South Vietnamese EA-1E Skyraider

[Spaceowl]

VNAF (E)A-1E Skyraider, Bien Hoa, South Vietnam 1968 (1/72 Monogram kit):







This particular aircraft had quite an interesting history - originally an Electronics Warfare Skyraider of the US Navy, it was gifted to the VNAF in the early sixties, at which time it had all of its electronics stripped from the rear cockpit and was thereafter used as a conventional 'bomb truck' until it disappears from the record at some time during the fall of Vietnam.

No big surprises with the kit, but a huge amount of work needed doing, such as scratchbuilding the forward cockpit, adding proper pylons to the wings, replacing the simple stubs that came with the kit, adding a scavenged decal set from the spares box and adding correct shaped blade aerials from scrap plastic.

Not my most fun build - a great deal of work was needed to get the kit into this shape - but a very satisfying one to finish. Also I'm about 50% sure this is the first time this unusual aircraft has been modelled (Bu.No. 32487, I mean by that). Happy as I am with this build, I'm moving onto something I'm less happy with that goes together easier.

[Clashcityrocker]

Looks very nice.

Nigel

[Eric Mc]

Nice to see a Vietnam War aircraft being modelled. You don't see to many these days on the various forums, especially British ones. By coincidence I've just started on a Vietnam era F-105 Thunderchief.

Good job on correcting a typically basic 60s kit.

[skypirate]

I have a fondness for this kit ever since I set eyes on the contemporary Monogram advertisements when I was a young chap.
You have definitely trod the road less travelled with your mods, particularly the solid rear canopies.
Great job! (Though it deserves better pictures!)

I built a more common A-1E/G a few years back, and I have the Matchbox kit lined up for a rescue/restoration.
(I am also building an F-105F even as we speak!)

Cheers,

David

[Old_Tonto]

That turned out really well and a nice bit of history too.
Bravo young man.

[Spaceowl]

Great job! (Though it deserves better pictures!)

Duly noted! As it happens, I agree with you. I'm getting to work on that at once - I'm frankly not a great photographer and I only have the crappy little camera that comes with my crappy little phone. However, I'll give it another try, so watch this space.

(BTW, it's nice to see so many people doing Thunderchief models! Definitely the sexiest jet in the Vietnam War).

[Eric Mc]

The F-105 may have been "sexy" but, like the Typhoon in World War 2, given a really dangerous job to do and often paid the price.

[iggie]

Superb build and great to see something from that era being covered so well.....

[shangos70]

Great result on that oldie. Paintwork looks very good.

[Spaceowl]

EDIT: reposted with better photographs.

[Spaceowl]

The F-105 may have been "sexy" but, like the Typhoon in World War 2, given a really dangerous job to do and often paid the price.

Yes, that's always on my mind whenever I build a model of a warplane. However, that aside, the aesthetics of an aircraft can be considered apart from the job they do (a good example is the Vulcan, which was slated to do a monstrous job in the event of war but remains, nevertheless, a thing of beauty as a piece of engineering) and I still hold that the F-105 and indeed, the Typhoon, along with the SS Normandie and the Gresley A4 Pacific are sexy things.

A good point, though and always a point I pause over.

[celt]

A stupendous Spad,well tidy mun.