First Annual USAF Vietnam Group Build

Hi Everyone,

Time for some more "This Day in History".

On this day 54 years ago, May 8, 1957, president Ngo Dinh Diem visited the United States.  Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

Ngô Đình Diệm, the President of South Vietnam, made a state visit to the United States, the main ally of his government, in 1957. Diệm received a glowing welcome and was heaped with praise as a leader of a "free country" in the midst of the Cold War. The receptions during the visit were in large part organized by the American Friends of Vietnam (AFV), a lobby group dedicated to resolute US support of South Vietnam and which included many politicians from both major parties.^[1] The visit was mainly celebratory and ceremonial, rather than being a policy or planning mission. It was part of a year of travelling for Diệm, as he made a visit to Australia in September, as well as to fellow anti-communist countries South Korea and Thailand.

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

Ken

Hi Everyone,

Sorry I did not post anything yesterday.  I was just too busy to be able to get on the computer.  Having two households to take care of will do that.

Yesterday was the first day of Armed Forces Week, which ends on next Saturday with Armed Forces Day.  I give a big salute and my appreciation to all of those who have served or are currently serving in the United States military.

And now for "This Day in History".  It was 46 years ago yesterday, May 10, 1968, that the Battle of Kham Duc began.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

The Battle of Kham Duc was a major battle of the Vietnam War (also known, in Vietnam, as the "American War"). The event occurred in Khâm Đức, now district capital of Phước Sơn District, then in Quảng Tín Province (now part of Quảng Nam Province, South Vietnam), between 10–12 May 1968. During the Tet Offensive of 1968, the Vietnam People's Army (PAVN) 2nd Division tried to capture Đà Nẵng but their attacks were quickly blunted by elements of the U.S. 1st Marine Division, the Americal Division, and the Korean Brigade that were guarding the city. North Vietnamese General Chu Huy Mân decided to disengage from the fight in the outskirts of the city, and pull the 2nd Division into the mountains where they could rest, rebuild, and prepare for the next major operation. Khâm Đức, a small district in the north of Quảng Tín, was chosen as the next target for the PAVN 2nd Division. Following the defeat of the North Vietnamese in Đà Nẵng, U.S. military intelligence agencies in I Corps Tactical Zone were confused by the movements of the North Vietnamese 2nd Division, because they could not track down the mysterious enemy unit.

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

Yesterday was also an anniversary for a more famous battle that even has a movie made about it.  The Battle of Hamburger Hill began 45 years ago yesterday, May 10, 1969.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

The Battle of Hamburger Hill was a battle of the Vietnam War that was fought by the United States and South Vietnam against North Vietnamese forces from May 10–20, 1969. Although the heavily fortified Hill 937 was of little strategic value, U.S. command ordered its capture by a frontal assault, only to abandon it soon thereafter. The action caused an outrage both in the American military and public.

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

Also on the same date, May 10, 1969, Operation Apache Snow began.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

Operation Apache Snow was a joint U.S. and South Vietnamese military operation during the Vietnam War in the A Shau Valley. The A Shau Valley was an important corridor for the North Vietnamese Army (NVA), moving supplies into South Vietnam and used as staging area for attacks. Previous sweeps of the valley in Operation Delaware and Operation Dewey Canyon had not been able to keep the NVA from operating in the valley.

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

Yesterday was also the anniversary for the Battle of Song Be, which began on May 10, 1965, 49 years ago.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

The Battle of Sông Bé was a major action between the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (Viet Cong) and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) in May 1965.

Planned as a major show of force against the ARVN forces, the NLF attempted to capture the fortified capital of Phước Long Province, Sông Bé. Perhaps to their surprise, ARVN forces in the area rallied and re-took the town by the end of the second day of combat. Several additional days of chasing the NLF forces involved proved fruitless, as they escaped.

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

And today is the 47th anniversary of Operation Malheur I which began on May 11, 1967.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

Operation Malheur I and Operation Malheur II were a series of search and destroy operations conducted by the 1st Brigade 101st Airborne Division operating as part of Task Force Oregon in Quang Ngai Province.

