[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by FlankerFury

Another similar propeller driven, ground attack plane that comes to mind is the Douglas A-1 Skyraider.

It too was developed in the 1940's (unlike the Shturmovik, the Skyraider entered service after WWII was over.) and served upto the 70's.

Fantastic plane! I think I read somewhere it served with the Gabon airforce till the mid 80s?

There are less than half a dozen of them left in airworthy condition. I have seen them fly in the US during air shows. BIG long plane for its days!

Jeroen

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by FlankerFury

Which other Air Force bolted a turbojet to their Packetts? USAF? I'm guessing these were flown overloaded in Vietnam or piston engines were simply too slow.

The USAF's AC-119 Gunships (predecessor of the AC-130 Gunship) had two under wing mounted "jet packs" for Gunship operations in Vietnam. Other than the IAF, which was using that dorsal jet pack specially for operations in the Himalayan region, no other Air Force adopted that modification (a few civilian C-119s in the US were modified with the jetpack though).

It was found that a fully loaded AC-119 was grossly underpowered for the Gunship role and it could not even maintain altitude on a single engine. The jet packs on the AC-119 not only solved the issue, it also enabled the AC-119 to take off from short runways fully loaded with ammunition.

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

IL-2 Shturmovik :: USSR, Eastern Front WW-II :: Tamiya, 1:72

I'm posting on this thread with my on photos after 2 years. Hope to show off many more over the coming months.

Data Box

Welcome back Comrade. Thats a marvellous addition to your collection, Mother Russia and Putin will approve Looking at the markings on the fuselage this aircraft seems to have special markings for some commemorative even.

The port side fixed forward-firing 7.62×54mmR ShKAS machine gun has taken a little battle damage!

Originally Posted by skanchan95

Years later and in the early 2000s, as a tribute to the IL-2, there was PC flight simulator released named after the IL-2 titled "IL-2 Sturmovik" based on the IL-2's role in WW2, and later many sequels were released under the same title. It used to be one of the most popular flight sim titles in those days.

I actually first found out about this aircraft from this game. I think I researched about the aircraft after playing the game as the I had never heard of it before in the 2000s.

[skanchan95]

1:72 M48A3 Patton III , USMC 1st Tank Btn, Danang, Vietnam, 1968


The M48 Patton is a main battle tank (MBT) that was designed in the United States. It was the third tank(after M46 & M47) to be officially named after General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. Third Army during World War II and one of the earliest American advocates for the use of tanks in battle. It was a further development of the M47 Patton tank. The M48 Patton was in U.S. service until replaced by the M60 and served as the U.S. Army and Marine Corps's primary battle tank in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It was widely used by U.S. Cold War allies, especially other NATO countries.

The rectangular light mounted above the 90mm cannon of the M48 Patton tank, commonly seen during the Vietnam War, served multiple purposes. Primarily, it was an infrared (IR) searchlight used for night operations. This light enabled the tank crew to illuminate targets that were otherwise invisible in the dark, particularly in combat situations.

During the daytime, the light was often covered or retracted to prevent it from being damaged or to avoid detection. The cover also helped reduce glare and maintain a lower profile for the tank, which was crucial for its survivability in combat.

Additionally, the IR searchlight could assist in targeting for night vision equipment, allowing the crew to engage enemy positions after dark. Overall, it was a valuable tool for enhancing the combat effectiveness of the M48 Patton tank during night operations in Vietnam.

The M48 saw extensive action with the US military during the Vietnam War. Over 600 Pattons would be deployed with US forces during that war.The M48 Patton has the distinction of playing a unique role in an event that was destined to radically alter the conduct of armored warfare. When US forces commenced redeployment operations, many of the M48A3 Pattons were turned over to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN/South Vietnam Army) forces, in particular creating the battalion-sized ARVN 20th Tank Regiment, which supplemented their M41 Walker Bulldog units. During the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) Easter Offensive in 1972, tank clashes between PAVN T-54/PT-76 and ARVN M48/M41 units became commonplace.

