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Armor/AFV: Vietnam
All things Vietnam
Hosted by Darren Baker
1/35th Vietnam War era PACV
Thatguy
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Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 - 02:30 AM UTC

Quoted Text

P.S. reminds me of something else. I think it was in War Zone 2 or maybe 3 that actually brought is air boats like they used in Florida. Maybe a dozen or so, and they were all pretty much shot to pieces in no time.

The Airboat tests were initially conducted through the US Army Concept Team in Vietnam in 1964, mainly with the ARVN (ARVN 5th, 9th, and 21st Infantry Divisions and the 875th RF Company). Some were also passed for test to US Special Forces. These were later integrated into the CIDG and MIKE Force elements in IV Corps. There was a proposal to integrate them into regular US Army and ARVN units at Division level, but I'm not sure if that ever happened.
dobon68
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Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 - 04:02 AM UTC
For those interested in the use of hovercraft during the Vietnam War this site warboats.org has a short piece near the end of the page about the Navy and Army hovercraft with some nice photos.
Cheers
David
trickymissfit
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Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 - 05:04 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

P.S. reminds me of something else. I think it was in War Zone 2 or maybe 3 that actually brought is air boats like they used in Florida. Maybe a dozen or so, and they were all pretty much shot to pieces in no time.

The Airboat tests were initially conducted through the US Army Concept Team in Vietnam in 1964, mainly with the ARVN (ARVN 5th, 9th, and 21st Infantry Divisions and the 875th RF Company). Some were also passed for test to US Special Forces. These were later integrated into the CIDG and MIKE Force elements in IV Corps. There was a proposal to integrate them into regular US Army and ARVN units at Division level, but I'm not sure if that ever happened.


where ever it was that they tried to use them, they flew them out under choppers, and promptly lost two or three within five minutes (think they flew six or seven out). The whole concept was regarded as a complete failure. When you look at the boat and where everybody was setting on the thing it gives you the feeling that you are the ducks in the shooting gallery! The only thing I can thing close to being that bad was when a certain airborne outfit brought over about forty "Mules" with them thinking they could just hope on one and ride it up the road to get a block of ice! I sat there and watched them drive them out of the back of C141's, and told my first sargent (we were back on speaking terms again) that I needed one. Forty eight hours later the first one ran over a mine, and that thought was outta my head forever.
Still the PACV concept seems like a worthy idea with a proper learning curve. But not for use in rice paddies or marshes. But say running up the Perfume River at high speed I can well see it's use. But then again was it anybetter than the jet boats already in use? I doubt it
gary
Havoc
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Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 - 05:39 AM UTC
Heya, David,

Good to see you back on the case again, and continuing with the build. It is lookin' good!!

Other than the fixes you have kindly shared with us, what else do you intend to correct on the PACV?

Do you have any photos or any idea of what the stand beneath the Mk. 56 twin .50 gun tub looks like?

I've seen Saul's write up on the kit and his meticulous list of corrections on Track Links --- it is a truly great help! His info is superb --- do you know if he also has started in on the kit? Would love to see pictures of his work as well.

Detail shot of the craft --- including the original British hovercraft --- are hard to find... Interior shots of the PACV --- out side of the one black and white shot posted are are almost impossible to find. The always amazin' Frenchy managed to unearth a couple of exterior shots that I'd never seen before.

Slightly off-topic, I've got my fingers crossed that we can get Vladi at Bravo 6 to sculpt an awesome generic Navy crew that would work for PBRs, monitors, the PACV, etc.

Lastly, just out of curiosity, what were the fixes that Masterpiece Models had intended to do? I contacted Rick Lawler separately and he was very nice --- alas, he was not involved with the PACV at MM.

Keep up the good work, David!

Regards and Aloha,

Johnny B.
dobon68
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Posted: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 - 07:12 AM UTC
Johnny,
I will try and answer your questions.

Quoted Text

Other than the fixes you have kindly shared with us, what else do you intend to correct on the PACV?

