Best Kits For Vietnam Era Aircraft

[Rosenberg92]

I did indugle in purchasing the Hasegawa weapons set for this particular project. What a shed load of kit you get too for the money.

There is something about seeing those 'nam aircraft though, laiden to the brim off on another bombing run over the North. Especially when you compare the history of the conflict, as the total dropped on North Vietnam was greater than the entire dropped during the entire Second World War.

Another interesting point is the F-4's of the time were not equipped with a cannon, using the new and still developing sidewinders instead. Not proving to reliable, the opposing MiG's had cannons and could cause trouble. To put into perspective, the F-105 had a cannon and even managed air to air kills, and look at it, big lumbering poor maneuvrability.

Just out of interest, would the US F-5's have carried napalm tanks at all... I have yet to seen images of them doing so, mostly carrying small iron bombs and a centreline tank but with these smaller aircraft often on for close air support to the ground forces and napalm being as effectice a weapon as it was, it just made me wonder.

All the best,

Dan.

[hythe]

Oh yes, those long silver tanks under the wings of F-5s, noticeable angles on them, those were nape...

If you're really going for a bomb fetish, get yourself a B-52D, open up the bomb bay and go for it!

[Rosenberg92]

Oh yes, those long silver tanks under the wings of F-5s, noticeable angles on them, those were nape...

If you're really going for a bomb fetish, get yourself a B-52D, open up the bomb bay and go for it!

Oh how I would love to. Only problem is I am struggling for room to place the Mil Mi 2 I am currently building in the gaps of the F-5 for this project, and its probably a bit smaller than a Lynx in 1/72.

If I were at home it would be a different perspective, I may already have a few...

Least if I can napalm up the F-5 now then I can be happy for another week. Until the next one comes out.

All the best,

Dan.

[Moofles]

if you have a proper hankering for ordanace you could always pick up an A-6 intruder, that sucker carried some serious ordanace.

[Giorgio N]

Another reason not to overload the aircrafts is that during the war a serious shortage of bombs developed at some points. There are pictures of planes flying with very light loads !

Of course on the other hand there are pictures of F-105s and other types with very heavy loads.

All the Mk.80 series bombs were used, although the USAF relied a lot on the old M117. The USN also used older bombs on the Skyraider and F-8.

Cluster bombs were also used often, as the CBU-24 and the incendiary CBU-55

Rocket launchers of different types were used and at some point the then brand new Paveway I laser guided bombs arrived on the Phantom.

US Navy types also used the AGM-62 Walleye guided bomb.

Talking of cannons, the SUU-23 pods were often used on the Phantoms.

Edited March 17, 2011 by Giorgio N

[Uncle Tadhg]

Again, if you can get the Monogram F-4C/D it comes with an SU-16 gun pod in place of a centreline fuel tank.

I've built the Airfix F-111E but the Italeri F-111A is a far superior kit and more correct for the period.

Didn't FROG do a Thud in 1/72? I think I saw one years ago but may be wrong.

And go for a Fujimi A-6, you can do a Vietnam era one easily, I checked mine and the TRAM parts are optional.

[Giorgio N]

Didn't FROG do a Thud in 1/72? I think I saw one years ago but may be wrong.

They did ! It was a rebox of the hasegawa kit from the late '60s, kit that is still available in Hasegawa catalogue ! And kit that today is hopelessly outdated. Actually, I'm not even sure it's a proper F-105D, might be a B.

[Rosenberg92]

So, do modern toolings of any F-105 variant seem hard to come by?

I mean, most that I have now been made aware of seem to be old reboxings of old mould kits. I opened up the Trumpeter kit in the shop the other day to see what it was like (not buy, mind you, my student allowance was at a stretch for the bus ticket into town let alone the kit). The kit though, was superb. For a late war camoflaged F-105, of which I would love love love to build, it seemed to be by far and aware the best kit choice out there.

My knowledge of kit makers and kits themselves is limited so please correct me if I am wrong.

All the best,

Dan.

[Antoine]

The first books I've read when I started reading english as a teenager were books about the Viet Nam war.

And my interest in this conflict is still growing strong more than 20 years later.

As another small notice, the fujimi and the italeri A-6s are A-6E TRAM and thus will need the TRAM radom/bumb under ther nose to be sanded off and correct lines scribed here and there. other then that, very good kits.

Fujimi have also an A-6A, without the TRAM turret under the radome.

EP-2H Neptune - i dont think anyone does this OOB, there was an old superscale decal sheet and a newer Zoltz one but a lot of changes to the kit to make this version.

Zotz, Julien.

Speaking about Vietnam war decals, it's useful to take a look at wolfpak decals.

The two seat F9F cougars were also used as fast-FACs. No kit exists of this version but hasegawa does the single seater and there have been a number of conversions

Got an haseg Cougar exactly for this kind of project. I heard about an RHVP conversion, but it's too difficult to find.

Any other tips about other conversions?