On 23 April 1972, tankers of the South Vietnam Army's 20th Tank Regiment were attacked by a PAVN infantry-tank team, which was equipped with the new 9M14M Malyutka (NATO designation: Sagger) wire-guided anti-tank missile. During this battle, one M48A3 Patton tank and one M113 Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle (ACAV) were destroyed, becoming the first losses to the Sagger missile; losses that would echo on an even larger scale a year later during the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East in 1973. By 2 May, the 20th Tank Regiment had lost all of their tanks to enemy fire.During the first month of the First Battle of Quảng Trị, all ARVN M48 Pattons (100 tanks) were lost.

M47s and M48s were used in tank warfare by the Pakistan Army against the Indian Army's Soviet T-55s, British Centurions and US M4 Sherman tanks in both the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 as well as the following war in 1971.Pakistan's Patton tank failed to live up to its high expectations in the Battle of Asal Uttar in September 1965, where about 97 Pakistani tanks were lost, the majority of them being Pattons (M47s and M48s). DUring the 1971 war, a counterattack led by Pakistan Army's 13th Lancers and the 31st Cavalry army units was defeated by the Indian 54th Division around Battle of Barapind in December 1971. The Pakistan Army Patton tanks could not stop an assault by Indian T-55 tanks of the 2nd Armored Brigade. At least 9 of the Pattons were destroyed by T-55 tanks during the battle of Nainakot. It total, more than 80 Pakistani Pattons were knocked out during the war, mainly by Centurion and T-55 fire.

India later set up a temporary war-memorial so named "Patton Nagar" (or "Patton City") in Khemkaran District in Punjab, where the captured Pakistani Patton tanks were displayed for a short period of time before being scrapped or sent all across India for use as war monuments and military memorials.

Specifications
Designer: Chrysler Defense Engineering
Designed: 1950
Mass: 49.6 short tons (44.3 long tons; 45.0 t)
Length: 9.3 m (30 ft 6 in)
Width: 3.65 m (12 ft 0 in)
Height: 3.1 m (10 ft 2 in)
Crew: Four (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver)

Armor
Upper glacis
110 mm (4.3 in) at 60°
220 mm (8.7 in) LoS
Turret front
178 mm (7.0 in) at 0°

Main Armament : 90mm M41/T139 gun
Secondary Armament : .50 cal (12.7 mm) in M1 commander's cupola, M37/T153 Machine gun

Engine : Continental AVDS-1790 V12, air-cooled, twin-turbo, diesel engine 750 hp (560 kW)
Power/weight: 16.6 hp (12.4 kW)/tonne

Transmission: Allison CD-850-4A or CD-850-4B. Two forward ranges, One reverse
Suspension: Torsion bar suspension
Ground clearance : 16 in (0.41 m)
Fuel capacity: 300 US gal (1,100 L)
Operational Range : 463 km (288 mi)
Maximum speed: 30 mph (48 km/h)


This M48 is tank number 34 from Company C, 1st Tank Batallion, USMC and is depicted in the markings it had during Operation Pipestone Canyon. The 1st tanks used a battalion symbol of a yellow shield with the inscription ITK applied in red when they were in Vietnam.

[skanchan95]

1:72 Boeing MH-47G Chinook, 04-3740, 160th SOAR "Night Stalkers", US Army
The Boeing MH-47G Chinook has many of the features of the modern CH-47F, but differs from its sister model with the incorporation of combat systems designed to make the helicopter more survivable on missions deep into enemy territory, at night and while flying at low level. It is primarily used for the insertion, extraction and resupply of Special Forces troops. The first new-build MH-47G helicopter was delivered to the U.S. Army in 2014.

The MH-47 also has in-flight refueling capability for long-range insertions. The helicopter can be used for parachute insertion, fast rope insertion and water insertion of special operations troops.The MH-47G’s fully integrated digital Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) permits global communications and navigation. CAAS is among the most advanced U.S. Army helicopter systems. CAAS includes integrated forward-looking infrared (FLIR) and multimode radar for nap-of-the-earth and low-level flight operations in conditions of extremely poor visibility and adverse weather. Today’s MH-47Gs contain a fully integrated digital cockpit management system, long-range fuel tanks and advanced cargo-handling capabilities that complement the aircraft’s mission performance and handling characteristics.

