Mario Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Hello modellers! Have completed another project which I would like to share. Is an A-7 A Corsair II made from the vintage Hasegawa kit. Some time ago have read the book “The Rescue of Streetcar 304” written by Kenny Wayne Fields. The author was shot down on his very first combat mission near Tschepone in Laos and his rescue triggered one of the largest SAR operations of the Vietnam War. Several rescue aircraft were destroyed or damaged and ironically one of the Sandy pilots became a prisoner of war. I thought this would make a nice modelling project of an unique aircraft which markings weren´t too complicated for custom printing. Printing the decals was one thing, detailing the kit was another. I have scratchbuilt a completely new cockpit, extended the intake and exhaust and made a new and deeper nose landing gear bay. Also the main landing gear bays and the undercarriage were modified with plastic sheet, metal rod and stretched sprue. The nose cone was sanded more narrow. The Snakeeye bombs and Sidewinders came from the spares box and the TER from a Hasegawa weapons set to represent the configuration on this fateful mission. I rescribed some of the panel lines and applied a preshading before the paintwork. Paints used were Mr Hobby for the light gull grey and Revell enamel for the white. Hope you like it! Mario 42 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 That's a really nice result with the older Hasegawa kit - well done! Interesting back-story too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Great looking Corsair II 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapam Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Thanks for showing - your work is extremely good. I don't know the kit really well, but was generally aware it is quite an old tooling. Which makes your model even more praiseworthy. The back story about the SAR efforts was very interesting too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Nicely done 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 Thank you very much, Vultures 1, Corsairfoxfouruncle, kapam and F-32! This Corsair II is one of Hasegawa´s older kits - very few details and raised panel lines. But the decals I used from the sheet that came with the kit worked extraordinary well. Cheers, Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundowner14 Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Decent. Will have to find the book. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Happy Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Mario, Truly a very nice tribute build to a very interesting episode during the Vietnam War. Well done sir👍 Mr. Happy (In name only) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 WOW ! Excellent work on an old kit ( you prefer even older stuff don t you ? ) and an interesting story behind. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killingholme Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 I've said it before, and I'll say it again- finely raised panel lines often look a whole lot better than most 'modern' kits with their recessed trenches. I think this is doubly true on fast jets. This model illustrates it very well. Cracking model, thanks for posting! Will 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 5 hours ago, Mr.Happy said: Mario, Truly a very nice tribute build to a very interesting episode during the Vietnam War. Well done sir👍 Mr. Happy (In name only) Thank you, Mr Happy for the comment. There are several books regarding SAR operations during the Vietnam War. Found it always very courageous to go with a helicopter or slow flying Skyraider to places where previously fast jets were shot down. 5 hours ago, Sundowner14 said: Decent. Will have to find the book. Have started with book "Escape from Laos". A Dieter Dengler Skyraider is on my to-do list, too. 4 hours ago, BerndM said: WOW ! Excellent work on an old kit ( you prefer even older stuff don t you ? ) and an interesting story behind. Hi Bernd! Thank you for the kudos and for pouring salt into my wounds! And yes - the Hasegawa Corsair was old enough for me as it is a kit from their very early years🙂. But my current build is something state of the art - the Esci F-8E Crusader from the Eighties😁 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 13 minutes ago, Killingholme said: I've said it before, and I'll say it again- finely raised panel lines often look a whole lot better than most 'modern' kits with their recessed trenches. I think this is doubly true on fast jets. This model illustrates it very well. Cracking model, thanks for posting! Will Hi Will! Thank you very much for the kind comment! Think too many dark lines spoil the paintwork, especially in 1/72 scale. I have applied a preshading and rescribed a few panel lines. Wanted only a very light weathering as it was said in the book that the aircraft was new and the mishap occured on the very first mission. Cheers, Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis Alfonso Posted September 4, 2018 Share Posted September 4, 2018 Hi Uncle Mario!!! Congtratulations for this lovely masterpiece you have got from this oldie...Nice rendition to this great and significant bird you have done!!! I have two in my stash and was wondering what to do with them, and got the right answser: Build them!! Here you have made a great build with this kit, the kit has a great profile and accurate outline with an accurately representation of the navy Corsair II wheels, the only one before the ESCI/ERTL/AMT/ACE and Fujimi kits of navy versions appeared. The only drawbacks are the sin of being an old mould and being a kit labeled by many as good for its time, then ancient, now archaic and tomorrow as obsolete...but as you probed here, is a workable platform to get a great build of an A or B model Corsair II. I liked a lot the way you have treated the kit, with this special lights and shadows, liked a lot the weathering you have done here, and overall presentation. For sure, a source of inspiration. When I will take the kit to the bench hope to gat at least one finished model at least 50% as wonderful as yours and will be very well rewarded. Thank you very much for sharing!!! Cheers, Luis Alfonso 