Wild Weasel SAM Hunting over North Vietnam

[Booty003 2,719]

Wild Weasel 1 began with five F-100F aircraft and five aircrews.  The Weasel crews began their mission in December 1965, with Major Willard leading the first strike into North Vietnam.  The Weasel missions were code named Iron Hand missions, and their purpose was to lead a strike force into North Vietnam and pave the way for the strike force to drop its bombs.  They did this by going out in hunter/killer teams.  The Weasels would pair up with a flight of F-105D fighter/bombers and try to locate a SAM site.  The Weasels would then attack the site to mark it and the F-105D's would finish it off.  With Operation Rolling Thunder (the bombing campaign of North Vietnam that began in 1964) in full effect, the Wild Weasels were about to prove their worth in combat for the first time.

On December 22, 1965, the Wild Weasels scored their first SAM kill in North Vietnam.  Captain Al Lamb the pilot, and Captain Jack Donovan, his EWO led the mission into North Vietnam that day and when they encountered a hostile NVA SAM site, they engaged and destroyed it.  With this success, the Weasels demonstrated their worth to the Air Force and from then on, the Wild Weasels were in Vietnam to stay.  Despite the early success however, the original Weasels suffered a fifty-percent casualty rate in their ranks  and it was clear that new tactics and equipment would have to be developed.

Here we have the Trumpeter 1/72 F-100F Super Sabre shown in the markings of the aircraft that delivered the first SAM site kill.

Also presented is the Trumpeter 1/72 F-105G with a standard load out for SAM Hunting.

Both models have the Eduard photo etch cockpit sets, have been airbrushed free hand using Xtracrylix and Vallejo paints.  Flory Grime and Dark washes applied and finally sealed with Xtrcrylix Flat.

The reason that both aircraft were in the skies over Vietnam, the Gran 1/72 SA-2 Guideline SAM.

I have shown the models as they are displayed on my shelf along with a die-cast F-105D and F-100D.

Well done if you have got this far!!

Here is my tribute to the Aircrews who were  ‘First in – Last Out’

 

 

A little diorama play:

 

Thanks for looking,

Phil

 

[John_W 2,589]

Very nice. I always think the Thud looks better in two seater.

[F-32 4,392]

Fantastic work!

[FIGHTS ON 634]

they're all good - the burnt paint job on the rear of the F-100 especially so 

[russ c 10,028]

Great collection and theme there Phil, all really nice builds too

[Snitok1983 1,573]

Well done, Sir! Great work you have done!!

Edited May 9, 2017 by Snitok1983

[mcdonnell 3,067]

Hello,Phil - I've just viewed your WIP on this subject and I'm delighted to add to the well-deserved plaudits you're receiving.Beautifully built and finished models portraying a deadly aerial scenario.Excellent work and a splendid collection.

😉👍 All the best,Paul.

[Vultures1 1,646]

I do enjoy a Wild Weasel and you have done a great job there - well done!

 

Nice to see the SA-2 as well - very nice

[celt 1,405]

[Notty 373]

That is absolutely brilliant!

[Booty003 2,719]

Cheers guys, I am itching to get stuck right into some new builds but I need to clear the backlog before raiding the stash...!!

[Gerrardandrews 495]

superbly made couple of models and the SAM, and figures, diorama looking very good as well 😊

[At Sea 2,701]

Awesome looking & well researched.

[Michael51 593]

Great to see a bit of diorama along with the aeroplanes.

 

To me, it gives invaluable context to the effort,

 

Michael

[Dave N 875]

Excellent dio, and very nice builds all. Great result!

[Ryan Hothersall 1,211]

Nice build and a dogfight double with a difference. 

[Rod bettencourt 945]

What a cool presentation !! Makes me what to build my 1/35 SA 2. Thanks for sharing this.

 

 

 

Rod 

[kapam 1,616]

Thoroughly good work there!

I quite like the little acetate discs on the figures - I never would have thought of that - great idea.

[corsaircorp 13,791]

Hon Hon another weasel's fan !!

Very nice job on these kits !

I really enjoyed.

And now 2 F-4Gs and a 16CJ ?

Or an Invader in Korea ??

Still in Viet Nam there are F-4C and D

You did great

Sincerely.

Corsaircorp

[Booty003 2,719]

Thanks Corsaircorp - I stick to Vietnam era builds for my collection - not enough shelf space or time for other era's!!

 

Phil

[aurora-7 13]

Great Weasel collection. I love the WW story from it's earliest days of anti aircraft suppression missions of previous wars. 

 

I want to do Navy 'Iron Hand' aircraft. I've got an A-4 and want to get a 1/48 Intruder loaded up for it.

Edited May 15, 2017 by aurora-7

[Christer A 5,100]

YGBSM indeed.

That WW-duo turned out just great, and the paintjob is splendid!

 

[Mario 1,955]

Hi Phil!

Wonderful models and dioramas! I share your interest in the air war over Southeast Asia and, as you, found in the Wild Weasel topic inspiration for a lot of builds.

Cheers

          Mario

[WildeSau75 1,197]

Really nicely done - like it with the SAM.

 

Cheers,

Michael