RidgeRunner Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 (edited) Hi all, Having recently treated myself to the truly excellent tome of Thud units histories by James Geer, I have finally taken the plunge and purchased a kit (a Trump) and a fair bit of resin. My plan is to build "Mr Toad"/"Marilee E" 59-1749. It is a reverse pattern machine from the Vietnam era.m My question? Does any Thud expert out the have an images showing the "Mr Toad" motif? Thanks in advance, Martin Edited February 18, 2018 by RidgeRunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Google search came up with this link , see page 17 - http://www.fescanphoto.com/korat/pdf/F-105 in action book 1974.PDF Images search also came up with close-up of the 'Marilee' marking but I could not get it to open up to see if 'Mr Toad' was there as well - http://matchbox.top81.com.cn/mil/2013/f105vn/105_23.html From a project a few years back I have al,ost 20 F-105 books scattered about the place and I will see if the aircraft features in any of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted February 18, 2018 Author Share Posted February 18, 2018 Hi Des, Thanks for that. I now have the Squadron Signal book on order. It is exactly what I was looking for. All I need now is the time to get this on the way .... After my current run of MIGs Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 That should help , I have the book and although the pictures are not of the greatest quality they are better than the PDF so hopefully will provide what you need. I have been pulling some other F-105 and Vietnam War books off the shelves during the advert breaks for Endeavor and scanning through them but have only found another couple for the 'Marilee' side so far but will check the rest over the next couple of days and let you know if anything turns up for Mr.Toad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted February 18, 2018 Author Share Posted February 18, 2018 That is very kind of you, Des. Thank you. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted February 20, 2018 Author Share Posted February 20, 2018 So, another.... was the Toad drawing taken from a well known image of the time or was it simply from the head of the SSgt Mx man? Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 No luck with the book search I'm afraid although I have a few old issues of Koku Fan left to leaf through on the off-chance as they quite often carried Vietnam-era articles although doing that is reminding me of all sorts of projects filed under must do something about this one day. Odd thing is that after reading the colour description of the marking in the F-105 in Action book mentioned above I am sure that I have seen a colour image of it somewhere and I am wondering if it was first used on some USAAF aircraft in WWII or if it was applied to a more modern USAF aircraft or civilian warbird in more recent times to commemorate its service on the F-105 , definitely rings a very vague bell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted February 21, 2018 Author Share Posted February 21, 2018 (edited) Hi Des! Thanks for the stirling work. I appreciate that. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you'll find something. I've drawn a blank too. :(. I'll follow up your idea about it being used before or after, too.... Martin Edited February 21, 2018 by RidgeRunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 No idea if it is the same aircraft or not but came across a reference to this on the internet - http://vietnamtowesternairlines.com/the-authors/ - Chapter 12 of Volume 1 is titled 'Mr. Toad' and is written by Dennis Wills relating to the F-105D in 1966 but I cannot seem to find out much more about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boffin Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 (edited) I have checked my copy of Vietnam to Western Airlines. There is a picture of Dennis Wills standing by Mr Toad. Mr Toad is written under the wing on the port fuselage in a pop art font. The picture is black and white. The text claims that there are several picturies in books about the F-105. Book suggests that a/c was named Mr Toad as that was what Dennis Wills called his son. Hope this helps George Edited February 23, 2018 by boffin More Info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted February 23, 2018 Author Share Posted February 23, 2018 (edited) Hey @George, that is fantastic :). Any chance of a scan of that'? It is the image of Mr Toad I need. Thanks in hope. Martin Edited February 23, 2018 by RidgeRunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted February 26, 2018 Author Share Posted February 26, 2018 (edited) May be of interest? Martin Edited February 26, 2018 by RidgeRunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted March 6, 2018 Author Share Posted March 6, 2018 (edited) I've found more images of Mr Toad and it is clear that at some point she flew with just the wording and no toad image. I therefore have a way ahead, although not what I really wanted, which is a copy of the toad that I can redraw... Hey ho Martin Edited March 6, 2018 by RidgeRunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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