tropical thistle Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 The Airfix kit is rather basic and there is some flash and sink marks. On the whole however, especially given that the kit was originally issued in 1973 (my kit is a reissue), I think it must have been pretty state of the art at that time! A true Airfix classic. My main beef about the kit is the very thick armoured transparencies for all windows. I plan to sandwich a thinner transparency between two peieces of plastic for my roof windows, so I tackled the roof windows by thinning the plastic frame of the roof windows to almost paper thin. Things went swimmingly well, but I carried on pushing the limits and ended up breaking the paper thin frame bracing Giles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropical thistle Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 The ARII kit is fairly old as well and there is quite a bit of flash and sink marks that needs tidying up. Other than that, the only glaring “error” is the lack of roof windows. Very thick armoured transparencies is provided for all windows. The windscreen transparency in particularly is very bad. I hope to replace the kit transparency with thinner parts (if done properly, visibility is good enough to consider adding some interior details to the cockpit) but I expect the windscreen may turn out to be an insurmountable challenge later in the build. After cleaning up the flash on the fuselage halves and thinning the fuselage sideswall (see fuselage half on the right), I plan to tackle the roof windows. I need help with the placement and dimensions of the roof windows. Either an accurate plan or a scan of Testor’s 1:48 O-2 painting guide (the roof windows are apparently depicted by decals!) will helpful. Does any one have that kit? Giles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomPhreakII Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Giles, I can get you a scan of the Airfix plans if need be. Harald Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropical thistle Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 Giles,I can get you a scan of the Airfix plans if need be. Harald Hey Harald, Thanks! That would certainly be helpful. Cheers, Giles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smuts Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Hi, the Bird dog was to be my first build for the GB till I saw the coke bottle clear parts I decided to attack em with wet or dry to thin em then polish them..........bad mistake so I'm going to try & get a set vac formed by one of the guys at the club this week I hope Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiG Mongoose Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Interesting choice of subjects! I'd use any curved transparencies from the kit, thick as they may be. I ruined the windscreen of a Dornier trying to form a replacement, but then again I'm a bit incompetent Look forward to seeing how these builds progress... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deacon Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 (edited) Watching this one with interest mate as I am hoping to pick up a few tips for when I make up the Bird Dog, sometime in the future. Deacon Edited January 11, 2011 by Deacon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropical thistle Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 @ MiG Mongoose, I might have another interesting bird for you... That is the granddad of FAC used in the Vietnam War (at least the US involvement part). I hope the two tiny subjects stand a better chance of being completed than my Sudanese A-5 Fantan at ARC's last GB! We'll leave the Trojan/Fennec for another time. @ smuts and Deacon, I broke the window frame of the Airfix Bird Dog numerous times and at numerous places in the process of thinning the oversized plastic... The O-1 is tiny. A picture paints a thousand words. I reckon it is worth the of breaking window frames. @PhantomPhreakII, thanks for the Draw Decals scan. I didn't have my thinking cap on. I ended up using a freehand approach after consulting photos and other line drawings I had access to. I ALMOST broke the window frame of the O-2 as well in the process of thinning the oversized plastic. This is the bird I wanted to build - a night time FAC with two crew (instead of the usual one) and with enhanced night time observation capability using the then new starlight scope. Giles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metallicus Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Whoa those kit's sound like trouble..... Keep at it though the O-2 will look crazy cool when all done!! Cheers Brenden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiG Mongoose Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 @ MiG Mongoose, I might have another interesting bird for you... That is the granddad of FAC used in the Vietnam War (at least the US involvement part). I hope the two tiny subjects stand a better chance of being completed than my Sudanese A-5 Fantan at ARC's last GB! We'll leave the Trojan/Fennec for another time. It would be interesting to build it as the T-28 that defected to North Vietnam, which entered VPAF service. As you say, we don't want to see your current projects go the way of the Fantan! You're doing a great job on those projects so far, that O-2 will look nice in black! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropical thistle Posted January 19, 2011 Author Share Posted January 19, 2011 It would be interesting to build it as the T-28 that defected to North Vietnam, which entered VPAF service. Nice Idea! Watch this space... but don't hold your breadth. I am traveling for work this week. So, not much to update on the home front. I will share a little teaser with you nevertheless. I did say one could do a lot with the cockpits with the excellent visibility offered by improved transparencies. That was why these little planes have been used for FAC duties in the first place... So, I foolishly opened up the pilot side doors last weekend. Giles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robw_uk Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 oohhh 3 interesting kits... really like the black FAC bird.... should look good when done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hythe Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 So which do we reckon makes the better 1/72 O-2 - Arii or Airfix? I made the Airfix one years ago and have the 1/48 Testors in the stash, but... