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RAAF FAC OV-10A Finished!


ericg

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Here is my entry to the group build. I had already cut a few parts off the sprue on this kit before a couple of months ago before the GB started,  certainly far less than the 25% requirement. This model will complete my trio of FAC aircraft as flown by RAAF pilots in the Vietnam war having finished the O-1 and O-2. 

 

I asked Mac Cottrell (O-1 pilot) if he could recommend someone suitable for a build of this aircraft and he suggested Graham Neil. Graham was a Squadron Leader whilst assigned to fly US Airforce OV-10’s during his tour and reached the rank of Air Vice Marshall, the second highest rank in the RAAF during his career. He is quite active in the RAAF FAC scene and has been instrumental in recovering an OV-10A for the Australian War Memorial which is under restoration. He wrote an excellent small article about the 36 RAAF pilots that served as FAC’s in Vietnam.

 

http://www.raafaact.org.au/topics/FACS.html

 

I am yet to meet Graham in person but have so far had some correspondence with him via email and have had a chat to him on the phone. He is quite excited about the prospect of having a model built of an aircraft that he flew. I don’t plan on getting his one built too quickly as I have a couple of active builds on the go at the moment but will have it finished by the end of the year. We are yet to agree on a particular aircraft that I will depict but this will come in time.

 

Firstly a pic of Graham.

 

3A0F87A9-0820-4A14-BDD4-45CE6F8AA8B5-M.j

 

The kit. This was given to me by one of my best mates, Brent Simpson (Simmo.b on here) for my 40th Birthday, so it is extra special in that regard. Lots of criticism has been made against the kit for various reasons and I will try and address as much as I can. There is not a huge amount of aftermarket for the kit but I have most of it. AoA decals, Eduard photo etch exterior, Master Pitot tube and AMS seats and wheels.

 

IMG_5484-X3.jpg

 

I started with the nose gear bay. As can be seen, some visible ejector pin marks. I filled these with mr surfacer.

 

IMG_4046-X3.jpg

 

 I needn’t have bothered though, as the nice photo etch provides a lot of needed detail in this area whilst covering the holes! The cockpit tub and bay have been joined along with the kit provided nose weight.

 

IMG_4227-X3.jpg

 

The casting blocks removed from the AMS seats, these are well done and are a welcome upgrade to the seats provided in the kit.

 

IMG_5489-X3.jpg

 

I also removed the casting block from one of the AMS wheels but unfortunately, these won’t be making an appearance on this model, as they are a fair bit out of round as can be seen here. There is just under 1mm difference across the hub and it looks quite bad. It won’t take too much to bring the kit wheels (on the right) up to scratch.

 

IMG_5488-X3.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by ericg
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1 hour ago, cib2265 said:

Looking forward to this one Eric, although from all reports you should have some stress release options on standby when trying to deal with the kit problems....

 

Do the Boomerang and Attacker count as stress relief?

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Excellent!  It asks a lot from the modeler, but I think the OV-10 is a good kit.

 

19 minutes ago, Vandy 1 VX 4 said:

There is brass landing gear for this kit now just do not recall at this moment the manufacturer maybe Brian

out2getu  will comment? Or just searching the forums may come up with it. 

 

 

Indeed, Aerocraft Models makes a REALLY nice set of Bronco gear. Well worth the investment, as the OOB will for sure bow  on you. 

 

 

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35 minutes ago, Vandy 1 VX 4 said:

There is brass landing gear for this kit now just do not recall at this moment the manufacturer maybe Brian

out2getu  will comment? Or just searching the forums may come up with it. 

 

Cheers for that. I will see how I go with modifying the kit gear to start with as I like to ensure the model has the correct sit compared to photos and will probably be cutting them up anyway.

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An action shot of Graham.

 

5F8B3054-0D11-4E50-8110-288C0B5D2740-M.j

 

Interesting details in the pic are the open cockpit air vent just in front of the windshield and under the observers window.

 

The accompanying text to the photo :

 

Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr) (later Air Vice Marshall) Graham Wallace Neil, RAAF, wearing flying kit and standing in front of an OV-10A Bronco twin engined aircraft (with black spinners), from the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron (19th TASS), United States Air Force (USAF) based at Cu Chi. It is fully armed with rockets and the starboard side pair of M60 C machine guns (note the hanging bag) are visible within the fuselage pylon. Sqn Ldr Neil's command consisted of four USAF, three RAAF and one RNZAF pilots; eight OV-10A Bronco aircraft and a USAF ground staff and maintenance detachment. Sqn Ldr Neil was also appointed as Air Liaison Officer (ALO) with the Second Brigade (2 Bde) of the United States (US) 25th Infantry Division, based at Cu Chi, northwest of Saigon. In this capacity he not only commanded the USAF Tactical Air Control Party (TACP), supporting 2 Bde, but acted as the air adviser to the US brigade commander. Sqn Ldr Neil also flew many missions as a forward air controller (FAC) and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his actions near Trai Bi on 6 June 1970.

 

Some more work. 

 

I have assembled the cockpit pod without painting it as it is open enough that I will be able to prime and paint it in this state once some additional detail has gone into it.

 

IMG_5547-X3.jpg

 

There were some small easy to deal with ejector pin marks as can be seen above the rear throttle quadrant.

 

IMG_5550-X3.jpg

 

The cockpits of these aircraft had thick bundles of wiring running around all move them, so I got some .3mm lead wire to try and get it happening.

 

IMG_5552-X3.jpg

 

An initial test fit of the wiring. A little over scale I guess but should work OK. Will need to be bundled up and I yet to decide whether to install it and then paint or get the shape sort of right, paint it and then install it.

 

IMG_5553-X3.jpg

 

 

 

 

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