First Annual USAF Vietnam Group Build

Beckyhead

Great pics of Scat XXVII! Thank you for sharing:

On to my progress: I was able to complete most of the cockpit tub this weekend to include the tubs, seat, Eduard ad-ons and the side panels. I've complete the front instrument panel, but I am still working the rear instrument panel.

I tried a different technique for highlighting the dark panels by using a dry brushing method that build up the color gradually while keeping the edges sharp. The seats were painted with a combination of acrylics and oils to build highlights and shadows, and make the seats and parachute feel like they are made of a fabric. The overall tub, panels and seats still need to sealed with a flat coat.

The front instrument panel was also drybrushed. I also used decal fragments and left over instrument panel decals punched out with a Waldron punch for instrument faces. The radar of the front panel was simply a disck punched out from a sheet of bare metal foil, then colored with Tamiya Clear Orange. I still need to seal the front panel with a flat coat. Rear panel needs more work, and I will also build up the reat of the panel with punched disks for the cableing and plastivard for more detail. I could use some help figuring out the color of the rear panels radar. Any takers?

Even thought the Academy kits has great instrument and side panel details, the panel walls were completely barren. I could not let this go. Now, aftermarket would have been a great solution, but I'm tired of dealing with fit issues and the crazy sanding and cutting that has to be done to make them look right (I'm looking at your Aries!) So, for the first time, I decided to scratchbuild the sidepanels. This actually turned out to be more fun than I thought!

Drew and outline of the panel of a very thin sheet of Evergreen card stock. For references, I used an older kits, and some online resources to build up the details of all the panels.

Rear panel complete.

Sorry about the poor photography! Panels complete...painting is next. However, I really enjoyed doing this, so I went ahead an began to add some other details to the cockpit.

I added this document...thingee over the right panel/pilot seat. This was based on my references, and looked easy enough to replicate. Well, that is all I have for now...I hope you like what you see so far.

Wow Beckyhead, that is some very detailed extensive work you have put into your cockpit so far.  It looks great!     

As to your question about the rear cockpit's radar screen color, it looks like to me from my references that it is a greenish grey, very much like the old black and white TV tubes were (if you are old enough to remember those!).

I had never heard of Waldron until you mention their punch and die set.  Roll Models still sells their products.  Very cool stuff!  I have made note of them for future reference.  I recently purchased a punch and die set from RP Toolz.  It is a very nice set, but does not go as large as the Waldron set.

Ken

Hi Everyone,

Time for another "this day in history" trivia.  45 years ago today marked the beginning of "Operation Menu".  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

"Operation Menu was the codename of a covert United States Strategic Air Command (SAC) bombing campaign conducted in eastern Cambodia and Laos from 18 March 1969 until 26 May 1970, during the Vietnam War. The targets of these attacks were sanctuaries and Base Areas of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and forces of the Viet Cong, which utilized them for resupply, training, and resting between campaigns across the border in the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). The effects of the bombing campaign are disputed by historians."

Ken

Hey Beckyhead,

I looked through my colors to find one that looked like a match.  Model Master has an enamel color called "Euro I Gray" FS36081 that looks about right for the rear radar screen.

Ken

Thanks for help with the color match!

Beckyhead

Thanks for help with the color match!

You are most welcome!

Ken

Hi Everyone!

Time for another "This Day in History" trivia.  52 years ago today, "Operation Sunrise" began.  Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia that gives a good overview:

"

Operation Sunrise was the first phase of a long range South Vietnamese counter-offensive against the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. It was launched in the Ben Cat region of the Binh Duong Province (35 miles from Saigon). It began the Strategic Hamlet resettlement program in which scattered rural populations in South Vietnam were uprooted from their ancestral farmlands and resettled into fortified villages defended by local militias. However, over 50 of the hamlets were soon infiltrated and easily taken over by Viet Cong who killed or intimidated village leaders.

As a result, Diem ordered bombing raids against suspected Viet Cong-controlled hamlets. The air strikes by the South Vietnamese Air Force were supported by U.S. pilots, who also conducted some of the bombings. Following the air strike South Vietnamese light tanks pushed into the hamlets to sweep out rebels. Although dozens of Viet Cong were killed, the operation took a hard toll on the populations as civilian casualties eroded popular support for Diem and resulted in growing peasant hostility toward America, which was largely blamed for the unpopular resettlement program as well as the bombings."

Ken

Hi again Everyone!

I made a significant purchase for my SR-71A project.  It is the super detailed nozzles made by Cutting Edge.  It cost me a pretty penny, but it will be a significant improvement over the kit's original parts.

Here is a link to a review of the nozzles:

http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/details/ce/detail_cec48516.shtml 

Ken

Hi Everyone,

Time for another "This Day in History".  41 years ago today, March 29, 1973, all American combat troops leave Vietnam as per the Paris Peace Accords.