The MH-47G combines many proven Chinook systems and features. Notable among these are fuel tanks providing twice the capacity of the CH-47F and an in-flight refueling system. MH-47Gs are remanufactured on the common MH-47G/CH-47F production line. The Chinook has been in U.S. Army service since 1962, and the current CH-47F/MH- 47G modernization programs, which includes a mix of remanufactured and new aircraft, will ensure this tandem rotor helicopter remains in the Army fleet at least through the 2030s.

The MH-47G Chinook helicopter can be fitted with internal fuel bladders to act as a static refueling point for other aircraft. This is known as a "Fat Cow" operation.

Its wide-loading ramp can be opened in-flight for paratroopers, and three cargo hooks can extend through a floor hatch, which allows the Chinook to be used as a flying crane.

MH-47G Sensors
AN/ZSQ-2 EOSS - A forward-looking infrared (FLIR) and electro-optical camera mounting in a bubble under the helicopter's chin enables the pilots to fly low level, at night and in marginal weather
AN/APQ-174B Multi-mode Radar 'Silent Knight' multi-mode radar. The MH-47's radar features terrain-following, terrain-avoidance and weather detection modes

Chinook's tandem rotor configuration

A tandem-rotor aircraft is an aircraft with two large helicopter rotor assemblies mounted one in front of the other in the horizontal plane. This configuration is mainly used for large cargo helicopters.
Single-rotor helicopters need a mechanism to neutralize the yawing movement produced by the single large rotor. This is commonly accomplished by a tail rotor, coaxial rotors, and the NOTAR systems. Tandem-rotor helicopters, however, use counter-rotating rotors, with each cancelling out the other's torque. Therefore, all of the power from the engines can be used for lift, whereas a single-rotor helicopter uses some of the engine power to counter the torque.Tandem-rotor helicopters typically require less power to hover and achieve low-speed flight as compared to single-rotor helicopters.

160th SOAR "Nightstalkers"
The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) "Nightstalkers", abbreviated as 160th SOAR (A), is a special operations force of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for special operations forces. Its missions have included attack, assault, and reconnaissance, and these missions are usually conducted at night, at high speeds, low altitudes, and on short notice.

The 160th SOAR consists of some of the US Army's best-qualified aviators, crew chiefs, and support soldiers. The 160th SOAR has participated in operations all around the world over the years including the Gulf War, Panama invasion, Somalia, Afghanistan etc.

Nicknamed the Night Stalkers and called Task Force Brown within the JSOC, the 160th SOAR(A) is headquartered at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The 160th SOAR operates a fleet of MH-47G Chinooks, MH-60L/M Black Hawks and AH/MH-6 Little Birds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-Eo9O0q26k

Specifications
Crew: Pilot, Co-pilot + 3 crew chiefs/gunners
Engines: 2 x Textron Lycoming T55-4-714 Turboshaft engines
Dimensions
L - 15.87m
W (rotor diameter) - 18.82m
H - 5.59m

Weights
12,210 kg (empty)
24,494 kg (max loadout)

Max Speed: 259 kmph
Range: 1382 km

Armament:
4 gun stations (port/starboard front and rear) :
2 x M134 7.62mm miniguns (front)
2 x M240D 7.62mm machine gun (rear)






MH-47s are armed with M134 7.62mm electrically-operated, air-cooled gatling guns, fitted in firing the left port/ right cabin door aft of the cockpit. E/G models also have M240 7.62mm belt-fed machine guns fitted to windows towards the rear.


MH-47G uses 2 T55-GA-714A engines with IES-47 Infrared Exhaust Suppressors fitted to reduce the helicopter's IR visibility.












The multimode radar visible along the aircraft's forward-left fuselage. This piece of kit includes a terrain-avoidance and terrain-following radar, data from which is displayed on the cockpit's MFDs, allowing the pilots to navigate at low level over land and water in low visibility conditions. The most current version of this radar is the AN/APQ-187 SilentKnight.