Edited March 19, 2011 by Antoine

[sanmigmike]

T-28s were used by the Royal Lao Air Force and SVN and the Royal Thai Air Force. The Heller Fennec isn't quite right for the T-28. A lot of the RLAF T-28s did not have the national markings painted on the fuselage. There was a place that you could slide the markings you needed into place and change as needed. I seem to recall that the attack pilot that flew the greatest number of missions was a Hmong in the RLAF...Captain Lee Lue with over 5000 missions. KIA.

The Marines flew a few F3D/F-10s I think Matchbox did a kit.

Edited March 19, 2011 by sanmigmike

[hythe]

T-28s were used by the Royal Lao Air Force and SVN and the Royal Thai Air Force. The Heller Fennec isn't quite right for the T-28. A lot of the RLAF T-28s did not have the national markings painted on the fuselage. There was a place that you could slide the markings you needed into place and change as needed. I seem to recall that the attack pilot that flew the greatest number of missions was a Hmong in the RLAF...Captain Lee Lue with over 5000 missions. KIA.

The Marines flew a few F3D/F-10s I think Matchbox did a kit.

Monogram did a T-28D, which is more correct, though the Heller kit also includes VNAF markings.

Wolfpak has decals for an EF-10 from VMCJ-2.

[Giorgio N]

Got an haseg Cougar exactly for this kind of project. I heard about an RHVP conversion, but it's too difficult to find.

Any other tips about other conversions?

Falcon does a vacfom conversion in set 4599. This is one of their famous "triple conversions" and the same sets contained parts for the F-106B and the Mirage IIIB. I also remember airmodel doing a conversion, but I'd rather buy a falcon one if I find it, airmodel kits of the days were very crude.

Some more info can be fond here:

http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/02...-8t-cougar.html

[Antoine]

Thanks, Giorgio.

This triple conversion suits me well.

The main problem is to find it....

[Rosenberg92]

Thanks all, for some extremely wonderful information here.

To take it slightly off topic, and I do apologise, if one was using Revell Aqua paints, what colours/numbers would be best suited for Vietnam Era Camoflage. I.E. Green/Light Green/Brown?

Currently I am going to experiment using Dark Green/Greenish Grey/Olive Brown over a Light Grey, Revell numbers 68/67/86 over 75 respectively. Though at first appearing too dark, Revell 75 Stone Grey does dry a bit lighter and looks fine for the undersides of the aircraft.

Would other opinions do people have here?

All the best,

Dan.

[Giorgio N]

According to some conversion charts, the closest revell aqua paints are:

FS 34079: revell 363 or 168 (that is the one you called 68, the 1 before just means it's matt)

FS 34102: revell 361

FS 30219: none really is close. Judging from the colour table on their site, both 117 and 188 might work

FS 36622: again none is a match, I'd probably use revell 371, has some blue in it that does not exist in FS 36622, but it's as light as it should be. The colour you want is a very light grey.

[Uncle Tadhg]

Indeed, FS36622 is so light it's really an off-white in 1/72. Also a tad on the brown side of grey as opposed to blue. If you're using Revell paints it's probably best just to mix it by eye and go with what looks best.

[Rosenberg92]

Thanks for the recommendations there,

In the end I have gone for a topcoat of 68 Dark Green, 88 Ochre Brown and a mix of Olive Grey and Greenish Grey (which has been mixed to a sort of Mid-Olive colour, looks okay compared to photographs I have seen). For the underside coat I have gone for Stone Grey mixed with white. In the end, has turned out a little bit darker than I'd of liked but it looks the part.

In the end, if it looks right to me, then I am going to be happy and as long as I am enjoying it, thats what really matters.

Am not normally too worried about accuracy, such as that if I do not have a shade at hand I am happy to mix to something close, but for this project I have seen so many pictures and references I would hate to get it wrong now.

All the best,

Dan.

[Parns]

I have seen a 1:72 C-133, hanging from the ceiling of a couple of model shops, including Beatties in Holborn , but as it was built up, I'm not sure who made it - Monogram or Testors/Italeri I'll be bound. The Airfix F111E I made when I was in a similar position to you (but didn't have the opportunity to submit any for academic consideration), but it is very primitive ,b eing a derivative of the A they released pretty much coeval with the aircraft's operational debut.

Looking at Bill Gunston's directory - served me well for over 20 years the types that nobody has mentioned and possible kits are:

An-2: A Model

An-24: A Model

Beechcraft U-21: RHVP

Beechcraft U-22: Minicraft

Bell AH-1: Italeri

Bell OH-58: Italeri, Matchbox

Boeing B-52: Come on, we know this one

Boeing B-47: Hasegawa

Boeing Vertol H-46: Fujimi

Boeing Vertol CH-47: Italeri, Matchbox

De Havilland Canada C-7: Hobbycraft

Douglas C-124: Anigrand, Airmodel (although this latter should fill you with trepidation)

Fairchild AU-23: High Planes, Roden (this is a quarter scale item)

Canberra B.20: Airfix in quarter scale, Airfix with Heritage conversion in 72.