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropical thistle Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 @ hythe, PhantomPhreakII's scan of the Airfix O-2 plan/drawing suggests Airfix makes the better 1/72 O-2... but not by much... @ robw_uk, I have one more interesting kit... but... ... don't hold your breadth yet... I hope to complete the two tiny FACs first. Thinning the oversized fuselage of Airfix's Bird Dog is all I need to escape the drudgeries of day-to-day life... Pavla resin details mated to Airfix plastic fuselage. Plastic card shim added to resin details... Watch this space.... Giles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev67 Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I had this kit many years ago and does build into a nice kit even without all the add ons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropical thistle Posted February 18, 2011 Author Share Posted February 18, 2011 I wasn't looking forward to this... Well, actually I haven't had a chance to do anything on the two FACs. Have been away for work since the last two weeks of January and then a short family break over the Chinese New Year holidays (almost everything shutdowns in this part of the world). Some photo update. First, the Bird Dog. I cleaned up the joint between the resin panels and the plastic card shim with a castoff penknife blade! That was about the only thing that would fit within the tight space... After a quickie rough job, I cleaned up the rough edges with sanding. Forrtunately a seamless joint is not strictly required. I had to repair (yet again!) the broken window frames - you could just about make out the uneven outlines in the photos. I left the bits in Singapore when we went off to Bali for a few days. When I came back the twice repaired window frame on the Bird Dog was in pieces again :shithappens: ! I reckon the two little buggers must have been dog fighting while we were away ! Anyway, this is how the Bird Dog cabin looks like after the clean up and repair. Next, the O-2. The fuselage thinning is still very much WIP. I have not figured out how to build up the interior, since no one offered resin bits .... I repaired the broken pillar between the opened door and the first window that I broken when opening the door. I had considered scratching the cabin floor since the fit of the kit part was less than ideal. This was decided for me by default as the kit part had since MIAed... strange things happen when you go away for a few weeks. A plastic card is dry fitted , more fine tuning required. The transparency cut out was enlarged to better approximate the real thing. If you look carefully at the photos, you would see the repair to a slip up I made when I was talking to my wife and The file went the wrong side! The part that I dread most... what the kids call the sunroof. I could not find a reliable reference. I have used templates made from the plans provided by Draw Decals, Airfix, Testor, etc. Unfortunately, none of them agree with one another! In the end, I decided to free hand it! I cross checked with all the photos I could find online and just aimed for an approximate effect. This is still very much a WIP... Giles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropical thistle Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 I haven't had a chance to do much... and there is a little more than a month left for this GB. Some photo update on the Skymaster. I cleaned up the repair to the broken door/window frames and went for fag break (I don't smoke but I need some fresh air). This is how the cabin looks after simulating the insulation (sound proofing) padding with ciggy foil. Here is the left fuselage half with an added armrest and an M-16. FACs habitually carry an M-16 on top of the usual crew sidearm The next step is to scratch the radio rack at the back of the cabin. I am using largely PrimePortal walkarounds for reference on the interior, but there is just not enough specific details to figure out what the Vietnam era O-2 FACs actually carry on board. For example, I know the Night Time FACs operated with two crew members: Pilot and Forward Air Navigator. The FAN used a starlight scope for observation and directing fighters and gunship attacks on targets in the dark. I know it is a loong shot, does anyone happen to have photos of actual FACs from around that time period? Giles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropical thistle Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 I made some headway with the O-2 last night. Some photo update. We have a radio rack now! It even looked halfway decent dry fitted... although if you look carefully, the top shelf is a little to short. I am going to refine the "sun roof" next. Giles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 The ciggy foil looks good........and plays the part well........Nice one ! Rgds Mr b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowmk9 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 (edited) some true dedicated work going on here to bring these up to a very nice standard indeed. Judging by the work done so far, these are going to turn into beauties Watching with interest Edited March 4, 2011 by rowmk9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metallicus Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 great work so far! You really are going all out on this one!! cheers Brenden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smuts Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 nice work Andy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Here is the left fuselage half with an added armrest and an M-16. FACs habitually carry an M-16 on top of the usual crew sidearm Is the longer 30 round mag appropriate for the time period? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Is the longer 30 round mag appropriate for the time period? I think it would probably have been the shorter straight VN style mag TBH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 The 30 rds magazine entered production in 1967 and first appeared in Vietnam the following year. It was initially issued with the XM177 carbines but was also used on rifles. It was not used often however as the first type was not very reliable. It was then replaced by a later type that soldiered on for many years. Magazine apart, really nice job on these two kits !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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