Most of what I plan to do is small detailing such as adding hand rails on the roof, windows if i can figure out how to get something to look decent? and also windscreen wipers. There is a round vent on the left side of the roof which should be square, scratch the fold down boarding steps/ladders either side. Change the propeller on the back (which is very kindly being donated to me), ading a drive shaft onto the lift propeller. I'm sure there will be plenty more as I go along as well!


Quoted Text

Do you have any photos or any idea of what the stand beneath the Mk. 56 twin .50 gun tub looks like?

Short answer is no, but I've contacted the museum where they have the last PACV to see if I can get photos of the interior.


Quoted Text

I've seen Saul's write up on the kit and his meticulous list of corrections on Track Links --- it is a truly great help! His info is superb --- do you know if he also has started in on the kit? Would love to see pictures of his work as well.

Saul has had to put his kit to one side for the time being due to other commitments.


Quoted Text

Lastly, just out of curiosity, what were the fixes that Masterpiece Models had intended to do? I contacted Rick Lawler separately and he was very nice --- alas, he was not involved with the PACV at MM.

As far as I know it was going to be corrected decals and flag, corrected propeller but what else I'm not sure?
Cheers
David
Havoc
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Posted: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 - 06:54 PM UTC
Thanks a bunch, David!! Your photos and commentary on your mods to the kit are a great help --- especially since detail photos can be sooooo hard to find.

Looking forward to your continuing work on this beast!

Question: do you know what kit your donor-propellor is being sourced from? Or short of that, would you have a picture of the kit prop? I'm hoping to find something that will work in my 32nd scale spares box.

Thanks again for the response --- keep up the great work, David!

Regards and Aloha,

Johnny B.
dobon68
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Posted: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 - 10:14 AM UTC
[quote]Question: do you know what kit your donor-propellor is being sourced from? Or short of that, would you have a picture of the kit prop? I'm hoping to find something that will work in my 32nd scale spares box. quote]

Johnny,
I'm not sure of the donor kit for the replacement propellor but when I get it I will take a photo so you can see it.
David
Removed by original poster on 04/15/10 - 16:44:46 (GMT).
talib
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Posted: Thursday, April 15, 2010 - 05:44 AM UTC
Hi!

I'm building PACV and have a question: was ladders on PACV sides wood or metall??
dobon68
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Posted: Thursday, April 15, 2010 - 07:25 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I'm building PACV and have a question: was ladders on PACV sides wood or metall??

Melnikov,
I think the borading steps/ladder on the sides ne
towards the rear are metal and would fold down when being used and stored upright.
Hope this helps
David
talib
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Posted: Thursday, April 15, 2010 - 07:26 AM UTC
my build






dobon68
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Posted: Thursday, April 15, 2010 - 09:02 AM UTC
that's a very nice clean start Melnikov,
Did you have any problems getting the brass wall to fit correctly? I had a really bad time getting them and the roof to fit!
David
talib
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Posted: Friday, April 16, 2010 - 03:32 AM UTC
David, no. Roof fit easily. I wasn't syre about it, so now you see test fit of roof.
Havoc
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Posted: Friday, April 16, 2010 - 07:36 PM UTC
Thanks, David! Looking forward to the pic of your props and other improvements as you go!!

Nice work, Talib... Great to see these PACVs being built up!!

Regards and Aloha,

Johnny B.
Lagumiles
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Posted: Friday, April 16, 2010 - 08:39 PM UTC
Really nice kit, price and availability?
Thanks
Moreno
dobon68
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Posted: Friday, April 16, 2010 - 09:16 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Really nice kit, price and availability?
Thanks
Moreno

Moreno,
The kit comes from Masterpiece Models The cost is US$169
At the moment they have a sale on

Quoted Text

Customer Appreciation Sale at Masterpiece Models.
Now though April 30 ALL kits in our line purchased will receive a 20% discount off regular price. To redeem, simply enter the coupon code -- >springsale< --- during check-out.

