Vietnam Air War GB - Extended!

Hi guys....same updates.......exhaust zone painted.....I must to add a little of clear blue and the dirty of gases.....Ciao Enrico.

Son Of Medicine Man

mikeymize

Now if I could just find a C-5A that's not resin, not an astronomical sum; a scale that won't take up my entire garage....etc. etc.

That would be a 1/144 scale Otaki/Revell kit that is long out of production.  They sell on eBay for around $100, sometimes less, sometimes more.  There is one now with a start bid for $89.99 here is a link

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SEALED-1-144-rare-vintage-Otaki-Lockheed-C-5a-Galaxy-MIB-/180985111007?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item2a238da1df 

Ken

Thanks  for the heads-up Ken. I worked on the beasts for over twelve years in civil service and wanted to model one from my old unit at Westover, MA 

Beautiful Enrico!

Nice work Enrico!  Looks very realistic!     

Ken

mikeymize

Son Of Medicine Man

mikeymize

Now if I could just find a C-5A that's not resin, not an astronomical sum; a scale that won't take up my entire garage....etc. etc.

That would be a 1/144 scale Otaki/Revell kit that is long out of production.  They sell on eBay for around $100, sometimes less, sometimes more.  There is one now with a start bid for $89.99 here is a link

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SEALED-1-144-rare-vintage-Otaki-Lockheed-C-5a-Galaxy-MIB-/180985111007?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item2a238da1df 

Ken

Thanks  for the heads-up Ken. I worked on the beasts for over twelve years in civil service and wanted to model one from my old unit at Westover, MA 

No problem.  The C-5 is one of my favorite subjects.  I was really happy when Anigrand Craftswork came out with the 1/72 scale version.  The price tag was a bit steep but I saved my pennies and bought one.  Whenever I do get around to building it as you mentioned, it will be quite large (41 inches long with a wing span of 37 inches!).  I am going to suspend it from the ceiling of my "Man Cave".  I will be trimming it in Dover Air Force Base colors that it wore in the early 1970's.

Ken

thanks to all for the positive comments.....clear blue sprayed.....at the end I'll add some dirty......Ciao Enrico.

Son Of Medicine Man

Nice work Enrico!  Looks very realistic!     

Ken

(aka ditto)

Sorry guys I'm a little slow right now with pics. Get them soon

Just doing a little photo update. Had some "issues" with my prior model for this GB so I switched to a A1H Skyraider instead of the Able Dog; it's now a test bed aircraft for BMF, putty and the like. Anyway, here's some pics starting with the sprues. I finished the cockpit and put together the fuselage before remembering I needed to take photos, (oops). 

Much putty was needed along the dorsal seam where i went a little crazy chopping off antennas. A little more and some sanding should do the trick. Hopefully the paint will hide most of that!

mikeymize

Just doing a little photo update. Had some "issues" with my prior model for this GB so I switched to a A1H Skyraider instead of the Able Dog; it's now a test bed aircraft for BMF, putty and the like. Anyway, here's some pics starting with the sprues. I finished the cockpit and put together the fuselage before remembering I needed to take photos, (oops). 

Much putty was needed along the dorsal seam where i went a little crazy chopping off antennas. A little more and some sanding should do the trick. Hopefully the paint will hide most of that!

Looking good so far!  What kit and scale is that?

Ken

Sorry, I meant to take a shot of the box art too and will with my next group. It's a 1/72 Hasegawa kit; it's the VNAF one with the two-tone camo instead of the 3 tone SEA stuff we're used to seeing. The info in the box says it was from 83rd SOG. I've never seen this version before so that makes it even better to me!

...put on decals.....sealed by clear gloss.....painted red turbine stripes........Ciao all....Enrico.

Nice work!  Very smooth and straight!   

Ken

Hi Ken.....thanks!!......few other shoots.............ciao Enrico

Oh that is beautiful Enrico!!!!

I've been a little lax in my build updating, here are some new pictures.

Hi All,

Even though I`m listed for an F-8, I inadvertantly started an F-7 (they could pass for twins). It`s an AMT kit with no real cockpit detail to speak of, or locator pins for that matter...reminds me of a short-run kit.

That is the `pit for what it`s worth. All "details" are decals. The ejection seat sits on top of the main air duct, which fit together rather nicely.

The fuse is not 2 pieces like usual, AMT had to make it more challenging by using 4 pieces...

So far, the fit has been very good. Maybe the lack of locator pins is the key, who knows. 

This is the ejection seat before I sanded down the super thick cushion...

...and after...some cheesey scratched belts out of Tamiya tape. `pits gonna be closed so I`m not too worried.....

...and lastly , a pile of "snake eye" halves that I`ve since glued together and sanded to a rough finish like how the real ones were....

That`s it for now. I`m planning on doing more tonight and will post more wip`s. Any comments/ critiques or tips are welcome as always. Thanks for looking.

