Robin Olds Phantom - Operation Bolo - From the Tamiya kit in 1:32 plus some additions.

[al49]

During Summer 2016 I had the opportunity to read the book "Fighter Pilot - The memoirs of legendary ace Robin Olds" and I decided that I would have tried to replicate his plane in the full loaded conditions of his takeoff from Ubon AFB, Thailand.
I was unable to find a photo of that bird, but I found an artist impression that shows wery clearly how the plane was loaded after takeoff.

 

[al49]

The main item that can be seen is the ALQ-71 Jamming pod installed instead of the right auxiliary tank, after some research I found it available from Cutting Edge.
I also needed to find somewhere the 600 Gallon center line tank, that I found from GT Resin.
Decals are from the kit plus some homemade, while stencils are from Warbird.
For the cockpit I again user a GT Resin product.
I hope you will like my job,
Alberto
So, let start to show some pictures.

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

Very nice Alberto

 

[al49]

Due to the size of the model, that will not fit in any of my cabinets, I had to build a dedicated plexiglas cabinet using 4 mm panels and a wooden base.

 

[Gnomey]

Good work!

 

[Jeff Hunt]

WOW!

Jeff

 

[Airframes]

Excellent Alberto.
I like the perspex case - I'll have to make a couple for some of my larger models eventually.

 

[al49]

I got my perspex from a supplier in Italy that offer several thickness (my is 4 mm) and laser cutting, so perfect and clean cuts. Of course it will not be at hands for you, but may be there is a similar supplier in UK. Compared with the price offered by a general do-it-yourself shop, prices are just a bit higher, but convenient if referred to the quality. Just for information, I post the link.
Plexishop.it - Plexishop!, The Art of plexiglass!

 

[N4521U]

Very nice build. In 1/32nd a monster.

 

[T Bolt]

Great work there Alberto

 

[al49]

Many thanks for all nice comments!
Alberto

 

[Airframes]

I found an 'on-line' supplier of perspex in the UK Alberto, and the prices, including delivery, are very reasonable.
I'll try them out when I need the large case for my 1/48th Lancaster diorama, which will be around 60 x 75 cm !!!

 

[davparlr]

The mention of Ubon Thailand brought back memories of C-141 days. We had shuttle mission flying supplies to Thailand. Typically, we took off from Kadena AB, Okinawa, fly over Vietnam and land in Udorn, Ubon, and U-tapao and crew rest at U-tapao. Ubon certainly sticks out in my memory. It seemed to be just a runway cut out of the jungle. What I specifically remember is the approach plate. It was a typical TACAN arc to an ILS final. What was unique about it was that there was a small corridor outlining the TACAN arc and the ILS final course. Everywhere outside the small corridor was hatched off in red with a note saying ground fire likely. I always wondered how they they made that small corridor safe. I suspected that they didn't.

 

[al49]

Hi, I'm very happy that my model suggested you to write the above little story on your experience in Vietnam, because, in my humble opinion, you are bringing even more life to this nice forum. And very nice first-hand info to those people, like myself, by that time basing all our knowledge on the reports shown on our TVs. Many thanks for that. Alberto

 

[Wayne Little]

Very nice Alberto.