Flag Plot

Dragon 1/72nd scale Jian Ji5 (Chinese built MiG-17 Fresco)   This model depicts a Shenyang F-5 of the 923rd Fighter Regiment of the Vietnamese Peoples' Air Force in late 1965 as piloted by Ngo Duc Mia. He was credited with at least 3 confirmed kills.  For this model, I finished it in Alclad lacquers and used the Eagle Strike decal sheet EP72066, "MiG-17 Fresco". This sheet was produced after Squadron Products bought  the "Eagle Strike"  decal line.   Here's the 2 principles of the air war in South East Asia. This is a good relative size comparison of the antagonists.  Trivia fun: The Mig-17 weighed less in this 2 tank configuration than the internal fuel load of the F-4. One's a rapier, and the other 's a battle axe!  RJ  Ref: Air War Over North Viet Nam by Istvan Toperczer, Squadron / Signal publications, Carrollton, Texas, USA, 1998.

1/72nd Scale Hasegawa SOC-3 Seagull This kit is one the first releases of this aircraft from the mid-'70s. The cockpit and engine need a little help, so I added: * The Mark's Models & Toys Starfighter-Decals cockpit resin set 72-15  * The Mark's Models & Toys E-Z Rigging set PE-08 * The Radial Wheels & Engines resin P&W-1340 Wasp engine 72-001 * And the period markings come the Yellow-Wings decal sheet 72-013  The simple wood base and kit supplied placard was painted in Navy colors and the miniature gold wings set the "Fly NAVY!"  by the-seat-of-your-pants spirit to model display.   The figure is from the CMK US Navy Pilots WW2 pilot set -72115. Our intrepid hero* adds the scale reference.  FLY NAVY!  RJ * "You came in that thing?! You're braver than I thought!",  Princess Leia