If I ever get the urge to build a Skyraider, this is the kit I want!
"In October 1965, CDR Clarence J. Stoddard, Executive Officer of VA-25 “Fist of the Fleet”, flying an A-1H Skyraider, NE/572 “Paper Tiger II” from Carrier Air Wing Two aboard USS Midway carried a special bomb to the North Vietnamese in commemoration of the 6-millionth pound of ordnance dropped. This bomb was unique because of the type… it was a toilet!
The following is an account of this event, courtesy of Clint Johnson, Captain, USNR Ret. Captain Johnson was one of the two VA-25 A-1 Skyraider pilots credited with shooting down a MiG-17 on June 20, 1965.
----I was a pilot in VA-25 on the 1965 Vietnam cruise.
572 was flown by CDR C. W. “Bill” Stoddard. His wingman in 577 (which was my assigned airplane) was LCDR Robin Bacon, who had a wing station mounted movie camera (the only one remaining in the fleet from WWII).
The flight was a Dixie Station strike (South Vietnam) going to the Delta. When they arrived in the target area and CDR Stoddard was reading the ordnance list to the FAC, he ended with “and one code name Sani-flush”. The FAC couldn’t believe it and joined up to see it. It was dropped in a dive with LCDR Bacon flying tight wing position to film the drop. When it came off, it turned hole to the wind and almost struck his airplane. It made a great ready room movie. The FAC said that it whistled all the way down.
The toilet was a damaged toilet, which was going to be thrown overboard. One of our plane captains rescued it and the ordnance crew made a rack, tailfins and nose fuse for it. Our checkers maintained a position to block the view of the air boss and the Captain while the aircraft was taxiing forward. Just as it was being shot off we got a 1MC message from the bridge, “What the hell was on 572’s right wing?” There were a lot of jokes with air intelligence about germ warfare. I wish that we had saved the movie film. CDR Stoddard was later killed while flying 572 in Oct 1966. He was hit by three SAMs over Vinh.----"
That is cool. Did you notice the weapon load out is wrong in the kit? The Mk 82s have the fuse extender and the inboard pylon has no load. That’s a good reference pic. Thank you!! (Yes, I have that kit in my stash!!)
I built this one. Had to get a toilet from plastistrut, modify it and cast it to kind of make it look like the navy flushometer. Also, to make the load out correct, you’ll need to get the 500 lb’ers from the monogram f-84f kit and make multiple copies.
The bracket from the toilet bomb can be made from pieces of pie tin
You guys are unbelievable! That’s a great story, thanks for sharing. BTW… Imagine the look on Charlies face when he found the so called bomb. Charlie’s probably never even seen a toilet. I can’t imagine glueing a tiny toilet on the bottom of a model, that’s just too funny!
I haven’t even opened mine yet. Is there really no toilet with it?? That was the whole purpose behind getting it. (that, and at the time I had a thing for the SPAD)
Well, I guess you never can get sick of seeing this thing! Funny as hell… I’m in the same camp; if I ever build a Vietnam-era SPAD it will be this one. Oh, I s’pose I could build a MiG-killer as well…
Anyhoo, Hasegawa released the Monogram 48th SPAD back in the 80s with an extra sprue for the ‘bomb’… the kit is long gone but I still have the extra sprue and the decals. Someday… maybe… (yeah right, who am I kiddin’?)
That is an interesting and very funny story that I had never heard before. [:D] A couple of slight corrections to the ending. Commander Clarence William Stoddard was KIA on 14 September 1966 while flying A-1H BuNo 139756. He was egressing the target area near Vinh, North Viet Nam when 3 SA-2 SAMs were launched at his flight. The first two exploded near Cmd Stoddard’s aircraft, but the third missile detonated immediately in front of the Skyraider and blew it to pieces. Commander James D Burden, VA-25 Executive Officer took over command on the day William Stoddard was killed. [:(]
okay maybe im just confused but can someone explaine to me why theres a toilet on that plylons and whats it payload (oh please go don’t let it be what i think it is! LOL)
"In October 1965, CDR Clarence J. Stoddard, Executive Officer of VA-25 “Fist of the Fleet”, flying an A-1H Skyraider, NE/572 “Paper Tiger II” from Carrier Air Wing Two aboard USS Midway carried a special bomb to the North Vietnamese in commemoration of the 6-millionth pound of ordnance dropped. This bomb was unique because of the type… it was a toilet
A friend of mine was on that cruise and was one of the ordinance crew that loaded the subject aircraft. Neither the Air boss nor the CAG thought it was funny (nor the ships Captian). The stuff hit the fan for all of thase involved, and most of the photographs were confiscated. As indicated by the few photos being circulated a few of the pictures escaped the Air Boss’s wrath! Does anyone know what happened to the film?
Illeagally modifying a military aircraft is serious business! The boost to the crews morale is probably the only reason that a few folks were not Court Marshalled. When you mix high stress, high explosives, and young men, you will often get some very funny results.