Grumman E-1: Hasegawa

Grumman C-1: Hasegawa

Grumman E-2: Fujimi

Grumman C-2:Fujimi

Grumman HU-16: Monogram

Helio U-10: Airmodel

Helio AU-24: Airmodel

Hiller H-23: Special Hobby

Hughes OH-6: Italeri

Ilyushin Il-14: Miku Models

Ilyushin Il-28: Airfix/Italeri/Bilek

Kaman H-2: Airfix

Kaman HH-43: Mach 2 (not keen on their reputation)

Lisunov Li-2: Esci, Italeri

Lockheed P-3 Hasegawa

Lockheed YO-3:Unicraft (weird enough for them)

Martin SP-5: Hasegawa

Mil Mi-4: KP

Mil Mi-6: A Model

Mikoyan-Guryevich MiG-15UTI: KP

Mikoyan-Guryevich MiG-17: KP

Mikoyan-Guryevich MiG-19: KP

Mikoyan-Guryevich MiG-21: KP,Fujimi

North American T-39: Combat Models

Piasecki H-21: Italeri

Sikorsky CH-54: Revell

Sikorsky H-3: ZTS, Fujimi, Airfix, Revell

Sikorsky H-34: HobbyBoss, Italeri

Sikorsky H-53: Fujimi

Sukhoi Su-7: KP, Bilek

I own some of these kits, have owned others, have seen yet others and know only the names of the rest. I've built the KP MiG-21 and MiG-15UTI, and found them to be pretty competent, although of course they do not meet modern standards, the moulds being thirty years old. They are, or at least were, cheap, however. Some of the others will involve a lot of work either to convert them to the appropriate versions, or to get an acceptable result out of. But that's the only way one develops. The following link should also be helpful:

http://fieldsoffireonline.freeforums.org/k...eriod-t447.html

Cheers,

Gavin

[Antoine]

I'm not really up to date concerning the part played by the B-47 in this conflict.

Any idea?

[Ghostbase]

Not sure of details but most likely the RB-47H recon variant would have performed recon and/or ELINT duties in the earlier days of the conflict before replaced by the RC-135 types that we are familiar with these days.

Michael

I'm not really up to date concerning the part played by the B-47 in this conflict.

Any idea?

[Rosenberg92]

Not sure of details but most likely the RB-47H recon variant would have performed recon and/or ELINT duties in the earlier days of the conflict before replaced by the RC-135 types that we are familiar with these days.

Michael

Yes, they performed ELINT duties and thats about as far as they went, they were considered for much more service during the Vietnam war but was rejected. As far as I can remember they were retired in the last days of 1967? Someone may be able to correct me on that one. They were replced by the RC-135 types as Michael mentioned.

I am not too keyed up on the B-47, though, so I may be wrong.

All the best,

Dan,

[Antoine]

Thanks.

I think there was some RB-47 conversion somewhere.

[Giorgio N]

The last RB-47H of the Yokota detachment (Japan) retired at the beginning of 1967. The planes from this detachment were sure involved in electronic intelligence gathering activities off Vietnam. Some RB-47s are also known to have operated at times from Da Nang and Bien Hoa.

In kit form, Flightpath had conversions for the RB-47E and RB-47H. The latter also appered under the DB production brand.

Regarding the C-133, no 1/72 kit was ever made in injected plastic. There was a vacform for sure, and ID even did a 1/48 vacform kit that I remember having seen built by a fellow Britmodeller on these pages.

Talking of transports, the C-124 was the main strategic transport at the beginning of the war. Anigrand has a 1/72 resin kit of the type.

[hythe]

The last RB-47H of the Yokota detachment (Japan) retired at the beginning of 1967. The planes from this detachment were sure involved in electronic intelligence gathering activities off Vietnam. Some RB-47s are also known to have operated at times from Da Nang and Bien Hoa.

In kit form, Flightpath had conversions for the RB-47E and RB-47H. The latter also appered under the DB production brand.

Regarding the C-133, no 1/72 kit was ever made in injected plastic. There was a vacform for sure, and ID even did a 1/48 vacform kit that I remember having seen built by a fellow Britmodeller on these pages.

Talking of transports, the C-124 was the main strategic transport at the beginning of the war. Anigrand has a 1/72 resin kit of the type.

I have the Anigrand C-124 in the stash - it's a BIG mofo...

Also have a Hasegawa B-47E awaiting the Flightpath RB-47H mods someday.

Lord knows where I'll be putting these monsters... better start saving for the basement conversion!

P.S. ALMOST completed my full Vietnam collection. Reckon I'm over 75% there now... (today's exciting addition was a TF-9J, purchased from another member) If only those Helio Couriers didn't go for such insane prices, eh? Hmmm, still need to add a C-133. Why doesn't anyone make a decent CH/HH-3? My father-in-law did a tour in an HH-3, so I'd really like to build one. Must stop rambling...

[hythe]

Bell AH-1: Italeri

Bell OH-58: Italeri, Matchbox

Gavin, come now - Italeri never did an AH-1G (more's the pity), nor even an AH-1J. No, believe it or not, in 1/72 Matchbox is your best bet for the G (I also have the MasterCraft one, not as nice) and Fujimi for the J. There's also the 1/32 Revell/Monogram AH-1G.

As for the OH-58A, there's also the rather nice 1/48 ESCI option...