This port can be opened up fully to create a doorway from which troops can fast-rope down to the ground or a M134 minigun can be mounted too. Note the winch fitted over the doorway. This can be used to lift individual troops up into the aircraft. A rope ladder can also be fitted here.
















The Cabin detailing

[skanchan95]

The Nightstalkers
NSDQ - Night Stalkers Don't Quit
Two of the helicopters operated by the 160th SOAR - MH-47G Chinook & MH-60L Blackhawk

[BlackBeard]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

1:72 Boeing MH-47G Chinook, 04-3740, 160th SOAR "Night Stalkers", US Army

My..My..you out do yourself with every new post....

Is there any aircraft type that you do not have models of?

What is that railing type arrangement on the port side fuselage of the Chinook above the port holes?

I must now ask Basuroy to fast track my Chinook build in IAF colours....

Originally Posted by skanchan95

The Nightstalkers
NSDQ - Night Stalkers Don't Quit

The name Michael Durant rings a bell, wasn't he the Black hawk pilot captured by the Somalis during the mission to capture Aidid in Mogadishu?

[FlankerFury]

Originally Posted by BlackBeard

What is that railing type arrangement on the port side fuselage of the Chinook above the port holes?

You mean this?


Read somewhere that it's an HF radio antenna. It's fondly called "towel rack"

Originally Posted by BlackBeard

The name Michael Durant rings a bell, wasn't he the Black hawk pilot captured by the Somalis during the mission to capture Aidid in Mogadishu?

Indeed, he was captured by Somali militias after his MH-60 Black Hawk was shot down by an RPG. The movie, "Black Hawk Down" includes the shoot down and the rescue scene.

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

1:72 Boeing MH-47G Chinook, 04-3740, 160th SOAR "Night Stalkers", US Army

You are building quite a collection of helicopters! The detailing on that model is fantastic, they have even included the pilots. The Chinook is a classic in Hollywood movies and its hard to believe it first flew more that 50 years ago.

There is a US Navy base very close to where I live and military aircraft and helicopters frequently fly by. I caught these 4 helicopters flying by because of the noise they were making, I believe they were some variants of Chinooks.

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by BlackBeard

My..My..you out do yourself with every new post....

Is there any aircraft type that you do not have models of?

Thank you.

Well, I try to acquire models that interest me or have read about in books or seen in movies/documentaries. If the model is in the colors of a famous squadron or unit- nothing like it!

Originally Posted by BlackBeard

What is that railing type arrangement on the port side fuselage of the Chinook above the port holes?

As per the cutaway drawing of the MH-47G I posted in my post, it is the AN/ARC-220(V)2 HF Antenna, designed for over-the-horizon communications using the HF band. You can see that antenna in a similar configuration on the tail booms of the MH-60, AH-64E etc.



This Antenna varies on different models of the Chinook. On the RAF and Argentine Chinooks we saw in the Falklands conflict, this antenna was a series of individual pin like antennas(unconnected to each other) sticking out of the fuselage.



The Australian CH-47F I have in my collection has similar antenna configuration. That reminds me have to do a photoshoot of both the Chinooks together.

Originally Posted by BlackBeard

The name Michael Durant rings a bell, wasn't he the Black hawk pilot captured by the Somalis during the mission to capture Aidid in Mogadishu?

Yes, he was the pilot and lone survivor on board the second Black Hawk that was came down in downtown Mogadishu during that raid - Super 6-4 "Venom". He also wrote another book titled "In the Company of Heroes" where he described in detail his career as a Nightstalker Black Hawk pilot and the events that preceded and followed the crash of his Black Hawk in Mogadishu.


Unlike in the movie, where it was shown that all three of his crew had died on impact, the truth was all of them had initially survived the crash with varying degrees of injuries. His co-pilot CWO4 Raymond "Ironman" Frank despite being badly injured, left the cockpit armed with his MP5 to defend the crash site. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star. CWO4 Mike Durant could not move from his seat after injuring his back badly. While he fought from his seat, he was pulled out of the wreckage by MSgt Gary Gordon and SFC Randy Shugart who had volunteered to help defend the crash site and were dropped near the crash site by Super 6-2, which was providing overwatch over the Super 6-4 crash site. It too got hit soon after and crash landed some distance away at a safe place. With no overhead cover, the crash site was overrun and all except CWO4 Mike Durant, were killed in battle.

