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1/72 Italeri B-57B, USAF, South Vietnam, 1965


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B-57B, 53-3888, 13th BS, 405th TFW ADVON 1, Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam, 1965.

 

The first American Jet Bomber to drop ordnance in combat.  Piloted by Maj. O'Neal and Navigator Maj. Chandler.

 

Loaded with four 750lb M117 bombs under the wings and nine 500lb 'box fin' GP bombs in the bomb bay.  They were expended on the 19th February 1965 in an attack on a VC position near Bien Gia, just East of Saigon.

 

1/72 Italeri B-57B, using a mix of the kit decals and from the Airfix B-57 kit.  Added PE belts to the seats.  I really couldn't face painting 13 yellow bands on the bombs so left them as is, you can barely see them anyway....!!

 

 

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Cheers all,

 

Phil

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Very nice indeed. Beautiful paintwork. I keep looking at this kit but the raised panel lines keep putting me off.....I don't know why though as yours has come out superbly 👍

Edited by binbrook87
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Excellent work. Looks like I'd expect when flying in a combat zone. That cockpit is awesome! Someone correct me if I'm mistaken, aren't M117 bombs in the 750 lb class? 

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9 minutes ago, SAT69 said:

Excellent work. Looks like I'd expect when flying in a combat zone. That cockpit is awesome! Someone correct me if I'm mistaken, aren't M117 bombs in the 750 lb class? 

You Sir are correct, I copied the info from an article that I got the mission details from.  I have amended the details.  Thanks for the heads up buddy.

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Really sharp looking model, and I love all those bombs!  The colors/finish are great, too, and the decals really amazing--readable stenciling underneath the cockpit in 1/72 is quite a feat. Was this one of the aircraft the VC later destroyed in their retaliatory raid against Bien Hoa?  Just another case of: ok, you escalated, now it's our turn...

 

My wife and I actually took a tour of Vietnam a few years ago and drove past the Bien Hoa Air Base--it's still in use as an air base.  The U.S. is currently helping with Agent Orange abatement/cleanup in and around the base, too.

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I like that a lot. Considering the Italeri B-57 evidently has some accuracy issues your model looks superb. Nice clean finish too.

 

Mark

 

 

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