50th Anniversary Vietnam War Group Build

Yes and the F-105 could haul the same bomb tonnage as a B-17 as well... 2 x 3000 lb. bombs vs. 10 x 500 lb. bombs as a standard load out. But mind you the F-105 and the Mig-21 had different design philosophies- air superiority day fighter (Mig-21) vs low level Nuclear Strike Fighter (F-105).

PJ, your Invader has been added to the roster

Thanks stik.

Talking about the F-105, I saw one at Warner Robbins AFB that was restored and was amazed at how big the real plane is.

Yes the Thus is big indeed. Years ago I went to the air museum over at McClellan AFB where they had a F-105 and Mig-17 on display next to each other. The size difference between those two was quite remarkable.

Well I am calling this one done. It was a really big PITA but I think it came out ok. 

Great job B-1, love that beer motif.

Thanks PJ

It came out more than ok, that's a great looking build and the beer cans are a brilliant touch.

B1, great job on that old school Huey!!  Really cool subject and great execution!  Kudos to you!

TAD

Thanks all, I am thinking of doing a long bodied huey to compliment this one.

B-1

Not long ago I built as a commission the 1/24 scale Revell Huey. To be such an old kit, it has great possibilities in the scratch building  dept. Mine was OOB but it can be built up to make quite an impressive display.

B_one, that looks really sharp! I am having a hard time picking which photo to use for the completed roster, but I am leaning towards the 3rd one from the bottom as it shows off more of the nose and rocket pod artwork.

Thanks again everyone, stick that pic will be fine.

The sidewalls and rear bulkhead of the tub has been extended with some plastic sheet to better fit the fuse. Wonder why they molded in such a wide gap??

I do not intend to have the rear fuse come off to show the engine so I glued on small locator tabs to help with the gluing of the rear fuse.

I want there to be as little sanding as I can get away with since the rivet detail is quite fine there.

Coming along nicely Theuns. Lots of detail in this kit. Looking forward to how it goes together, as I just got one on Ebay.

Oh that J75 looks nice! with some added wire plumbing and other bits that could make for a sweet maintenance diorama.

Looking good Theuns, I am always town when building kits that allow you to display the motor. I never know whether to have the tail section off or on.

If the F105D varient -"Thunderstick" (supposedly 30 units were made), will join in with a hanging build OOB of the 1/48th Revel kit.

Will be very interesting to see the Revell Thud :-)

Stik, I initially thought I might leave the tail off, but unlike other kits this one does not supply a 'dolly stand" for it and it would not look right just lying there!

Besides there are all sorts of gunbays, brakes, radardomes ect that can be left open

I have a 1/32 MiG 19PM from Trumpeter that does give 2 very exelent engines, I might do a dio with that. IIRC the kit does come with NVAF decals......stay tuned ;-)

Theuns

Stikpusher  Is it too late to enter?

Mac

MAC and Goldhammer, you are both welcome to join. But the Thunderstick II variant of the F-105 did not serve in Vietnam. You'll need a different kit for here.

OK, thanks, will have to pass for now then.  Won't even get the  big F4E kit out of the pile until after the first of the year and no telling what shape it is in.  Sorry, maybe next go around.

Got started on my Counter Invader so the first thing on the agenda was to extend the IP for dual controls along with scratch building a second control column. These are preliminary shots and the parts still need cleaning up, sanding, fitting and detailing.

The B-26K used KC-135 brakes and wheels so I picked these up and have plenty as I plan on doing a couple more down the road.

plasticjunkie - congratulations on starting this one! Lots of good info here - will be very useful to me, as I have the Invader in my stash, too! Good luck on your build and have a nice day

Paweł

Hi Pawel

This kit is very nice and will make a great looking K. Just a couple of things that need to be changed as I mentioned in my previous posts and the deletion of the wing guns. I did find out the cowls were changed in the K model but it was not uncommon to find the original style cowls on these Nam birds.

PJ, when I saw your post I thought it can't be right, I was sure the B-26 was a WW2 bomber. I hadn't realised it was still in use in the 60's. This is going to be an interesting build.

Hello plasticjunkie - I read about an engine mod to theInvader called "Kongo" modification, to the inlets of the carburetors - do you mean this one?

As for my scooter, I put the canopy over the cockpit and masked it. I also started painting white all the surfaces that should be white with Tamiya white primer. I think I'm going to stick with that colour. The wheel wells were painted Humbrol 22 for some colour variation - this turned a little yellowish, I think it will bee OK for those areas. Hera are the photos:

Thanks for reading and have a nice day!

Paweł

pawel, that's coming along nicely. I do like the Skyhawk, its a nice looking aircraft.

Pawel

That Skooter is looking great. I love the lines of this classic aircraft. The wells can pass off to staining and grime buildup.

The K's engines got modified too but not visible with the cowlings on. The cowls were modified by deleting the scoop at the front top lip and adding one on the top aft section,but some of the K's pictures at NKP I have seen had the older style cowl. I forget who makes a resin update for it but I'm leaving the old stile cowl on mine..

Bish

Reading from the A-26 Invader in Action Squadron Series book, it details that the K's were highly modified by a firm called On-Mark Engineering Company located in Van Nuys, California in 1964. The wings were strengthened and rebuilt and the fuselages remanufactured without the turrets. They added the beefier KC-135 brakes and tires, Pratt & Whitney R-2800-103W, a monster prop, enlarged dorsal fin and updated avionics. They served with the USAF 609th SOS well into late 1969. The last known fully armed Invader in military use made its last flight in July of 1977 under Indonesian Air Force service.

The Invader aircraft had quite a colorful and long service record starting in WWII, and going thru Korea, the Congo, Angola, Cuba and Nam.  

Back in the early 1980's, my police sub station was located just west of the Miami International Airport. We had an aviation firm a block away and I recall them having a fairly stripped Invader fuselage with partial instrumentation on their property. I actually went on board and sat in the pilot's seat. I took a picture of this and now I'm on a mission to find it. I know I have it somewhere.

PJ, don't forget the T-33 style tip tanks added to the wings. Incidentally, the imputas for the Counter Invader came about after the loss of some Farm Gate B-26s in South Vietnam in 1964 due to wing spar fatigue/failure.