Shell, one more book that I recommend is Unheralded Victory, by Mark Woodruff- a former Marine and Vietnam Vet. I read it while prepping to go overseas in late 2004. I think you may find it an enlightening read.
Hello,
I want to thank everyone who has participated in the thread so far. As we know, Vietnam can be a difficult subject. For the most part, the conversation here has been moderate and civil. However, there have been a couple of politically charged statements, and I want to remind everyone that politics are off-limits. As Aaron posted in the Forum Rules, political commentary will get you banned.
Also, swearing is not tolerated, no matter how innocent it may seem. Don’t use symbols to try to bypass the nannybot.
Finally, it seems that Chrisk-k’s initial question has been answered. Let’s steer the thread back toward modeling and away from the atmosphere and philosophy surrounding Vietnam.
Thanks,
TK
The Feb 1972 lottery (men born in 1953) was the last one where anybody was actually called. By that time student deferments had been discontinued, but with the draw down not nearly as many guys got called (plus it depended on your local draft board).
I was one of the oddballs at the time because while other guys were sweating out the lottery, I volunteered and was accepted to Navy Aviation Officer Candidate School during my junior year in college.
After I failed a subsequent flight physical at Pennsacola and got a release from my commitment, the Navy reclassified me as 4-F with the draft board, even though I would have been able to pass the Army physical. They said it was their way of thanking me for volunteering while the war was still on.
Mark
Tim , i have no more to add …if i did i might go off on a rant and break the rules . I pushed the envelope a couple of times already but i see my post are still up so i guess i squeaked by ,I dont know how to bring this thread around to talking about models since the original poster said he was confused and seemed to want some answers .
Maybe a new thread about models of the Nam era is needed .
I’m done here , Its been interesting reading for me . I’ve learned something about the feelings that are still out there about that war and how it has and still does affect us .
Thanks for all of the info on the books also .
Later bros.
It’s very intersting to how nearly 50 years after it began, this is still a very emotional subject… but as said before a very rich modeling subject area
I have a few Vietnam subjects in the works right now… a 1/48 RF-4C, a 1/35 Light Seal Support Craft, a 1/300 USS Ramsey FFG, a 1/35 Aussie M113 FSV…
As a child, the Vietnam War did not effect me. My parents were recent immigrants from Holland and I had no relatives who were US citizens during the war (beyond my parents and siblings). By the time of the US withdrawal, I was 8 years old (about the same age as my youngest son). I assume I was probably as clueless about the Vietnam War as he is about the current wars, and he has a brother who served in A-stan.
As a modeler, one of my earliest kits was the Monogram M48 Patton tank kit. I remember the Love Bug markings. As a young adult, current armor was my draw and the current armor of the day was Vietnam era tanks and APCs.
My first high quality armor kits had to have been the Tamiya M48A3 and M113 APC built during the early 1980s. By 1983, my main interest turned towards building armor that I had used during my budding military career. By default, that armor was Vietnam era, but many received modern camouflage paint schemes I slapped on right over the original OD green and white star finish. I didn’t worry about the differences between versions as a modeler back then; an M48 was an M48 and an M113 was an M113. But in actuality, both the M48A3 and M113 were earlier versions than the M48A5 and M113A2 I crewed.
I still have an old Monogram Patton tank that received a camouflage paint scheme over the original finish. Of course, that kit wasn’t painted originally. I applied the white stars over the bare olive plastic with little more than silver and black “detail” paintings. I received a paint job that was supposed to represent my M48A5 I rode in 1985.
Yes, my first modern tank kit as an adult was the old Tamiya M60A1. The PX had stacks of those kits. But I did modify mine a bit in accordance with an IPMS Quarterly article from about 1978 or so. And painted it in a MERDC camo scheme using the Pactra 'namels that the PX sold, Dark Olive Drab in place of Forest Green and Flat Green in place of Light Green for the Verdant scheme that most of our tanks had in 1984 at Ft Polk…
And this thread has inspired me to start another Vietnam subject, the Revellogram 1/48 F-100D which I will be doing in an Aluminum Lacquered 1965 scheme out of Tan Son Nhut.