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

Ken

Hi Everyone,

Today in "This Day in History", the Battle of Coral-Balmoral began on May 12, 1968.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

The Battle of Coral–Balmoral (12 May – 6 June 1968) was a series of actions fought during the Vietnam War between the 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) and the North Vietnamese 7th Division and Viet Cong, 40 kilometres (25 mi) north-east of Saigon. Following the defeat of the communist Tet offensive in January and February, in late April two Australian infantry battalions—the 1st and 3rd Battalions, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR)—with supporting arms, were again deployed from their base at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province to positions astride infiltration routes leading to Saigon, in order to interdict renewed movement against the capital. Part of the wider allied Operation Toan Thang I, it was launched in response to intelligence reports of another impending communist offensive; however, the Australians experienced little fighting during this period. Meanwhile, the Viet Cong successfully penetrated the capital on 5 May, plunging Saigon into chaos during the May Offensive in an attempt to influence the upcoming Paris peace talks scheduled to begin on the 13th. During three days of intense fighting the attacks were repelled by US and South Vietnamese forces, and although another attack was launched by the Viet Cong several days later, the offensive was again defeated with heavy losses on both sides, causing significant damage to Saigon as well as numerous civilian casualties. However, by 12 May the fighting was over, and the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong were forced to withdraw having suffered heavy casualties. US casualties were also heavy and it proved to be the most costly week of the war for the Americans.

The full story can be read here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Coral%E2%80%93Balmoral 

Ken

Hi Everyone,

Today in "This Day in History" May 13, 1968, the first U.S. and North Vietnamese delegations meet at the Paris peace talks to discuss American withdrawal.

Ken

Hi Everyone,

Today in "This Day in History", May 16, 1974, the Battle of the Iron Triangle began.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

The Battle of the Iron Triangle took place on May 16, 1974, when the 9th Division of the Vietnam People's Army backed by a small contingent of tanks launched an attack on Rach Bap, took possession of An Dien and pushed south towards Phu Cuong.

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

Ken

Hi Everyone,

"On This Day in History", Group 559 unit of the People's Army of Vietnam was established on May 19, 1959.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

Group 559 was a transportation and logistical unit of the People's Army of Vietnam that was subordinate to the Rear Services General Directorate. Group 559 was established on 19 May 1959 in order to move troops, weapons, and material (by sea and land) from the North Vietnam to South Vietnam and to build and maintain support facilities en route. The troop consisted with two transportation battalions.

The full story can be read here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_559 

Ken

Hi Everyone,

My new carpet for the basement arrived at the store Friday.  That means the installer will be calling me Tuesday or Wednesday to setup a date and time to install it.  I am hoping it will be done by this Friday.  That will give me next weekend to finish putting my basement back together.  Right now my house is a complete mess with all of the stuff from the basement shoved into every nook and cranny, including my workbench area.  It will be nice to be able to get back to building once the basement is done.

Ken

Hi Everyone,

Time for some more "This Day in History".  On May 26, 1967, 47 years ago today, Operation Union II began.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

Operation Union II was a military operation that took place in the Vietnam War. It was a search and destroy mission in the Que Son Valley carried out by the 5th Marine Regiment. Launched on May 26, 1967 the operation ended June 5. U.S. reported the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) lost 594 killed and 23 captured, while U.S. casualties were 110 killed and 241 wounded.

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

And because this day is Memorial Day, I would like to give a small story about my Dad, who served over half is USAF career in Vietnam.

My Dad had a few different jobs while serving in the USAF.  One that he performed the longest was as a flight engineer on the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter.  The duties of the flight engineer include monitoring all of the aircraft's systems while in flight.

This story is about one mission while he was the flight engineer in charge as a C-141 was preparing to land.  The co-pilot was flying the aircraft with the pilot overseeing the co-pilot.  As my Dad was going through the check list, he discovered that one of the main landing gear had not fully extended and locked.  He reported this immediately to the co-pilot.  My Dad proceeded with troubleshooting the problem and kept reporting the results to the co-pilot.

