Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 Hello everyone... Im presenting my 1/72 vintage Airfix Cessna Birddog. This model has traveled around the globe to get to me. It started life in the U.K., from there it went to Australia at some point. A year ago when I expressed interest to wanting one. @Admiral Puff was not only kind enough to give it to me but he hand delivered it all the way from Australia. He was here in the states for the IPMS USA Nationals in 2019 and was coming to Chicago after so we got to meet and exchange the kit. I built this as Cessna 2799 flying out of Laos with the USAF Ravens. It represents a very specific moment in October of 1971. The Ravens were USAF volunteer pilots flying as Forward air Controllers over Laos. They operated fast and loose with rules as they were officially never in Laos so dressed as civilians. The aircraft were maintained by Air America and carried nothing more than a simple 4 or 6 digit tail number and International orange stripe on top of the wing for quick I.D. from other aircraft. So I present Raven 2799 for you. Yes the load-out looks quite unrealistic but as you can see by the following photo some Cowboy decided to go with it for a photo opportunity. Please feel free to ask questions, post comments, or visit the build thread. Dennis 34 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnl42 Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 Nice work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ c Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 Very nice Bird Dog Dennis, great subject too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 Very nice indeed Dennis I remember building this and the Cessna many moons ago now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncletommy Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 Nicely done Dennis! I've got a 1/48 Model USA O-1 that after reading "The Ravens", I'm itching to get started on. The whole secret war in Laos is a fascinating bit of history. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 Very nice build! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booty003 Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 That is a fab little build and the history surrounding these types of missions is second to none. Great work buddy. Phil 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 Nicely done, sir! Those rocket launchers are unbelievably huge, but the thing carried 'em, which is pretty impressive. I assume they were white phosphorous-tipped rockets for marking targets. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted September 12, 2020 Author Share Posted September 12, 2020 6 hours ago, russ c said: Very nice Bird Dog Dennis, great subject too 3 hours ago, stevej60 said: Very nice indeed Dennis I remember building this and the Cessna many moons ago now. 3 hours ago, uncletommy said: Nicely done Dennis! I've got a 1/48 Model USA O-1 that after reading "The Ravens", I'm itching to get started on. The whole secret war in Laos is a fascinating bit of history. 2 hours ago, SAT69 said: Very nice build! 2 hours ago, Booty003 said: That is a fab little build and the history surrounding these types of missions is second to none. Great work buddy. Phil 1 hour ago, TheyJammedKenny! said: Nicely done, sir! Those rocket launchers are unbelievably huge, but the thing carried 'em, which is pretty impressive. I assume they were white phosphorous-tipped rockets for marking targets. Thanks everyone for the kind comments. @uncletommy Yes you should, Id love to follow if you do a WIP, you're quite right about it being fascinating. @TheyJammedKenny! The Birddogs carried everything from 2.75 marking rockets to Zuni’s. Ive seen Twin mount M-60’s under the wings similar to the type Huey gunships carried. Ive even seen twin mount Grease guns and an M-60 for the rear seat “Robin” observer to fire in the port rear cockpit window. Sadly the loadout here us very likely just a photo-op though. Unless this particular aircraft had some serious upgrades/modification’s to the wings. They just could not handle the weight other than for a simple photo-op. I believe the pods would be upwards of 450 - 500 lbs when loaded. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig88 Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 A great job on that old kit ! Miguel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 Cool subject and great job on the model Dennis! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Puff Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 Great stuff, Dennis! She certainly went to a good home - she would still have been languishing out in the Warehouse of Doom otherwise ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 I like this Dennis, great work on this lovely little kit. It looks cracking, interesting backround information too. Great work Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverkite211 Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 I built one of those Airfix kits, when it first came out, and I have a Model USA O-1 that I built a few years ago to go along with my Testors O-2. Unlike yours I stuck with the four marking rocket launchers setup. Yours came out very nice! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis_C Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 Nice work done on an old kit! Very unfortunate we do not have any newer O-1 or O-2 kits in 1/72... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 I remember building one of these, nice to see one again after 40-odd years! Cheers John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted September 13, 2020 Author Share Posted September 13, 2020 7 hours ago, silverkite211 said: I built one of those Airfix kits, when it first came out, and I have a Model USA O-1 that I built a few years ago to go along with my Testors O-2. Unlike yours I stuck with the four marking rocket launchers setup. Yours came out very nice! Thank you sir 4 hours ago, Dennis_C said: Nice work done on an old kit! Very unfortunate we do not have any newer O-1 or O-2 kits in 1/72... I agree some newer molds would be great. 2 hours ago, Viking said: I remember building one of these, nice to see one again after 40-odd years! Cheers John Thanks, I wouldn't mind doing another one in SEA camouflage or Army olive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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