50th Anniversary Vietnam War Group Build

OK, here is my Testor's O-2 Skymaster. As some of my modeling buddies have said this is a midnight build. Meaning that it looks good at midnight with the lights out.  

The decals are the kit ones.  For a FAC at Bien Hoa AB in 1969. My research showed that the back two seats were removed and several radios were installed there. I found some radio fronts in my spares box and made up a radio shelf to match the photos I found. 

I took some artistic license and added wire to simulate power cords and antenna connections.

I had some left over photo etched  seat belts and scratched and another set for the seats. I did not have any rockets pods so I used what came with the kits for the rockets. I replaced the gun pods with some from the spares box. It is lightly weathered. Pictures that I found online also displayed a HUD, So I dug one out of the spares and added that. One other thing the windows on the top of the wing and on the starboard side you had to cut the opening and fit the windows. The kit gave you decals to place then follow the outline to get the shapes right. That was the hardest part of the build and I am not totally happy with the way they turned out. So, that being said, Stik if you feel that it meets the requirements I will add the badge. If not, no hard feelings. Thanks for looking.

Stik - makes sense. Nice, black soil would probably be just fine for rice paddies.

Bish - thanks a lot!

MKelley - aww, come on - don't be so modest! I especially like the radio rack in the rear. Some day I plan to build this model in 1:72. So what's next?

Good luck with your builds and have a nice day

Paweł

Thanks, Pawel it was a fun build and for $14.00 not a bad little kit.

MK, the Oscar Deuce certainly qualifies for this GB! The FACs were a very big part of the war in the South. I agree with Pawel about your modesty on her. She looks great to me.

I got the base coat of OD on yesterday before an overtime shift at work. Today I want to get the secondary camo pattern color on and then hopefully I can get some photos done before work for me today.

MK, ye, I think your being a tad hard on yourself. that's a nice looking build there, some nice detail on the inside.

MK-very nice build-especially the added interior detail-I have this kit in the stash and will use your build as a guide once (if I ever) start on mine.  BAT 21 is one of my favorite movies.

Stik-great work on the interior-well worth the time. Also, if you have no objections, I'd like to change my build to a F-100...Monogram 1/48 with SEA camo scheme.  I have some add-ons due shortly-napalm, tank extensions & seat-so I won't get started until next week-will probably run past the deadline...also will use it as my first kit for the Monogram Mafia, if acceptable.

Bob, that sounds fine.

Thanks all of you for the kind words. I have been my worst critic lately. By the way anyone having trouble adding the badge to their signature. For some reason I can not get it to work.

MK, I think that we are all our own worst critics. If we are honest with ourselves we should be...

About 4 weeks left to go here folks...

And now for updates on my 113.... Three days work progress...

day 1, a base coat overall of Gunze Olive Drab (US Armor version)

day 2: I air brushed on a camo pattern of Polly Scale Brown FS# 30117... I accidentally used the wrong stuff to thin it, which caused me delays with tip drying and such, but thankfully nothing worse than that...

day 3: I went back with the Gunze OD to clean up Red Brown overspray and fine tune the camo pattern

I'll let it dry and cure overnite, then tomorrow I can airbrush on a coat of Future and get it ready for decals and detail item painting...

Hello!

In the first photo the colour looked a bit off to me - but after adding the brown spots it looks just right! Nice work! I especially like the edges! Good luck with your build and thanks for sharing, have a nice day

Paweł

Thank you Pawel. It's funny how adding a second color can make the appearance of the original color change a bit. I actually like that Gunze US Armor OD shade. I need to see if they have it in their Mr. Color line, and if it is the same as in their Aqueous line. One of these days...

Well today I got the Future airbrushed on before work so tomorrow I can get the decals on... More photos  tomorrow I hope...

Looks great there PJ, nice work on the camo. Was this a common type of scheme for Vietnam.

It was common in the advisory period when they first were getting new armor form the US before US combat units were sent in country. But after 65 or so and the switch to the darker OD shade it seems to have been discontinued. At least in photos that I have come across.

Ok, I thought I had usually seen armour in Vietnam just in OD, but wasn't sure as its not something I look into much.