The co-pilot continued with the landing, making his final approach to the runway.  My Dad continued with his troubleshooting, still reporting the results to the co-pilot.  Unbelievably, the co-pilot continued with the landing and just as the wheels were about to touch, the pilot took over control of the aircraft.  The plane skidded all over the runway as you can imagine.  The pilot did a fantastic job of keeping the aircraft on the runway until it came to a stop.

After the plane stopped, the pilot turned to the co-pilot and asked him, "Were you not listening to the flight engineer?"  The co-pilot's response was "He was making so much noise on the microphone that I turned him off."

Unbelievable but true!

Ken

Son Of Medicine Man

Hi Everyone,

My new carpet for the basement arrived at the store Friday.  That means the installer will be calling me Tuesday or Wednesday to setup a date and time to install it.  I am hoping it will be done by this Friday.  That will give me next weekend to finish putting my basement back together.  Right now my house is a complete mess with all of the stuff from the basement shoved into every nook and cranny, including my workbench area.  It will be nice to be able to get back to building once the basement is done.

Ken

 

Great news, Ken! Glad that part of the hassle will be over soon. I can sympathise with you having stuff crammed into every free space - our work room flooded twice due to hurricanes and we had to distribute everything all over the house.

Hang in there!

Russ

Son Of Medicine Man

Hi Everyone,

Time for some more "This Day in History".  On May 26, 1967, 47 years ago today, Operation Union II began.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

Operation Union II was a military operation that took place in the Vietnam War. It was a search and destroy mission in the Que Son Valley carried out by the 5th Marine Regiment. Launched on May 26, 1967 the operation ended June 5. U.S. reported the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) lost 594 killed and 23 captured, while U.S. casualties were 110 killed and 241 wounded.

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

And because this day is Memorial Day, I would like to give a small story about my Dad, who served over half is USAF career in Vietnam.

My Dad had a few different jobs while serving in the USAF.  One that he performed the longest was as a flight engineer on the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter.  The duties of the flight engineer include monitoring all of the aircraft's systems while in flight.

This story is about one mission while he was the flight engineer in charge as a C-141 was preparing to land.  The co-pilot was flying the aircraft with the pilot overseeing the co-pilot.  As my Dad was going through the check list, he discovered that one of the main landing gear had not fully extended and locked.  He reported this immediately to the co-pilot.  My Dad proceeded with troubleshooting the problem and kept reporting the results to the co-pilot.

The co-pilot continued with the landing, making his final approach to the runway.  My Dad continued with his troubleshooting, still reporting the results to the co-pilot.  Unbelievably, the co-pilot continued with the landing and just as the wheels were about to touch, the pilot took over control of the aircraft.  The plane skidded all over the runway as you can imagine.  The pilot did a fantastic job of keeping the aircraft on the runway until it came to a stop.

After the plane stopped, the pilot turned to the co-pilot and asked him, "Were you not listening to the flight engineer?"  The co-pilot's response was "He was making so much noise on the microphone that I turned him off."

Unbelievable but true!

Ken

That truly is amazing, Ken! That poor copilot must have been so nervous he didn't really hear what your father was telling him. Hard to believe but it happens.

Cheers,

Russ

Hi Everyone,

Time for another "This Day in History".  On this day, May 28, 1965, 49 years ago, the Battle of Ba Gia began.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia: 

The Battle of Ba Gia was a major battle that marked the beginning of the National Liberation Front's Summer Offensive of 1965, during the early phases of the Vietnam War, which is known in Vietnam as the American War. The battle took place in Quảng Ngãi Province, South Vietnam, between May 28–31, 1965.

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

Ken

Okay...phinally phinished the phantom...

