Booty003 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Puff the Magic Dragon, A bird of days long gone, Came to fly the evening sky, In a land called Vietnam. 1/72 Italeri AC-47 Gunship "Puff the Magic Dragon" Here is my build of the classic Spooky Gunship which provided much needed CAS for troops in contact and remote, exposed SF camps and outposts in Vietnam. Built pretty much OOB except for EZ Line for aerials and a bristle from an old paintbrush for the whip antenna. Used Xtradecal Stars and Bars as the kit ones were out of register. The kit is superb and goes together very well - it was a pleasure to build apart from the cockpit glass. In retrospect I should of split it down the centre and attached it to the fuselage first. Primed and then airbrushed freehand using Xtracrylix matched FS colours for the camo and Vallejo for the lower grey. A Flory Grime wash was used to add a touch of subtle panel line highlights (I think black would be way too much). Glossed, decaled and then sealed using Xtracrylix flat varnish. This was the original Puff Gunship which started its life as a converted Mail Courier sporting a lovely NMF and white livery (1965). It was repainted in the standard and familiar SEA TAC scheme in 1966. Weathering is of a minimum as I wanted to depict it as it would of looked as it returned to operations with its new clothes. I have an ESCI kit in the stash that will be built in a simlilar scheme but sporting a black belly. Thanks for looking. Cheers all, Phil 46 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 .. Great work on your gunship gooney bird. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Very nice! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Great looking model. Well done! But I would have hated finding myself at the receiving end of the little black thinks protruding from the side.... JR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Nice work with the airbrush. The SEA camo looks great. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Very nice Phil, have not seen one of these built for a while. Your camo pattern work looks great 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildeSau75 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Top notch build - looks the thing. Must have been hell to get into that fire. Cheers, Michael 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 That's a stunner Phil,great paintwork! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdonnell Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 Hello,Phil - The Dakota is a superb subject and what makes this build even more so is the brilliant job you’ve done with the paintwork.That freehand camouflage looks perfection to me. All The Best,Paul.😉👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 That looks really terrific, a hugely impressive job on that. Great tip on the windscreen too, I have one of these in stock (Italeri c-47, not a Puff though) Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_frequentflyer_ Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 Great work! (but too clean) Alex 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 Nice work having seen this I must have ago at it I only have the airfix version of this from early 70s . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glatisant Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 Magnificent. A fine build. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper_city Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 Very nice. I've got one in the stash that I'll get round to one day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanC Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 Fantastic model. The paintwork is excellent. I've been reading about them recently and didn't realise that so many were shot down by ground fire - 12 out of the 40 or so that saw combat! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niknak Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 Great work, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinnie Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 Outstanding job there, Booty. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 Hi Phil! Your Spooky is looking great! Think I have the same kit in the stash for more than 25 years. Found it a little disappointing that Italeri only offered markings options for the early AC-47s as I would have prefered the version with the black belly to match better with the other two gunships. Cheers, Mario 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMSCHLOM Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 (edited) Colonel Mike Kirby would be proud!! Edited February 25, 2018 by CMSCHLOM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booty003 Posted February 25, 2018 Author Share Posted February 25, 2018 Classic!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ c Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 Really nice `Spooky` gunship there Phil, great job 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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