This day is also marked by being declared "Vietnam Veterans Day".  So I send a big salute to all our Vietnam Veterans!  Thank you for your service, it is greatly appreciated!

Ken

Hi Everyone,

Here is some more "This Day in History".

On 30 March 1965, the Viet Cong detonated a car-bomb outside the embassy, killing one female embassy employee, Barbara Robbins, another American, 19 Vietnamese and one Filipino and injuring 183 other people.

Also on this day in 1972, the North Vietnamese launched what has become known as the "Easter Offensive".  Here is a description from Wikipedia:

The Easter Offensive (Chiến dịch Xuân hè 1972 in Vietnamese) was a military campaign conducted by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) against the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN, the regular army of South Vietnam) and the United States military between March 30 and October 22, 1972, during the Vietnam War.^[9] This conventional invasion (the largest offensive operation since 300,000 Chinese volunteers had crossed the Yalu River into North Korea during the Korean War) was a radical departure from previous North Vietnamese offensives. The offensive was not designed to win the war outright, but to gain as much territory and destroy as many units of the ARVN as possible, to improve the North's negotiating position as the Paris Peace Accords drew towards a conclusion.

Another event that happened on this day in 1972 was the First Battle of Quảng Trị.  Here is another short excerpt from Wikipedia:

The First Battle of Quảng Trị resulted in the first major victory for the North Vietnamese Army during the Nguyen Hue Offensive of 1972.

The province of Quảng Trị was a major battle ground for the opposing forces during the Vietnam War. As South Vietnamese soldiers were gradually replacing their American counterparts, North Vietnam's General Văn Tiến Dũng was preparing to engage three of his divisions in the province.

Just months before the battle, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam deployed its newly formed 3rd Division to the areas along the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone to take over former U.S bases. North Vietnamese forces deployed against the inexperienced ARVN 3rd Division included the North Vietnamese 304th, 308th and 324B Divisions.

Ken

Hi Everyone,

This Day in History, March 31, 1968:

United States Secretary of Defense Clark Clifford gets the President to authorize 24,500 more troops on an emergency basis, raising authorized strength to the Vietnam War's peak of 549,500, a figure never reached.

President Lyndon Johnson delivers his Address to the Nation announcing steps to limit the war in Vietnam and reporting his decision not to seek reelection. The speech announces the first in a series of limitations on US bombing, promising to halt these activities above the 20th parallel.

Ken

Hi Everyone,

Time for another "This Day in History"!

49 years ago today, April 1, 1965, President Johnson authorizes sending two more U.S. Marine battalions and 20,000 logistics personnel to Vietnam.

And 44 years ago today Operation Texas Star began.  Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

Operation Texas Star was a military operation of the Vietnam War in the A Shau Valley and the mountains east of the valley. It aimed at regaining the initiative in the area. The operation culminated in the Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord, which ended by the fall of the FSB into the hands of the North Vietnamese on July 23, 1970.

Operation Texas Star during the Vietnam War took place from April 1, 1970 to September 5, 1970. Both the 101st Airborne Division and the ARVN 1st Infantry Division were involved in the operation. The operation took place mainly in the Western Quang Tri and Thua Thien Provinces of Vietnam.

Ken

Not that anyone missed me, but I recently retired a couple of GB's.

Shameless plug- Nemo on the FSM Heroes and Villains GB.

The Misty "Hun" is on the bench.

GMorrison

Not that anyone missed me, but I recently retired a couple of GB's.

Shameless plug- Nemo on the FSM Heroes and Villains GB.

The Misty "Hun" is on the bench.

Hi GMorrison,

Very glad to hear from you!  I am looking forward to see your build!   

Ken

Hi Everyone,

Time for some more "This Day in History!"

46 years ago today, April 3, 1968, the rescue of Dustoff 65 began.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

The Rescue of Dustoff 65 was a battle in April 1968, during the Vietnam War. A Medivac helicopter was preparing to evacuate wounded soldiers from the United States 101st Airborne Division when a rocket hit the tail rotor forcing the helicopter down into the jungle. A rescue team spent five days finding, retrieving and extracting the men from the crashed helicopter while fighting off communist forces.

You can read the full description at this link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rescue_of_Dustoff_65 

Also on this day, April 3, 1975, Operation Babylift began.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

Operation Babylift was the name given to the mass evacuation of children from South Vietnam to the United States and other countries (including Australia, France, and Canada) at the end of the Vietnam War (see also the Fall of Saigon), from April 3–26, 1975. By the final American flight out of South Vietnam, over 3,300 infants and children had been evacuated, although the actual number has been variously reported.^[1][2][3][4] Along with Operation New Life, over 110,000 refugees were evacuated from South Vietnam at the end of the Vietnam War. Thousands of children were airlifted from Vietnam and adopted by families around the world.