Used Mr. Color acrylics for the finish...great paints...50/50 mix and low air pressure. However, with the Flat Clear, 1/3 thinner 2/3 paint...went through half the bottle until I figured out that problem. Weathered using oils, thinned Tamiya Smoke, and Vallejo washes. This kit was a bear to put together...there are some engineering issues with the kit, especially in the landing gear, along with too fragile parts, lack of detail in the cockpit sidewalls, poor intakes (I am still hoping a company will EVER solve this problem without after-market), and the instructions could user better clarity. Not a Tamiya kit!  However, I think it turned out okay.

Hey Beckyhead,

Great looking Phantom there; very well executed.  Thanks for sharing your pictures!

Dave

Beckyhead

Okay...phinally phinished the phantom...

Used Mr. Color acrylics for the finish...great paints...50/50 mix and low air pressure. However, with the Flat Clear, 1/3 thinner 2/3 paint...went through half the bottle until I figured out that problem. Weathered using oils, thinned Tamiya Smoke, and Vallejo washes. This kit was a bear to put together...there are some engineering issues with the kit, especially in the landing gear, along with too fragile parts, lack of detail in the cockpit sidewalls, poor intakes (I am still hoping a company will EVER solve this problem without after-market), and the instructions could user better clarity. Not a Tamiya kit!  However, I think it turned out okay.

Great job there Beckyhead.  I especially like how the wash brings out the detail.

Ken

Beckyhead

Okay...phinally phinished the phantom...

Used Mr. Color acrylics for the finish...great paints...50/50 mix and low air pressure. However, with the Flat Clear, 1/3 thinner 2/3 paint...went through half the bottle until I figured out that problem. Weathered using oils, thinned Tamiya Smoke, and Vallejo washes. This kit was a bear to put together...there are some engineering issues with the kit, especially in the landing gear, along with too fragile parts, lack of detail in the cockpit sidewalls, poor intakes (I am still hoping a company will EVER solve this problem without after-market), and the instructions could user better clarity. Not a Tamiya kit!  However, I think it turned out okay.

Very nice job, Beckyhead! I really like the way the colors blend!

Hi Everyone,

It has been a few days since I have posted anything.  I am still trying to recover from my basement flood.

Time for some more "This Day in History".  This actually started yesterday, June 9, 1965, but lasted until June 13.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

The Battle of Dong Xoai (Vietnamese: Trận Đồng Xoài) was a major^{[not verified in body]} battle fought during the National Liberation Front Summer Offensive of 1965 as part of the Vietnam War. The battle took place in Phuoc Long Province, South Vietnam, between June 9 and 13, 1965. In 1964, General Nguyen Khanh gained control of the South Vietnamese government after General Duong Van Minh was overthrown in a military coup. Even though General Khanh was able to gain control of the military junta, he failed to garner support from the civilian population when he implemented various laws which limited the freedoms of the South Vietnamese people. He then had a falling-out with the Catholic faction within his own government, when he became increasingly reliant on the Buddhist movement to hold on to power. Consequently on February 20, 1965, General Khanh was ousted from power and was forced to leave South Vietnam forever.

The full story can be read here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_%C4%90%E1%BB%93ng_Xo%C3%A0i 

Ken

Hi Everyone,

On "This Day in History", a Vietnamese monk set himself on fire in protest against the South Vietnamese government.  Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

Thích Quảng Đức^[1] (1897 – 11 June 1963, born Lâm Văn Túc), was a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk who burned himself to death at a busy Saigon road intersection on 11 June 1963.  Quang Duc was protesting the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government led by Ngô Đình Diệm. Photographs of his self-immolation were circulated widely across the world and brought attention to the policies of the Diệm government. John F. Kennedy said in reference to a photograph of Duc on fire, "No news picture in history has generated so much emotion around the world as that one."^[3] Malcolm Browne won a Pulitzer Prize for his photograph of the monk's death.

