Cessna Bid Dog 1/32 (Roden)

[John Everett]

This is a brand new kit from Roden. I've found that the overall shape and level of detail is pretty good but be ready for some alignment pins which don't align and parts in need of extra treatment before thay can see any glue.

I was lazy and didn't post it here due mostly to the work being done on the Star Wars gunship.

The assembly is mostly complete and the primer is done. The most complex part of the build will be the paint as I'm attempting to copy a specific airframe.

At the very end of the Vietnam war, Major Baung and his family escaped using his Cessna Bird Dog by landing aboard the USS Midway (now on permanent display in San Diego). The original airframe has been put on display at the Navy Museum in Pensacola, Florida.

























There's no rivet detail on the kit so I finally got around to buying a rivet wheel. Gotta say, I'm pretty "impressed" with it.


I'll be away from the bench for a couple of weeks; this will be it until I get back.

[panzerjager2]

Very Cool.... all the FAC's out in model land should love this build

[deafpanzer]

You are doing more than just one build at same time?!?!? You have my respect once again. Looking real good!

[dierk]

I hope you're going to do the nicely weathered version as seen on the carrier, not the shiny clean one on display.
'Impressed' ey? But were you also riveted using it?

[sturmbird]

I picked one up a couple weeks ago, and finally opened the bags last weekend. I liked what I saw with one exception. In my kit the clear parts were just stuffed in with all the rest of the parts. They weren't scratched, but are somewhat hazy. Almost a grey looking.

I'll certainly buy a second kit, and lets hope the clear parts are better quality. I had an O-1 flying over me in the daylight hours (good weather of course). Have seen them with the three tube rocket pods as well as individual rockets. They were always WP tipped, and used to mark targets for air strikes. Arty units used them more than they used FO's, but rarely shot rockets into the target areas. Most airframes were painted a light grey color, but have seen at least one in camo and another in a charcoal grey paint job. I think I'd like to do the airframe used in the real BAT 21 rescue. Another I'd like to do was flown by a kid named Gary, and hailed from Gary Indiana. He did his first tour as an arty FO, and went back to learn to fly. He was my first FO, and later my FAC. His call sign was "Cowboy 6" if I remember right, and was as wild as they came.

gary

[wing_nut]

Muncho gusto. Lookin good.

[Rick]

Looks great John. Refreshing to see an FAC covered. The office looks awesome.

[Leon]

Looking really good John!

[TRM]

Interesting subject John!! Count me in! Looks like your off to a splendid beginning!! After seeing this, I realized I had a Roden kit hiding in the stash, the Pilatus PC-6/B1-H2...might be worth a crack after watching you have your way with this!

[adt70hk]

Looking very good indeed John - as always!!

[Deleted]

Let you in on a lil' secret. I was 5 feet from the photographer that day. I'll definitely be following.

G

[John Everett]

Paint and masks cut on the Silhouette cutter.

[joelsmith]

Looking real nice! Can't wait to see it finished.

[jpc1968]

great masking job

[deafpanzer]

Brilliant painting job!!! Can I buy those or it has to be made? I want to try that on my next build...

[Leon]

WOW...Nice work on the mask and markings John!

[Deleted]

Very well done!

G

[midnightprowler]

Impressive work on a great subject.

[wbill76]

That cutter is really paying off John, nice work on a complex marking pattern.

[John Everett]

Mar 17, 2017 8:17:53 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

Can I buy those or it has to be made? I want to try that on my next build...

I made these patterns using the Silhouette software in about an hour. If you want these exact patterns for this exact model I can send them out. But there's no limit to what can be created on these cutters.

If you download the free software and create your own images just email the file to me and I'll cut the patterns for you. Masks are easy. Plastic sheet is harder.




Several parts came together today.

[Leon]

That's coming together very nicely John!

[panzerjager2]

Nice updates

[midnightprowler]

Does this kit offer engine detail?

[John Everett]

Yes. But that's one of the more disappointing aspects of the kit. The detail is all there. But they did a bad job of providing well formed parts. The engine mount for example is done with some spindly little bits of plastic which are difficult the align and provide no clue as to when things are in the proper position. Cooling fins on the cylinders are almost nonexistent. The crankshaft fit is sloppy in the engine housing. The list goes on.

If one were willing to invest several days in improving the engine it would make a nice display with the cowling open. But in the end I closed the cowling and moved on to the model itself. It just wasn't worth the trouble in my view.

[dennis]

Hello John, I missed this at the start but I am so pleased I have caught up. Flying one of these things must take a special breed as pointed out by Sturmbird above. It always strikes me that being in one of these was like flying a Model T Ford when every one else was flying Ferraris, they were definitley brave men. Glad to see your cutter in use, looking forward to more.

[wing_nut]

SCHWING!

[sturmbird]

Mar 20, 2017 4:16:39 GMT -5 dennis said:

Hello John, I missed this at the start but I am so pleased I have caught up. Flying one of these things must take a special breed as pointed out by Sturmbird above. It always strikes me that being in one of these was like flying a Model T Ford when every one else was flying Ferraris, they were definitley brave men. Glad to see your cutter in use, looking forward to more.

The little plane could slow down to a crawl when over head. Were prone to being shot at from K44's and machine guns, but forget the AK47 or SKS ever hitting one. When the green tracers came up, it meant instant death to the bad guys. Got so bad that the folks on the otherside issued an order to shoot anybody shooting at a FAC. I at one time had a copy of the order that came down from Giap's head quarters.
gary

[mach7]

Thats a very nice build you have going!