Len

Hi Len,

Looks like you are off to a great start!  Nice work!     

Ken

Hi Troublemaker66,your is a fast good start!!Very cool the heap of Mk 86.....!!!!!!!!!!!Ciao from Italy,Enrico.

Well, I was goin` to town on my A-7 and everything was going good..until..I was placing the rear fuselage bulkhead with the exhaust/afterburner (?)  into the right fuse` half and proceeded to close up the fuselage. Things were a bit snug but looked good overall. That`s when disaster struck...while glueing and squeezing the halves together, the plastic actuall tore!! I was so ***`d, I had to walk away. I will give it a few attempts at repairing but think I`ll be writing this one off.

I have an F-5 Tiger II, a kit that I never built before, by Revell. Although they were developed pretty much for other countries, they did see some combat with the 3rd TFW out of Bien Hoa and Da Nang in 1965-66. I believe 2600 sorties were flown with one combat loss.

Sorry for the switch-a-roos, hopefully there will be no more...lol

Len

F-5A and C were flown by the USAF in the 65-67 period. The F-5E was only flown by the VNAF in the 70s.

Unfortunately, I'm limited to an oob build for this one and have 2 decal options, neither are for 'Nam birds. Let me know if this is a no go for this GB. I was thinking of doing an adversary scheme...all semi-gloss black w/ Soviet markings. If no go,  I have plenty more to choose from.

Messed up in photo bucket,  here goes another try

photostream

and again.

Yeah, a VNAF F-5E was not much of a popular choice. The only declas I ever recall seeing for that was an old Micro Scale sheet (remember when they were called Micro Scale?) from early in their 1/48 line up. Is your F-5E the latest Revell release of the kit? The compartively "loose" acceptance criteria for this GB should see at least the silver training/demonstator bird markings as acceptable.

stikpusher

Yeah, a VNAF F-5E was not much of a popular choice. The only declas I ever recall seeing for that was an old Micro Scale sheet (remember when they were called Micro Scale?) from early in their 1/48 line up. Is your F-5E the latest Revell release of the kit? The compartively "loose" acceptance criteria for this GB should see at least the silver training/demonstator bird markings as acceptable.

I`m still foolin` around with the A-7...might be able to save it with a little luck and a ton of Zap-A-Gap! Still want to build the F-5...never have before.

Len

troublemaker66

stikpusher

Yeah, a VNAF F-5E was not much of a popular choice. The only declas I ever recall seeing for that was an old Micro Scale sheet (remember when they were called Micro Scale?) from early in their 1/48 line up. Is your F-5E the latest Revell release of the kit? The compartively "loose" acceptance criteria for this GB should see at least the silver training/demonstator bird markings as acceptable.

Yeah, it`s the newest release. I Know what you mean about AM decals for this A/C...almost non-existant. The kit decals are for a 58th FTW out of Luke AFB and a Navy, VF-127 "Desert Bogey". I`m trying to do something different for this GB...no F-4 `s for me, done enough IMO. I just dug out my Roden OV-1A/JOV1A Mohawk....yeah,yeah...that`s the ticket...lol.

I`m still foolin` around with the A-7...might be able to save it with a little luck and a ton of Zap-A-Gap! Still want to build the F-5...never have before.

Len

Hi Len,

If you want to try printing your own decals, here is a link to a website that has VNAF decals you can download for free.  There are not any specific for the F-5, but it will get you closer:

http://vnafmamn.com/vnaf_decals.html 

Ken

troublemaker66

Yeah, it`s the newest release. I Know what you mean about AM decals for this A/C...almost non-existant. The kit decals are for a 58th FTW out of Luke AFB and a Navy, VF-127 "Desert Bogey". I`m trying to do something different for this GB...no F-4 `s for me, done enough IMO. I just dug out my Roden OV-1A/JOV1A Mohawk....yeah,yeah...that`s the ticket...lol.

I`m still foolin` around with the A-7...might be able to save it with a little luck and a ton of Zap-A-Gap! Still want to build the F-5...never have before.

Len

Yes I looked it up on the Revell site. That is too bad about AM decals because it is a nice little kit. I really do wish that Superscale would bring back all of their old line. At one point they had multiple sheets for that kit in just about every imaginable Air Force colors': Saudi, VNAF, USAF/USN aggressors, Chile, etc. The OV-1 sounds great to me. The bird that gave the Air Force fits because it was ARMED!!! and Fixed Wing!!! And able to respond quicker for calls for CAS due to being forward based!!! I have the Roden kit and have been eyeballing it since I read a book about Army Aviation in Vietnam up to 1963.

......wethering is done......I've had some problem with oils even on the acrilic gloss sprayed on the model.....so i've sprayed anything.......What do you think?Ciao Enrico.

Italian Starfighter

......wethering is done......I've had some problem with oils even on the acrilic gloss sprayed on the model.....so i've sprayed anything.......What do you think?Ciao Enrico.

Len