The full story can be read here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%ADch_Qu%E1%BA%A3ng_%C4%90%E1%BB%A9c 

Ken

Hi Everyone,

On "This Day in History", June 12, 1970, the Battle of Kompong Speu began.  Here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia:

The Battle of Kompong Speu began on June 12, 1970 when the combined forces of the South Vietnamese and Cambodian Armies fought to recapture the provincial capital of Kompong Speu. The town was captured by Communist forces on June 13 but was retaken by allied forces on June 16.

Ken

Hi Everyone,

On "This Day in History", June 19, 1973, the U.S. Congress approved legislation that prohibited further U.S. military activity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia unless prior Congressional approval was given.  Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

The Case–Church Amendment was legislation approved by the U.S. Congress in June 1973 that prohibited further U.S. military activity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia unless the president secured Congressional approval in advance. This ended direct U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War, although the U.S. continued to provide military equipment and economic support to the South Vietnamese government. It is named for its principal co-sponsors, Senators Clifford P. Case (R-NJ) and Frank Church (D-ID). The Amendment was defeated 48-42 in the U.S. Senate in August 1972, but revived after the 1972 election. It was reintroduced on January 26, 1973 and approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on May 13.^[1] When it became apparent that the Amendment would pass, President Richard Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger,^[2] lobbied frantically to have the deadline extended.^[3] It passed the United States Congress with bipartisan support in June by a margin of 325-86 in the House, and 73-16 in the Senate.^[4][5] Both of these margins were greater than the two-thirds majority required to override a presidential veto.^[4] Although U.S. ground forces had been withdrawn earlier under a policy called Vietnamization, bombing continued until August 15, 1973, the deadline set by the Amendment.

Ken

I would like to enter my revell A-7A Corsair II

oops i thought this wa

s the third event! oppppps

Sorry, I miss-read the deadline. YES i would love to enter my Revell 1:48 corsair II

Matt-Joachim

Sorry, I miss-read the deadline. YES i would love to enter my Revell 1:48 corsair II

Hi Matt,

I am really happy that you would like to join this build.  The only problem is that the A-7A was not an USAF bird in Vietnam (unless I am wrong, which is possible).  The only version that I am aware of that flew for the USAF in Vietnam was the A-7D.  If you have something else that does qualify, we would love to have you!

Ken

GOSH DAR IT! I''I'll  probably go get the monogram f-4 from hobby lobby for 10$ US with the coupon. I cant believe my incompetence on that part!!

Is my Skyraider AD-5 (A-1E) eligible for entry?

I'm not Ken, but, I procrastinate on his group build.

Yes a USAF AD-5/A-1E is a proper aircraft for this group build.

Rex (the guy that is going to have to roll over into the next version of this Group Build, it seems)

TarnShip

I'm not Ken, but, I procrastinate on his group build.

Yes a USAF AD-5/A-1E is a proper aircraft for this group build.

Rex (the guy that is going to have to roll over into the next version of this Group Build, it seems)

Thank you Rex for answering Matt's question for me.  I hear you on the "roll over into the next version".  I keep hoping that I can get caught up on the "extra curricular" that we call "life" so that I can get back to the bench.  Keeping two homes up really makes that a challenge.  I am hoping to get my basement finished up this week, which will be a huge step in the right direction!

Ken

Matt-Joachim

Is my Skyraider AD-5 (A-1E) eligible for entry?

Hi Matt,

As Rex stated, yes, the A-1E is eligible for this build.  Just as long as you are using the USAF markings for it.  The Navy also used this plane in Vietnam, that is why I am making the distinction.  If the kit is of a Navy bird, then you can find some aftermarket decals for it.  Another thing that would be different would be the ejection seats, but I am not that big of a stickler to insist that you change that!   

Just let me know the scale and the kit manufacturer and I will add you to the roster!

Ken

Sorry for putting so much clutter on here. I now realized after examining my decals unfortunately they are all NAVY or MARINES.

Matt-Joachim

Sorry for putting so much clutter on here. I now realized after examining my decals unfortunately they are all NAVY or MARINES.

Hi Matt,

I found some decals that you can use for the A-1E:

http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/carcd48046.htm 

Ken