Ly Buang's Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
- Spaceowl
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Ly Buang's Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
As part of my South Vietnamese Air Force project, I completed this mid-seventies era Airfix Bird Dog:
This was a model of the O-1 flown by Major Buang Lee that landed on the USS Midway during the evacuation of Saigon in 1975
carrying himself, his wife and five (!) children. The full story, which is fascinating, is here:
https://tacairnet.com/2015/08/20/a-sout ... -all-time/;
I'm not normally a fan of weathering, but looking at the state of the real thing in the picture, it perhaps could have done with it, especially around the cowling. I also note the original had tac codes on the tail which were missing from the decal sheet. I may add them at a later date. Other than that, I was quite pleased with how this one went together, except for the carpet monster eating a whole wheel! Luckily i had a scrap Mil-1 which gave up its wheels for the greater good (Also note, the otherwise intact carcass of the Mil-1 is now free to a good home. PMs to the usual place please).
This was a model of the O-1 flown by Major Buang Lee that landed on the USS Midway during the evacuation of Saigon in 1975
carrying himself, his wife and five (!) children. The full story, which is fascinating, is here:
https://tacairnet.com/2015/08/20/a-sout ... -all-time/;
I'm not normally a fan of weathering, but looking at the state of the real thing in the picture, it perhaps could have done with it, especially around the cowling. I also note the original had tac codes on the tail which were missing from the decal sheet. I may add them at a later date. Other than that, I was quite pleased with how this one went together, except for the carpet monster eating a whole wheel! Luckily i had a scrap Mil-1 which gave up its wheels for the greater good (Also note, the otherwise intact carcass of the Mil-1 is now free to a good home. PMs to the usual place please).
Overhead a rainbow appears...in black and white.
Current Projects:
Aircraft of VMA-542, USMC
Peru-Ecuador War 1995
THK 1939-2023
Polish Air Force 1939
Current Projects:
Aircraft of VMA-542, USMC
Peru-Ecuador War 1995
THK 1939-2023
Polish Air Force 1939
Re: Ly Buang's Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
Really nice work.
Besting 60 years of mediocre building of average kits in the stand off scale
Re: Ly Buang's Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
That's a beauty. Very nice work. Wouldn't mind doing a model of that aircraft myself.
All the best.
Greg
All the best.
Greg
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe.
The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.
Albert Einstein
The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.
Albert Einstein
- Old_Tonto
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Re: Ly Buang's Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
Top build mate.
2023 - A:0 B:0 C:0
Current Projects:
East German Air Force (1956-90)
South African Air Force (1958-93)
Current Projects:
East German Air Force (1956-90)
South African Air Force (1958-93)
- iggie
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Re: Ly Buang's Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
Spot on build, with a nice dollop of history behind it!
Landing that on a steel decked flat-top in the rain must have been 'interesting' to say the least!
Landing that on a steel decked flat-top in the rain must have been 'interesting' to say the least!
Best wishes
Jim
If you can walk away from a landing, it's a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it's an outstanding landing
"Never put off till tomorrow, what you can do the day after tomorrow"
Jim
If you can walk away from a landing, it's a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it's an outstanding landing
"Never put off till tomorrow, what you can do the day after tomorrow"
- Spaceowl
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Re: Ly Buang's Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
And critically overloaded too! It was such a feat of flying that the Air Wing Commander presented the major with a pair of USN wings afterwards. Next to staying behind in conquered South Vietnam, it was still the easy option for Ly though...iggie wrote:
Landing that on a steel decked flat-top in the rain must have been 'interesting' to say the least!
Overhead a rainbow appears...in black and white.
Current Projects:
Aircraft of VMA-542, USMC
Peru-Ecuador War 1995
THK 1939-2023
Polish Air Force 1939
Current Projects:
Aircraft of VMA-542, USMC
Peru-Ecuador War 1995
THK 1939-2023
Polish Air Force 1939
- Marek
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Re: Ly Buang's Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
Very nicely done! The story was both tragic and interesting.
Re: Ly Buang's Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
Landing was easy, it was stopping that was the hard part!!.iggie wrote:Spot on build, with a nice dollop of history behind it!
Landing that on a steel decked flat-top in the rain must have been 'interesting' to say the least!
Hoping to return to modelling sometime this year!!
Owner of Marky's Model Emporium since 2013!.
Owner of Marky's Model Emporium since 2013!.
- skypirate
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Re: Ly Buang's Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
Lovely model! Will you display it on a carrier deck base? That will always prompt the fascinating bit of history.
Cheers,
David
Cheers,
David
- Spaceowl
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Re: Ly Buang's Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
I wasn't going to, but that's an interesting suggesting! Right, Coastal Models then...skypirate wrote:Lovely model! Will you display it on a carrier deck base? That will always prompt the fascinating bit of history.
Cheers,
David
Overhead a rainbow appears...in black and white.
Current Projects:
Aircraft of VMA-542, USMC
Peru-Ecuador War 1995
THK 1939-2023
Polish Air Force 1939
Current Projects:
Aircraft of VMA-542, USMC
Peru-Ecuador War 1995
THK 1939-2023
Polish Air Force 1939
- CementNotGlue
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Re: Ly Buang's Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
You've mad a great job with a very challenging kit.
Here is a link to thread that demonstrates the lengths one has to go to to produce a convincing Bird Dog:
http://uamf.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=180& ... dog+#p1124;
Here is a link to thread that demonstrates the lengths one has to go to to produce a convincing Bird Dog:
http://uamf.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=180& ... dog+#p1124;