The full story can be seen here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Babylift 

Ken

Hi Everyone,

Time for some more "This Day in History!".

As you may recall, yesterday was the 39th anniversary of the start of "Operation Babylift".  The very next day, April 4, 1975, there was a horrible crash involving a C-5A Galaxy that was participating in the operation.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

The Tan Son Nhat C-5 accident refers to the 4 April 1975^{[Notes 1]} crash of Lockheed C-5A Galaxy serial number 68-0218 participating in Operation Babylift. The C-5 crashed on approach during an emergency landing at Tan Son Nhat Air Base, South Vietnam. The cause was ascribed to loss of flight control due to explosive decompression and structural failure. The accident marked the second operational loss and first fatal crash for the C-5 Galaxy fleet. It is also the deadliest accident involving a U.S. military aircraft.

The full description can be found here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Tan_Son_Nhut_C-5_accident 

Also on this day in 1972, the Battle of Lộc Ninh began.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

The Battle of Lộc Ninh was a major battle fought during the Easter Offensive during the Vietnam War, which took place in Bình Long Province, South Vietnam between 4–7 April 1972. Towards the end of 1971, North Vietnamese leaders decided to launch a major offensive against South Vietnam, with the objective of destroying Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) units and capturing as much territory as possible, in order to strengthen their bargaining position in the Paris Peace Accords. On 30 March 1972, two North Vietnamese Army divisions smashed through the Demilitarized Zone, marking the commencement of the Easter Offensive. They quickly overwhelmed South Vietnamese units in the I Corps Tactical Zone. With the rapid collapse of South Vietnamese forces in the northern provinces of South Vietnam, North Vietnamese and Việt Cộng forces began preparing for their next offensive, targeting Bình Long Province in the Mekong Delta region. On 4 April, the Việt Cộng's 5th Division opened their attack on Lộc Ninh, defended by the ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment. After three days of fighting, the vastly outnumbered South Vietnamese forces, though well supported by American air power, were forced to abandon their positions in Lộc Ninh.

The full description can be read here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Loc_Ninh 

Ken

Hi Everyone,

Time for another "This Day in History".

46 years ago today, April 8th, 1968, Operation Toan Thang I began.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

Operation Toan Thang I was a US and ARVN operation conducted between 8 April 1968 and 31 May 1968 in the Vietnam War. Toan Thang, or "Complete Victory", was part of a reaction to the Tet Offensive by forces allied with the Republic of Vietnam designed to put pressure on PLAF (Vietcong) and PAVN (North Vietnamese Army) forces.

Ken

Count me in! I Have a Hobby Boss Thud laying around calling my name, It may take me a little while due to my schedule.

tcepilot

Count me in! I Have a Hobby Boss Thud laying around calling my name, It may take me a little while due to my schedule.

Welcome aboard tcepilot!    Sorry for the late reply, I have been dealing with a flooded basement.  I will update the front page roster.  Once again, welcome!

Ken

tcepilot

Count me in! I Have a Hobby Boss Thud laying around calling my name, It may take me a little while due to my schedule.

I forgot to ask, what scale is that, and which version F-105?

Ken

Son Of Medicine Man

tcepilot

Count me in! I Have a Hobby Boss Thud laying around calling my name, It may take me a little while due to my schedule.

Welcome aboard tcepilot!    Sorry for the late reply, I have been dealing with a flooded basement.  I will update the front page roster.  Once again, welcome!

Ken

Welcome to the build, tcepilot!

Ken, sorry to hear about your basement!  I've had flooding like that and I know what a mess and inconvenience it is. Hope it's not too bad. If you have paneling, you can save some money by just replacing the lower 4 feet or so with a baseboard.

Good luck!

Russ

Son Of Medicine Man

tcepilot

Count me in! I Have a Hobby Boss Thud laying around calling my name, It may take me a little while due to my schedule.

I forgot to ask, what scale is that, and which version F-105?

Ken

tcepilot

Son Of Medicine Man

tcepilot

Count me in! I Have a Hobby Boss Thud laying around calling my name, It may take me a little while due to my schedule.

I forgot to ask, what scale is that, and which version F-105?

Ken

Oh I'm sorry lol. It is the F-105G. 1/48th

Tcepilot, you are now on the roster!  Once again welcome aboard!

Ken

Striker8241

 

Welcome to the build, tcepilot!

Ken, sorry to hear about your basement!  I've had flooding like that and I know what a mess and inconvenience it is. Hope it's not too bad. If you have paneling, you can save some money by just replacing the lower 4 feet or so with a baseboard.

Good luck!

Russ

 

 

Hi Russ,

Thank you for the well wishes.  Yes, it is a real mess.  The water got up to 5.25" deep.  One of the big losses was a large stack of reference books I had sitting on the floor.  The majority of them were hard to find out of print books.  My heart just sank when I saw them.

