mtncolonel

John - I got your mailing with the copy of the decals for the General and the instructions. This is just great. I have been thinking about getting the materials to make my own decals, and this would be the first chance to try that with the copy you sent. Thanks a lot! I'll let you know how it comes out. - John Manion

My mailing address is 1775 W Kentucky Ave, Denver, CO 80223. Interesting that you are in Nags Head. I lived in Fayetteville and Lillington for about 7 years, both in the Army and much later. The Outer Banks were my favorite part of the state, especially Ocracoke.

I just bought from e-bay the 1/25 MPC model of the General of the Great Locomotive Chase. This replaces one I had bought years ago but lost in one of my moves. It seems complete except for the decals, which provides numbers, W&A lettering for the tender, and striping - all in gold. I've contacted the seller, who does not have the decals. It appears the model was in water from the damaged box. Does anyone know where I can get these decals? Does anyone know what became of MPC and how to contact them at this point?

I have found the 2.75 FFAR that I need to model the Trumpeter 1/48 F-100F 56-3837 as a Misty fast FAC. The 1/48 Tamiya A-1J Skyraider comes with a large amount of armament, including the 2.75 7-rocket pods which I need to complete the F-100F model. The aircraft will be painted in SEA camoflauge and will carry the wing-mounted fuel tanks with the 2.75 pods outboard, mounted on the F-100F smaller pylons for the most outboard positions. In case you're not familiar with this aircraft and its Vietnam service, check Rick Newman/Don Shepperd's Bury Us Upside Down: The Misty Pilots and the Secret Battle for the Ho Chi Minh Trail (2006).

I came across a Trumpeter 1/48 F-100F model today which I have been looking for a couple of years. I intend to model it as F-100F 56-3837, which has been restored at the USAF Museum in Dayton as a Misty FAC. I first learned about this by reading Bury Us Upside Down written by two Misty pilots. What I need for this project is a pair of 2.75" folding fin rocket launchers in 1/48 - 7 rockets in each. The F-100Fs carried wing fuel tanks and WP rockets for target marking. I could also use decals for 56-3837, if available, although I can make decals for this aircraft fairly easily. If you want to see it, go to the USAF Museum website and go to their F-100F site.

Watching closely on e-bay, I have now acquired all the 1/72 helicopters I need for my models on Army helicopter development. I obtained a Monogram 1/72 AH-1G and two Tamiya 1/100 AH-1G, which are tiny but very well detailed and accurate. I even expanded my collection from a Squadron/Signal book on US Army Aviation in Vietnam by Wayne Mutza. I now have a DHC-3 (U-1A) Otter, DHC-2 (U-6A) Beaver, and a OV-1A Mohawk to add to other models I have had for some time - a CV-2A Caribou, O-1E Bird Dog, and a P-2H Neptune. You may wonder what I can do with a Navy ASW aircraft such as the Neptune, but ASA had three of them equipped for electronic warfare. They were painted exactly like the Navy scheme except for ARMY in large black letters - not a low profile scheme for aircraft in the intelligence community. The only model I have not located was also used in the intelligence role in Vietnam - the Beech Twin Bonanza or Queen Air (U-8). Has anyone seen a model, preferably 1/72, of this type of aircraft in either the civilian or military version?

Phil - I got a Monogram AH-1G through e-bay last week, and it is enroute to me now. I am looking forward to building that for my collection.

We have had a B-17 flying out of Centennial Airport for the past six or so years, and the most recent has been EAA's Aluminum Overcast. I have served on ground crew. We have a team of WWII B-17 vets lead ground tours and answer questions. Unfortunately, we lost one of our best back in April, Casey Clark, who was a very sprite and active fellow right up to his death. I helped haul the materials for the flight support in my F-250 and trailer, and on 13 June we were loading everything to take it back to Lowry, when one of the guys showed us his cell phone. He had a photo of the Liberty Bell on the ground near Aurora, IL, mostly burned. It is such a shame to lose a classic like that, but fortunately, everyone got out without serious injury.