Let’s see, 'Nam kits in the stash … All 1:48, unless otherwise noted: Tamiya Skyraider, Revell F-8, Italeri A-4 E/F/G, Revell A-6, Hobby Boss A-7A, Hasegawa F-4J (Showtime 100), Revell/Monogram F-4J (Mig Ace), and holding place for (I hope) future acquisitions: 1:72 AM F-4J, and 1:72 Hasegawa F-4B. Besides more Spooks, I’m planning to add a Mig-17 in VPAF markings, and a C-2 Greyhound, (and an E-2, and an RA-5, and a S2F, and … you get the picture [;)]).
Also, I have to count my finished 1:800 USS Kitty Hawk. I started off with the intent of modelling mostly US Navy and IJN WWII aircraft, which subjects fill out most of the rest of my stash (and comprise the better part of it). I should have seen the Vietnam kits coming from day one …
Get the Hobbyboss MiG-17…
Yeah, the Hobbyboss Mig-17F Fresco D is the kit I’ve been eyeing. It’s the only 1:48 I’ve found that comes with the VPAF markings. I’d like to do a 1:48 Mig-21 in VPAF markings also, but can’t find one with the right decals. I haven’t really looked for VPAF AM decals for one yet, though.
Academy’s original 1/48 MiG-21PF comes with VPAF markings.
Cool. I can’t find it at my favorite OHS, but now I know what to keep my eyes open for … thanks!
Just be warned that Academy decals are very hit and miss… if there is a company that I highly recommend aftermarket decals, “just in case”, for their kits it will be Academy. I am hoping that either Trumpeters or Eduards upcoming MiG-21-F13 kits, the first version used by the VPAF, will have those markings. The F-13 was the early hot rod version of the -21 like this one that the USAF “acquired”.
The M113 FSV is a nice little kit. There’s a few simple mods/additions which can be done to make it a little more accurate, but it comes up nicely.
Phil, what mods and additions does the FSV need?
I really like the weathering and faded paint look. Very nice work on M113 FSV
I’ll say that I didn’t want to attempt to fully accurise the kit, and my mods were mostly eyeballed, not measured. [;)] Tamiya based the kit on their earlier “straight” M113 and the FSV is based on an M113A1, so there are a couple of visible M113A1 mods like the lip extension on the trim vane and the external fire extinguisher box. In addition, the FSV also has a hinged, fold-down extension on the trim vane. Note that this is slightly shorter at the left end to clear the headlight cluster.
Note the turn-signal indicators, which I believe were required for driving on domestic (Australian) roads.
As it stands, the kit turret also needs an antenna base on the right hand side - the kit only provides one for the left side but this is easy enough to duplicate. Because I left the skirts off, I added the bolt-holes and the under-sponson armour using plastic card.
At the back end, I extended the bilge-pump outlet, which is just a nub in the kit, added trays and straps for the jerry cans and added the catch/release for the ramp door (inside the loop of the tow cable in this pic.
Very nice, what are your thoughts on the AFV Club (reboxed Academy M113A1/A2 kit) FSV? I thought overall the fit wasn’t as great as the Tamiya kit, but I don’t know a lot about the vehicle to be able to judge it on accuracy.
Rob, I wanted the AFV Club kit, but could never find it here (AFV Club are kinda scarce here in Aus). The Scorpion turret looks a whole lot meaner than the Saladin turret.
The one time I found the kit in a shop, the (metal) gun barrel was missing from the kit, so I didn’t buy it. Being based on the Academy M113A1 kit, I am guessing it would have been a little more accurate, but I have never had a good look at the kit. IIRC, the AFV Club kit had indy-link tracks, so that would have been a plus.
If I recall correctly, after the FSV’s were upgraded with the Scorpion turrets, they were redesignated "MRV"s (Medium Reconnaissance Vehicle/s). They also differ in having the bulged side extensions (flotation tanks?) and “wedged” trim vane compared to the original FSV.
Ignorant question, but what is a trim vane and why is it called that? Seems unique to the -113?
I get where it is from studying the photos- looks like the big rectangular thing on the front.
EDIT: ok a little Wiki work and it has to do with running in deep water, kind of like a dam. But then the article mentions “swimming”. No way this thing could actually float, right?