Hope this helps
David
Lagumiles
Joined: December 30, 2003
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Posted: Saturday, April 17, 2010 - 02:36 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Really nice kit, price and availability?
Thanks
Moreno

Moreno,
The kit comes from Masterpiece Models The cost is US$169
At the moment they have a sale on

Quoted Text

Customer Appreciation Sale at Masterpiece Models.
Now though April 30 ALL kits in our line purchased will receive a 20% discount off regular price. To redeem, simply enter the coupon code -- >springsale< --- during check-out.

Hope this helps
David


Thank you, nice to see there is a 20% discount right now. I will ask for shipment expenses.
Moreno
Havoc
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Posted: Saturday, April 17, 2010 - 11:07 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Really nice kit, price and availability?
Thanks
Moreno


Heya, Moreno,

You can get the kit at Masterpiece Models directly (it is on sale now, but still not cheap) or they also sell through Ebay...

Here is the link:

http://masterpiecemodels.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3&Itemid=6

Good luck!

Regards and Aloha,

Johnny B.
dobon68
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Posted: Sunday, April 25, 2010 - 07:40 AM UTC
OK time for a little update, I haven't been able to do too much due to family commitments.
But here's what I have done.
I've repostioned the two horizontal alirons, the top one higher and the bottom one lower, I also added the extra strengthening bars to the rear assembly.

Installed the railing that stops anyone getting too near the propeller.

Added the rope/hook up points to the front.

Added handrails to the roof and made the round air vent (I think that's what it is?) square.


I've not been able to find any photos of the interior so I'm going to go with what I feel is right or looks good. If there are no photos to show how it should be then no one can say I've got it wrong
I'm going to use some seats out of an Academy Huey kit as the kit seats are very poor.

Here's a look at them temporarily in place.


That's all for now folks
Cheers
David
dobon68
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Posted: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 - 09:07 AM UTC
For those that might want the information I have found a different photo of the inside of an SR.N5 the civillian version of the PACV, the artical it's from can be found here http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1965/1965%20-%203181.html

Hope this help you?
Cheers
David
Removed by original poster on 04/27/10 - 20:15:42 (GMT).
zapper
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Posted: Wednesday, April 28, 2010 - 04:50 AM UTC
David,

Got my PACV last week so this thread will come to good use once I get started. Appreciate that you take the time to photograph and explain about the corrections you make.

Have you or anyone you know of been in contact with Bellingham International Maritime Museum ( here ) regarding obtaining reference photos of their PACV? From the picture on their site it seem to have at least some of the interior left.


I bet that you probably have most of the pictures I've collected but perhaps you'd be interested in swaping PACV information/pictures?

Looking forward to the next update.

Cheers,
/E

dobon68
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Posted: Thursday, April 29, 2010 - 12:59 AM UTC
Erik,
I did email the Bellingham International Maritime Museum but sadly I haven't received a reply to date from them. That's one of the reasons I'm doing the interior as I feel is right.
Also check your inbox for a PM.
Cheers
David
zapper
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Posted: Thursday, April 29, 2010 - 03:16 AM UTC
David,

You got mail.

Cheers,
/E
Havoc
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Posted: Thursday, April 29, 2010 - 05:15 AM UTC
Heya, David,

Thanks again for posting and photographing your improvements for the kit --- very inspiring and helpful!

I agree wholeheartedly on the scarcity of interior photos of the PACV --- they are almost impossible to come by, especially war time photos of the craft... Typical close-up detail shots are also very difficult to find as well...

I'd love to see what the cabin interior looked like below the twin .50 tub and the rear of the craft, where those radios were mounted...

I've tried to collect photos from whatever sources I can (as always the amazin' Frenchy was very helpful), be they Vietnam or civilian-based websites... Let me know if you've got an area you're looking for photos of and I'll see if I have anything.

Shame I don't commute out to D.C. anymore for work as this would have been a great excuse to go over to the National Archieves...oh well! And if I had the money, I'd take a ride up to Bellingham, WA to photograph that PACV --- I wonder how they've got it displayed and how close you can get (and if you can get inside ---longshot, I know!)

Great idea to utilize the helo-seats! Can't wait to see what you come up with next --- keep up the great work! Can't wait to see what comes next! Thanks again for taking the time to photograph and share it with us!

Regards and Aloha,

Johnny B.
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