Here are a few quick photos:
The Cessna O-2 Skymaster.
The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly
The North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco
These are three beautiful models of a particularly unique group pf aircraft. All either having curious histories and or features, and all designed for, or specified for service in Vietnam.
The O-2 also served in Europe, helping to keep watch over the Warsaw Pact, and remained in US reserve and ANG units until the late 1980s. It has served the militaries of many other nations as well, and is ideal for third world air-forces and that of imagi-nations as well.
The A-37 served well in Vietnam and remained in US service with ANG units into the 1990s as FAC aircraft. It also saw service in Panama, during operation Just Cause, and served with a number of South American air forces. Aircraft captured during the fall of South Vietnam served the Socialist Republic of Vietnam's AF into the late 1970s, and a few examples were transferred to various nations of the Warsaw Pact.
The OV-10 Bronco is famous for its role in Vietnam, where it demonstrated its amazing flexibility, in addition to observation/FAC/ and light attack, convoy and helicopter escort, light transport, and could function in a variety of other rolls as well. It had an internal cargo bay in the rear capable of mounting a trainable 20mm rotary cannon, 5 paratrooper, 6 soldiers, or two casualty litters and a medic. On top of that, it just looks cool.
After Vietnam, the aircraft served in Europe with US forces in NATO, and a small number of OV-10s were outfitted with new electronics serving with the US Navy and Air Force in Iraq and Syria as recently as 2015. Consideration was even given to opening a new line to build new aircraft.
Anyway, if you play Vietnam in 15mm, you need some of these models. These aren't on his website yet, so you'll need to e-mail Dave to order them, but they are available at $15.00 each from Armaments in Miniature, fantastic models, fantastic service, and all at a great price. Highly recommended.
Some cool aircraft.
ReplyDeleteThat Skymaster looks great. I've always liked twin-boom aircraft like the DH Vampire, Venom and Sea Vixen.
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