The model of the Black Hawk "Gunslinger" you see in the previous post , Callsign Super 6-6 flown by CWO3 Stan Wood & CWO4 Gary Fuller, took part in that raid and was damaged later that day. It's crew were awarded gallantry medals for completing a resupply mission under fire , delivering supplies to besieged US soldiers that evening.

[BlackBeard]

Originally Posted by FlankerFury

Indeed, he was captured by Somali militias after his MH-60 Black Hawk was shot down by an RPG. The movie, "Black Hawk Down" includes the shoot down and the rescue scene.

Originally Posted by skanchan95

With no overhead cover, the crash site was overrun and all except CWO4 Mike Durant, were killed in battle.

Black Hawk Down - I have not read the book but have watched the movie many times. Have you seen the interview of Maj. Jeff Struecker of the US Army Rangers who later on became a priest? he had some interesting things to say about the UN Pakistani army team sent to rescue them....

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by BlackBeard

Black Hawk Down - I have not read the book but have watched the movie many times.

The true account of that incident was written in the book "Black Hawk Down" by Mark Bowden.


The way Sgt Dominic Pilla - the first casualty that day is described graphically in that book, so are the other deaths - including the terrible fate of Super 6-1's crew.


"Hey Bull, You gonna pull those PCLs offline or what?", "Right, babe" - you would remember those dialogues said by the actors who played the roles of CWO4 Cliff "Elvis" Wolcott & CWO3 Donovan "Bull" Briley - crew of Super 6-1 - the first Black Hawk that went down that day.


While I too have watched movie many times and even have a DVD of the movie, it was this book that I have read over and over again. I have played the PC game titled Delta FOrce : Black Hawk Down too many times.

Originally Posted by BlackBeard

Have you seen the interview of Maj. Jeff Struecker of the US Army Rangers who later on became a priest? he had some interesting things to say about the UN Pakistani army team sent to rescue them....

No I haven't. Is there a Link to the video? I do remember when the movie was released in the early 2000s, that Musharraf was quite annoyed because it depicted Pakistanis as "Water boys" at the end of the movie


Chinooks
The standard CH-47F and Spec-ops configured MH-47G

[FlankerFury]

Originally Posted by BlackBeard

Have you seen the interview of Maj. Jeff Struecker of the US Army Rangers who later on became a priest? he had some interesting things to say about the UN Pakistani army team sent to rescue them....

No I have not, can you share the link for it please.

Originally Posted by skanchan95

I have played the PC game titled Delta FOrce : Black Hawk Down too many times.

I still have this on my PC, it took a LOT of tries to figure out where the RPGs were fired from , especially in that mission where the player is perched outside of a Little Bird helicopter, thankfully the NPCs never changed their positions.
Unfortunately my device has some trouble loading the mission titled, "Irene". The game simply shuts itself down when I launch it

[BlackBeard]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

No I haven't. Is there a Link to the video? I do remember when the movie was released in the early 2000s, that Musharraf was quite annoyed because it depicted Pakistanis as "Water boys" at the end of the movie

Originally Posted by FlankerFury

No I have not, can you share the link for it please.

Found it, do pay close attention from 33 mins on wards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFoefxX3rb8&t=2848s

Similar experience faced by Maj. Samar Toor of the Indian army with the Pakistanis in Sudan....

[blahman]

Hi all! Can you please share any reliable websites to buy 1:200 Scale models from? I've found 2 manufacturers for 1:200 scale,i.e Hogan Wings M series & Herpa Military, but just finding them on ebay. Just looking to start buying 1:200 & 1:144 Military models only.

Also, are there any Airports or military base diorama mats/sheets in 1:200 size? Finding only Gemini 1:400 ones but that'll be too small for the models I'm planning to buy. Thanks in advance!