiya A-1 as soo as possible. It might be my last model for a while because im trying to get a new car and I figure I'll go out with a bang. I agree that tamiya makes the best models. There armor series is awesome. Ive made three different tanks made by them and they are all great.

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