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario Posted September 6, 2018 Author Share Posted September 6, 2018 On 9/4/2018 at 6:25 AM, Luis Alfonso said: Hi Uncle Mario!!! Congtratulations for this lovely masterpiece you have got from this oldie...Nice rendition to this great and significant bird you have done!!! I have two in my stash and was wondering what to do with them, and got the right answser: Build them!! Here you have made a great build with this kit, the kit has a great profile and accurate outline with an accurately representation of the navy Corsair II wheels, the only one before the ESCI/ERTL/AMT/ACE and Fujimi kits of navy versions appeared. The only drawbacks are the sin of being an old mould and being a kit labeled by many as good for its time, then ancient, now archaic and tomorrow as obsolete...but as you probed here, is a workable platform to get a great build of an A or B model Corsair II. I liked a lot the way you have treated the kit, with this special lights and shadows, liked a lot the weathering you have done here, and overall presentation. For sure, a source of inspiration. When I will take the kit to the bench hope to gat at least one finished model at least 50% as wonderful as yours and will be very well rewarded. Thank you very much for sharing!!! Cheers, Luis Alfonso Hi Nephew Luis Alfonso! Thank you very much for your kind words. Now that I know what and how to improve, can start the other two in the stash. You could do the same in NLT facility🙂 Cheers, Uncle Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 On 8/30/2018 at 6:45 PM, Mario said: Hope you like it! Yes, like it very much -thanks for sharing. I have the same box in my stash, since 2003 - but not paid much attention. I've just looked it up on Scalemates 1967, that's a 51 year old mould, and a great model result. Very well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark4700 Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 Lovely build. Got to get me one of these. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boom.boom Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 Great story behind model! This kit is even older then SAR operation which is subject of your model🙃!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 That's a fine looking Corsair Mario 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario Posted September 7, 2018 Author Share Posted September 7, 2018 (edited) Thank you BigX, boom boom, Mark and theplasticsurgeon for the kind comments. Very much appreciated! 19 hours ago, theplasticsurgeon said: Yes, like it very much -thanks for sharing. I have the same box in my stash, since 2003 - but not paid much attention. I've just looked it up on Scalemates 1967, that's a 51 year old mould, and a great model result. Very well done. 14 hours ago, boom.boom said: Great story behind model! This kit is even older then SAR operation which is subject of your model🙃!!! I knew the kit was from old moulds, but that it dates back to 1967 was new to me! Thank you for the info. Guess about 30 % of the build is made from Evergreen and Miliput - so is not so old…😁 Cheers, Mario Edited September 7, 2018 by Mario 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis Alfonso Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 On 9/6/2018 at 3:04 PM, Mario said: Hi Nephew Luis Alfonso! Thank you very much for your kind words. Now that I know what and how to improve, can start the other two in the stash. You could do the same in NLT facility🙂 Cheers, Uncle Mario Hi Uncle Mario!!! I have found no other words to describe how I really feel as like to look oldies like this one well built, so well built that has no envy to more modern equivalents!!!... Yours here and in other ancient kit builds you have done, the treatment and respect that you have given to the kit, is the one as the same as with a real artisan or handcrafter... Soon will make you some questions about how you got in touch with this bird, and will ask about your route to get success with this one to look if is the same approach I was thinking for a build with this kit. Cheers!!!, Luis Alfonso 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme H Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Truly excellent results there, and a fitting tribute 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Great model! And interesting story! The Vietnam war was mot as one-sided as all morr recent wars... Ok, in Afghanistan also a lot of material is lost... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus999 Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Fantastic job overall! And I'm very impressed with the decals -- I haven't had the courage to try making my own yet. Thanks for sharing the back story behind this plane. I've found a lot of the fun of modelling is learning about the aircraft and their stories. I got this same kit a few years ago for just a couple of dollars. I've been using it for paint testing, but seeing the great job you did on it inspires me to actually assemble it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario Posted September 27, 2018 Author Share Posted September 27, 2018 Thank you Nephew Luis Alfonso, Graeme H, exdraken and opus999 for the kind words. Haven´t watched here for quite a while and was very surprised about the additional comments. On 9/17/2018 at 12:35 AM, opus999 said: Fantastic job overall! And I'm very impressed with the decals -- I haven't had the courage to try making my own yet. Thanks for sharing the back story behind this plane. I've found a lot of the fun of modelling is learning about the aircraft and their stories. I got this same kit a few years ago for just a couple of dollars. I've been using it for paint testing, but seeing the great job you did on it inspires me to actually assemble it! Always happy if one of my builds serves as Inspiration. I enjoy scratch-building very much. Self-printing decals allows you to build very individual models. I regard it as a great advantage, to print as many as you want and to be able to replace a decal if you are not happy with the result. If you have any questions regarding decals or other modelling topics, feel free to ask. Cheers, Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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