Revell Douglas AC-47D Gunship. 1:48

[Shar2]

Douglas AC-47D Gunship

1:48 Revell

The Douglas AC-47 Spooky (also nicknamed "Puff, the Magic Dragon") was the first in a series of gunships developed by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. It was designed to provide more firepower than light and medium ground-attack aircraft in certain situations when ground forces called for close air support.

The AC-47 was a United States Air Force C-47, (the military version of the DC-3) that had been modified by mounting three 7.62 mm General Electric miniguns to fire through two rear window openings and the side cargo door, all on the left (pilot's) side of the aircraft, and the modified craft's primary function was close air support for ground troops. Other armament configurations could also be found on similar C-47-based aircraft around the world. The guns were actuated by a control on the pilot's yoke whereby he could control the guns either individually or together, although gunners were also among the crew to assist with gun failures and similar issues. It could orbit the target for hours, providing suppressing fire over an elliptical area approximately 52 yd (47.5 m) in diameter, placing a round every 2.4 yd (2.2 m) during a three-second burst. The aircraft also carried flares it could drop to illuminate the battleground.

The AC-47 had no previous design to gauge how successful it would be because it was the first of its kind. The USAF found itself in a precarious situation when requests for additional gunships began to come in because it simply lacked miniguns to fit additional aircraft after the first two conversions. The next four aircraft were equipped with 10 .30 calibre AN/M2 machine guns. However, these weapons, using World War II and Korean War ammunition stocks, were quickly discovered to jam easily, produce large amounts of gases from firing, and, even in 10-gun groups, only provide the density of fire of a single minigun. All four of these aircraft were retrofitted to the standard armament configuration when additional miniguns arrived.

The AC-47 initially used SUU-11/A gun pods that were installed on locally fabricated mounts for the gunship application. Emerson Electric eventually developed the MXU-470/A to replace the gun pods, which were also used on subsequent gunships.

The Model
The original Monogram kit of the AC-47 was released in the late 70’s and although it has been released a few times since the moulds appear to be standing up well. The kit comes in a large top opening box, with an artists impression of an aircraft strafing somewhere in Vietnam. On opening there is a large poly bag with all four grey styrene sprues inside, which hasn’t protected the parts much as there were quite a few that had become detached. At least the clear sprue was contained in a separate poly bag. The parts are well moulded, with only a little flash in places and a few moulding pips, but the details have stood up well. There are several flow lines, particularly around the windows, but these shouldn’t cause any problems with a bit of primer. The kit does have raised details as that was the way when it was first released, but in this case, according to several period photos I’ve been looking at they are pretty accurate, particularly the rivets lines.

Construction starts with the pretty comprehensive interior, with everything being fitted to the long floor section beginning with the cockpit which is fitted out with the pilot and co-pilots seats, bulkhead, instrument panel, dual control yokes and separate throttle box. Just behind the cockpit bulkhead the navigator and radio operators positions are assembled with tables, seats, half bulkheads and a stack of radios. Moving aft there is another bulkhead and two sets of four seats, which come with the seatbelts pre-moulded into them. Right aft there is a third bulkhead is fitted and behind that the Elsan style toilet and sink unit are fitted. In-between the second and third bulkheads is where all the weaponry is situated, the three miniguns, each made up of three parts, four spare ammunition boxes, also made up of three parts, and two crates of what I can only assume are flares, one single and one double, with the single crate fitted in front of the rear bulkhead, near to the cargo door. This assembly is briefly set aside whilst work continues with the fuselage interiors.

The side windows come in lengths of six for which the two in the aft positions need to be cut away, you will also need to cut away the flashed over window in the fuselage, nearest the cargo door. The cockpit mounted gunsight is then fitted to the port side and a hole needs to be opened up in front of the astrodome. On the starboard fuselage there is radio rack fitted, and tail wheel mounting, along with the full set of windows, cockpit side console and overhead console. The cargo door part needs to be cut with the forward section being discarded and the aft section glued into position. The cockpit/interior assembly is now glued to the port side, after which the minigun assemblies can be fitted either with all three guns firing out of the windows or two out of the windows and one out of the door, just check you references on the aircraft you intend to build. Three ammunition boxes are then placed behind each minigun; the fourth is fitted next to the double flare case which is placed on the starboard side, opposite the miniguns. The fuselage can now be closed up.

Attention then moves to the wing assemblies. The lower centre section is fitted with a long spar which is moulded complete with the undercarriage bay rear bulkheads the outer lower sections and larger upper sections are then attached and the whole assembly fitted to the fuselage. The horizontal tailplanes, each comprising of upper and lower halves are glued together and also attached to the fuselage, along with the tailwheel, the leg of which is in two halves with the single piece wheel sandwiched between them.

The engines are assembled next, with each single piece engine fitted with a propeller spindle, before being attached to the rear bulkheads and covered with the cowlings. These are then fitted to the fairings on the wings, whilst the landing light cover is also fitted to the leading edge of the port wing. Each main landing gear assembly is made up of the main oleo frame, retraction actuator/yoke, a pair of scissor links and the two piece wheels. These are then fitted into position in the main wheel wells. There is a choice of engine exhaust styles and once again you should check your references to work out which style fits the particular aircraft you are modelling. The astrodome, windscreen, DF aerial, HF aerial, VHF aerials and pitot venturii are fitted, along with the oil cooler intakes, cargo door ladder and the propellers, (ensuring you use the correct paddle blades, as both type are included in the kit), thus completing the build. If you wish to make a diorama using this kit then there are two crew members and a groundcrew figure included.

Decals
The decal sheet is nicely printed by Cartograph which is in register, with good opacity and with a thin carrier film, although on the matt side they look like they should settle down pretty easily onto a gloss coat without silvering. The sheet includes an alternative instrument panel decal should you not wish to paint the styrene part, a full set of stencils and markings for two aircraft.

• Douglas AC-47D, 3rd Air Commando Squadron, Nha Trang airforce base, South Vietnam 1968
• Douglas AC-47D, 4412 Combat Crew Training Squadron, Hurburt Field, Florida 1971.

Conclusion
It’s great to see this kit re-released again as I remember having fun building it not long after the very first release. There’s nothing complicated about the build so would be a good model for anyone to try, although the more experienced may wish to add extra details it’ll still look great straight out of the box. Very highly recommended.

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[Stephen]

Nice review, as an FYI Caracal Decals have a sheet coming out for this kit with markings for foreign users on it.

[Shar2]

Thanks for the info Stephen.

[AndyC]

Nice review Dave - the decals look a bit better on this issue. I did one for the Dakota STGB and got a bit OCD on it as there are a few details missing (navigator's slit window, odds-and-sods aerials dependent on time frame etc) but you're right it's a great kit and looks really good built up and painted

[swimmer]

Thanks, I'm planning to buy one but needed the review. Have the old Cutting Edge conversion set that will also help.