Dan - I looked over the photo you included of a hot refuel of an AH-1G and saw that you had what appeared to be the 19-tube 2.75 rocket pod on the stub wing. The chin turret gun looked quite slim. Was this the 7.62 minigun? Did your AH-1Gs usually fly with the 7.62 minigun, the 40mm grenade launcher, or some other weapon in the chin turret. I call it the chin turret, although it might have another name, because I am used to this term, as I have spent six years on the ground crew of our B-17, which will be arriving from Oshkosh, WI, on June 6 for a week. I have flown in it twice, and it is an impressive machine - and loud. As we watch it take off, I wonder how that sounded with hundreds of B-17s taking off at the same time. The English probably didn't get to sleep late on most mornings during the war. John Manion "grunt" 68-69

Dan - I have been an infantryman since 1967, so I have not had behind-the-stick experience. I was in Nam in 68-69 and flew as observer in a few Fireflys. We had a UH-1D with a set of lights in the left door to fly roads and rivers. We had two Cobras with us and when we spotted something, we sent the Cobras in to fire on them. Anyone who was on a road or especially a river after dark was a target, and the Cobras would really light them up. It was a hairy experience, but I know we did a lot to keep Charlie back in the woods at night. John Manion, 11A5S, Vietnam 68-69

I have found a 1/72 kit of an AH-1G on e-bay by ZTS Plastyk and another 1/72 by Chematic. Does anyone know of the quality of either of these manufacturers? - mtncolonel

Mark - I can backdate either the HobbyBoss AH-1S or the Hasegawa AH-1F to an AH-1G, but I have to use the Mastercraft body shell to provide the turbine exhaust and adjacent body shell, the tail rotor fin, and the nose. None of the Mastercraft body looks very good due to the poor molding. I am hoping to get a kit which presents an acceptable AH-1G without extensive kitbashing. The Mastercraft is just poor quality molding and detail, as well as inaccurate. If there was not a better model, I wish there was a good aftermarket kit. - John Manion

I got some good info on my previous post about the Bell H-13E, for which I found that an MRC 1/35 kit I have is for the H-13E with the earlier lateral fuel tank, bench seat, and dual controls. I now have 1/72 models for all the helicopters I need except for a Vietnam AH-1G Cobra. I have Hasegawa and HobbyBoss 1/72 kits of the AH-1S and AH-1F, and I obtained through e-bay a MasterCraft AH-1G, but it is very poor quality molding and detail. It is also not very accurate, according to my Squadron in-action/walk-around books. I think I can kitbash something, but I am wondering if any of the companies have made an accurate and well-detailed model of the Nam-era AH-1G - someone like Italeri, Hasegawa, etc. I don't want to waste any more money on poor quality kits, especially for a display like this. -mtncolonel

VonL - the hangar floor is nice and shiny now, and the aircraft have been rearranged very nicely. We now have a control tower at the front entrance, and our B-52 in front is now 14 feet higher in a simulated landing/takeoff attitude. We reopened the museum for the public on April 5 and have a number of events since. I got the answer to my H-13 question from one of my unfinished kits, an MRC 1/35 Type 47, which is an H-13E with the lateral fuel tank, bench seat, and dual controls. I am going to kitbash one of the Italeri kits as an H-13E with the fuel tank made to reduced dimensions from the 1/35 kit. I am going to build the other kit into an H-13H, which was used by the 1st Air Cav in Nam in the mid 60s. I didn't get there until 69, so we used only UH-1Ds. CH-47s, and OH-6As. The H-13s and H-21s were all gone. I have found an H-13E at the US Army Aviation Museum at Ft Rucker and am using photos from there, but the 1/35 model gives me the dimensions and spacing I need. I will try to make it up to SD again, maybe make it to Sturgis on my bike.

Dan- I found the answer to my question in one of my unbuilt kits, an MRC 1/35 Type 47, which is an H-13E - it has the one-piece lateral fuel tank, bench seat, and dual controls of an E, which did fly in Korea. I am going to make one of the Italeri models into an H-13E for Korea, and the other into an H-13H, which the model is, for the 1st Air Cav in Nam. By the time I was there in 69, H-13s and H-21s were gone. We flew in UH-1Ds, OH-6s, CH-47s (my last flight to Tan Son Nhut) and had support from AH-1Gs and fixed wings. I will use the dimensions of the part from the MRC kit and create an earlier fuel tank for the 1/72 model. Thanks a lot anyway.

Some of you may remember that I am retired Army and a volunteer for the Wings Over the Rockies Air Museum at Lowry here in Denver. I am making a display of 1/72 Army helicopters, and have just received two Italeri Bell AH-1/AB-47 kits - where did they get that designation? The kits seem quite accurate for the H-13H, first made in 1955, after the Korean War. I am going to make one as an H-13H used with the 1st Air Cav in Vietnam, but I want to make the other as an H-13C/D/E during the Korean War. Are there any aftermarket kits with the earlier small oval fuel tank? Where would I find a restored H-13C/D/E to get photos of the earlier model which actually operated in Korea?

