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.
Click on
images below to see larger images
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
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