1/72  VNAF B-57 

by Tien Pham GUC75 

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This VNAF B-57 was built long ago straight out of the box, from what model company I don't even remember :0). The extra things added on my model were South Vietnamese Air Force markings.  At that time I had no documentary picture of VNAF B-57 for references, so for convenience I decided to use the serial number decals that were provided with the kit.  That meant VNAF national insignias but USAF serial numbers; by coincidence this was the way B-57's operated in Vietnam.  A lot of times, US pilots flew their B-57 aircraft with VNAF insignias.  And as a novice, I didn't even know that I had to put weight at the nose to keep it standing horizontally if I didn't want to use a clear plastic stick (that came with the kit) to prop it up. In the photo you don't see the "ugly stick" because? man...I used photoshop to cut it out? :0). But as a painter, I combined many different techniques for the weatherworn finishing.

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The B-57 Canberra was a light tactical bomber that first entered the Vietnam war around 1964 and on August 1, 1965 four B-57 bombers were provided to the VNAF. They first flew in formation during a formal presentation ceremony held on August 9.

The training program for Vietnamese Air force pilots was started at Clark AB, later on training took place at Tan Son Nhat. After having completed the training, the crews went to Dan Nang and flew combat missions with the USAF 8th or 13th Bomb Squadrons, but the combat missions remained strictly under USAF operational control.

Unfortunately The VNAF B-57 program had a short life.  On January 8, 1966, a training accident happened in which a B-57 was destroyed, plus many physical difficulties of the crews in performing the maneuvers required in the B-57.  And to make the crews' morale even worse, on February 23, 1966 at Da Nang Major Nguyen Ngoc Bien, leader of the VNAF B-57 program, was killed in a freak ground accident.  The death of Major Bien, who was well-liked by both Vietnamese and Americans seemed to be an omen to the Canberra program.  On April 20, 1967, the VNAF B-57 operation was formally terminated.

GUC75

Photos and text © by Tien Pham