I build models based on my personal experience with the subject. That's why I build Army helicopters, as I have a lot of flight time with them - no, I'm not a military pilot. I spent my last 6 years in civil service with DON in New Orleans - COMNAVARESFOR HRO New Orleans - and spent much time at NAS New Orleans (actually, Belle Chasse, LA). VP-94 - the Crawfishers - was there flying P3C Orions, and I will model a Hasegawa 1/72 model for them. My model has JMSDF decals, and I will need 1/72 Navy decals for it, which should not be hard to get. The main item needed is the unique insignia of VP-94, with the outline of Louisiana with a crawfish - mudbug - in front. Does anyone know if such a decal in 1/72 might be available, or will I need to try making it on my computer? The image is on several websites. I haven't tried printing decals yet, but this might be a good start. One other question I have is about the P2V Neptunes that VP-94 flew prior to the P3C's. Does anyone know of USN decals for this model in 1/72 - I have another Hasegawa model with JMSDF decals. Most of all, would anyone know if this aircraft had the unique crawfish insignia on the tail, as the P3C's did? I may have to ask this question to retired members of VP-94.

It's great that I'm getting all this feedback on 1/72 choppers. I will go on e-bay for the kits mentioned. One other question on this line, I have found dealers offering the Pavla Bell 47 in 1/72. What kind of a kit is it and what quality?

I am modeling US helicopter development in 1/72 as a possible display at the Wings Over the Rockies Air/Space Museum at Lowry, where I am a volunteer. I have most of the models I need, and most are Italeri. I have an Amodel H-25 Piasecki Mule, but the detail is quite poor, and the clear plastic is far too heavy. I am wondering if another model of this prototype is available. I am also looking for 1/72 models of the Bell OH-58A Kiowa, the Bell H-13 Sioux (Bell 47 of MASH fame), the Bell AH-1G HueyCobra, and the North American OV-10 Bronco - for a display on Vietnam Navy "brown water" deployment. I have found a couple of models I need made by Mach 2 Production - a USN Sikorski S51-HO3S-1 and a USAF Kaman HH-43 Huskie - but I know nothing about Mach 2 and don't want to spend money for models which are inaccurate or poor detail, as found above. I have heard that Italeri has produced the H-13 and AH-1G in the past and would like to acquire these if anyone has them. There is also a European H-13 - Czech, I believe - but again, I would like to know the quality. I have been very pleased with the Italeri models and would like to acquire them if at all available. Are any other 1/72 "rotorheads" modeling along this line and have the expertise I am seeking? - mtncolonel

I am building a collection of 1/72 helicopters to show the development of US Army helicopters. I am looking for three models at this time - a Bell OH-58A Kiowa from the Vietnam era (I have the Italeri OH-58D which would require some kitbashing), a Bell AH-1G Cobra, also Vietnam era (I have the Hasegawa AH-1F models), and most of all, a Bell H13 Sioux (the Bell 47D model). I have all of these models in other scales, but I am looking for 1/72 scale for space concerns as a portable display. I would even accept die cast models, if they were close to 1/72 size. I would appreciate it if someone has such models they are willing to sell or knows of a hobby supply that might have such models.

I am a retired Army infantry officer who served in Vietnam in 1969. I build 1/35 military vehicles and 1/48 and 1/72 military aircraft. I also model in HO and HOn3 model railroading and have quite a bit of experience in detailing and painting. I should have joined IPMS years ago, but I am a life member in NMRA since 1961. I even built plastic models in Vietnam in our team house. I like to collect and build models with which I have a personal connection, such as army equipment and Vietnam aircraft and vehicles. I also have taken many photos over the years to provide references for my modeling, as I like to be as accurate as possible. I have color slides from my Army life and am now taking digital pictures with a Nikon D70 SLR. I am known in model railroading as a "rivet counter," although I am more interested in getting an accurate appearance than having every hinge or handle in the exact place. I also "kitbash" to get an accurate model that might not be available in the version I am seeking. When working on a particular project, I like to go to my PC or laptop and find others who might already have done something that I am planning or know about the prototype and its many details. I have the patience to do fine details, but I would rather not take the time to do something if it already exists. For example, I have Hasegawa 1/72 models of the Lockheed P3C Orion and Lockheed P2V7 Neptune, both with JMSDF decals. I am looking for USN decals for these models, which I am sure must be available somewhere. I am also willing to share with other modelers, both my photos and my information that I have collected over the years. I am so serious about my hobbies that I am working on a masters degree in history at the University of Colorado at Denver. I guess that's enough intro on me, as I already have some questions that I would like to post.