I am just lucky that my insurance is covering the damage since the water came up through the sewer.  Unfortunately, I have a $1,000.00 deductible, which is going to really be hard for me to come up with.  The furnace has already been replaced (and it wasn't even two years old yet).

The next major task I have is to start itemizing everything that I lost.  That is going to be a lot of work.

Ken

Time for some more "This Day in History".

Yesterday, April 11th, 48 years ago, the Battle of Xa Cam My took place.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

The Battle of Xa Cam My was a battle of the Vietnam War fought over two days from April 11–12, 1966.^[1] Originally planned as a U.S. search and destroy mission intended to lure out the "crack" Viet Cong D800 Battalion, Charlie Company soon found itself fighting for survival in the rubber plantations of Xa Cam My, approximately 42 miles (68 km) east of Saigon. During this battle 134 men of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division were ambushed by the Viet Cong.

The entire story can be read here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Xa_Cam_My 

Also on this day, April 12th, 1975, was the beginning of Operation Eagle Pull.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

Operation Eagle Pull was the United States military evacuation by air of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 12 April 1975.^[1] At the beginning of April 1975, Phnom Penh, one of the last remaining strongholds of the Khmer Republic, was surrounded by the Khmer Rouge and totally dependent on aerial resupply through Pochentong Airport. With a Khmer Rouge victory imminent, the US government made contingency plans for the evacuation of US nationals and allied Cambodians by helicopter to ships in the Gulf of Thailand. Operation Eagle Pull took place on the morning of 12 April 1975 and was a tactical success carried out without any loss of life. Five days later the Khmer Republic collapsed and the Khmer Rouge occupied Phnom Penh.

The full story can be read here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Eagle_Pull 

Ken

Wow, Ken! Over 5 feet of water......didn't realize it was that bad.  I wish you the best in your recovery efforts!!

Tal Afar Dave

Wow, Ken! Over 5 feet of water......didn't realize it was that bad.  I wish you the best in your recovery efforts!!

Thank you Dave but fortunately is was just a little over 5 inches instead of 5 feet.  But definitely deep enough to cause a lot of damage since I had a lot of things right at floor level.  When I rebuild the basement, I will build stands or shelves that are 6 inches from the floor to help prevent this from being as devastating if it happens again.

Ken

Hi Everyone,

Time for another "This Day in History".

42 years ago today, April 13, 1972, the Battle of An Lộc began.  Here is a short description from Wikipedia:

The Battle of An Lộc was a major battle of the Vietnam War that lasted for 66 days and culminated in a decisive victory for South Vietnam. In many ways, the struggle for An Lộc in 1972 was an important battle of the war, as South Vietnamese forces halted the North Vietnamese advance towards Saigon.

Here is a link to the full story:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_An_L%E1%BB%99c 

Ken

okay, I guess that is a little better!!!!  Still, what's the chances of all those rare reference books getting taken out all at once??? Hope things are better today!

Tal Afar Dave

okay, I guess that is a little better!!!!  Still, what's the chances of all those rare reference books getting taken out all at once??? Hope things are better today!

Hi Dave,

Well when it rains it pours.  My Mom is in the hospital now.  She had a small stroke.  Now they are trying to figure out what caused it.  I will be glad when this month is over.

Ken

Hi Everyone,

Time for some more "This Day in History"!

46 years ago today, April 19, 1968, Operation Delaware began.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

Operation Delaware was a joint military operation launched during the Vietnam War. It began on Friday, April 19, 1968, with troops from the United States and the Republic of South Vietnam (ARVN) moving into the A Shau Valley. The A Shau Valley was a vital corridor for moving vast amounts of supplies from Communist North Vietnam into South Vietnam through Laos and was used as a staging area for numerous attacks against the coastal cities of Hue and Da Nang. Other than small, special operations reconnaissance patrols, American and South Vietnamese forces had not been present in the region since the Battle of A Shau in 1966, when a U.S. Special Forces camp located there was overrun.^[

The full story can be read here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Delaware 

Also on this date, 42 years ago, April 19, 1972, the Battle of Đồng Hới took place.  Here is a short description from Wikipedia:

The Battle of Đồng Hới was a clash between United States Navy warships and three North Vietnamese air force MiG-17F fighter bombers, several torpedo boats and shore batteries on April 19, 1972 during the Vietnam War. This was the first time US warships faced an air raid since the end of World War II.

The Battle for Đồng Hới Gulf in fact involved fierce fire fights between Navy ships attempting to stop North Vietnamese troops and supplies transiting the coast highway in North Vietnam from reaching the battle front in Quảng Trị Province. The air raid described here marked the end of daylight raids by the Navy. Within a few weeks, however, all North Vietnamese resistance at Đồng Hới was suppressed.

The full story can be read here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dong_Hoi 

Ken