You mention the change in OD, so was the one you used the same as the Army used in WW2. And if I understand it right, that's different again from that used by the USAAF.

Yes, there are actually several shades of OD used by US forces from WWII thru Vietnam. The main shade used by the USAAF was OD 41 or "Dark Olive Drab" which was different from Olive Drab shade no.8 used by Army ground forces in WWII. When the ANA standardized shades were adopted in mid WWII, it was to the No.8 standard, which the AAF did not like, so they pretty much continued to use 41 until camo paint was discontinued on aircraft in late WWII. ANA 319 was used thru Korea and then the FS 595 shade 34087 came into use in the mid to late 1950s. In the 1960s the Army switched to a much darker OD shade for use on equipment that was very close to RLM 70 Black Green, and also called Olive Drab. But it was a long way from No.8, 41, 319, or 34087. Of course you will find variations from this, but that is the abbreviated tale of US Olive Drab, 1940 thru 1970 or so.

So here is my 113 as of now...

gloss coat on...

decals on (don't blink or you might miss them... ARVN markings are minimal)

and some close ups of the markings in case you did blink and miss them...

like I said... minimal...

Hi all!

I'm getting a late start here having just finished the Ju-87 build last week and rushing to get this one done now. This kit being the Hobby Boss 1/48th A-7A Corsair.  Having previously build the Monogram and Hasegawa kits, I would recommend them over the HB, I thought the other two had better details and features. I was going to go for a gear up in flight setting but having tried several pilot figures and none fit the seat, so I went back to going gear down. This will be an OOB build except for adding some straps and ejection handles to the seat and a throttle so far.

My last two builds were 1/24th planes and boy what a difference in working on something this small.

Scott

Some nice detail in the pit there Scott, off to a good start.

Yeah, Scott - the office is looking good! Don't forget to check the weight in the nose here! Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

Yup, that looks real good to me too!

Scott-I have to agree with the others-cockpit looks great.

I really enjoyed watching your Stuka come together Scott, I can't wait to see what you do with your Corsair.  It looks great so far!

Wicked pit Scott...I gotta get back to my Crusader...you've inspired me!!

Thanks for the comments gents, been a long time since I worked on a 1/48th kit, the previous two 1/24th kits kind of spoiled me on easily detailing the cockpits. This Corsair does have a few issues with it, the sometimes vague instruction sheet being one. Spent a few hours searching on line trying to find a Viet Nam era decal sheet but the only thing I can find is from 1976 through the Gulf War so I will stick with the set in the box which dates from 1971 and 1973.  Boy I can still remember those years too. Hind sight now I should have gone with either the  A-4, A-6, F-4 or F-8 kits. I got plenty of Viet Nam era USMC squadron markings I could choose from.

Everything is pretty much put together now, just need to fill a few seams here and there. Will once more take a shot at pre-shading, I watched a couple Youtube videos on the subject so I will try it again, maybe I will have better luck this time.

Yeah, the pickings are pretty slim for Vietnam A-7 decals in 1/48. You can adapt some A-7E sheets, but you have to mix and match stuff. Victory Productions did do a nice sheet with several Vietnam birds on it, but it is OOP now...

Ok troops, just under two weeks left to go here. I know that I am about ready to wrap up my 113. Who else is still chugging along here?

Hello Stik!

It's funny how those deadlines always show up unexpectedly! I don't think I can make it with my Whale - I'm still waiting for some parts and next week I'm about to go on a business trip - but chugging along I certainly do. Last week I've been working on the landing gear - here's what I have:

Main gear struts:

Front gear strut:

They all have been dressed up with copper wire and the decals provided by Hasegawa really look good, don't you think?

Thanks for reading - good luck with your projects and have a nice day

Paweł

No worries Pawel. Even if you're gonna run late on this beautiful Whale, please continue to share it here. I know you share a deep interest in the Vietnam War subject as I do.

Well, thanks for your kind words, Stik - I sure will! I even thought about another model - this time in 1/35, but I guess it won't fit the time frame, unless we redefine it...

Thanks again and have a nice day

Paweł

If we get enough interest for an extension I would not mind at all.

Some really nice work on the landing gear pawel. Some nice detail in the bays there.