The incredible Super Tweet!

[Adam the Akrodude]

Inspired by some pic's Ross posted of the L-39, I thought I'd post a tribute to one incredible little jet fighter - the Cessna A-37 "Super Tweet". This little fighter rose to fame in the Vietnam War. It was a brilliant COIN/light strike fighter - it's great thrust to weight ratio meant it could haul a lot of stuff to drop on the bad guys. Anyway, if interested, have a read of this article.

http://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/legends-of-vietnam-super-tweet-8974282/?page=1



A few years ago when I got to visit and do some work at the Temora Aviation Museum (Aviation Heaven on Earth!), their Super Tweet was just coming out of it's Annual and they fired it up - brilliant! This is David Lowy's personal fun machine and unique in being custom fitted with MB bang seats. How's this for having lots of money, they sent a A-37 fuselage to MB in the UK for ejection seat trials!







Please excuse my indulgence for promoting this little jet that could! I think it was one of the unsung heroes of the Vietnam War. Of course this means I have to buy the new Trumpeter 1/48 kit, bling it up with a AM cockpit, etc!

Cheers

Adam

[Adam the Akrodude]

Ah crap! So inspired myself I've just bought the Trumpeter A-37A to do a "Combat Dragon" Super Tweet - ARGH! Why am I so weak?

[RHB785]

Hi Adam. Are you going to fit MB Mk. Whatever seats to this model? Will you have to scratch build them? Years ago in one of my modelling mags there was a modeller in the UK who used to build his own bang seats in 1/72 scale. About 120 separate parts in each seat. That's what I call dedication.

Regards,
RHB.

[Adam the Akrodude]

Hi Ross

No it will be a standard A-37A circa 1967, Bien Hoa Air Base, 1967. I guess I have a slight preference for the "A" model as it was the first - looks a little cleaner than the "B" model without the in-flight refuelling probe.

From Wiki

In August 1967, 25 A-37As were sent to Vietnam under the "Combat Dragon" evaluation program, and flew from Bien Hoa Air Base on USAF "air commando" missions, including close air support, helicopter escort, FAC, and night interdiction. Combat loads included high-explosive bombs, cluster munition dispensers, unguided rocket packs, napalm tanks, and the SUU-11/A Minigun pod. For most missions, the aircraft also carried two additional external fuel tanks on the inner stores pylons.

During this period, the A-37As flew thousands of sorties. None were lost to enemy fire, although two were wrecked in landing accidents. The A-37A was formally named the "Dragonfly", but most pilots called it the "Super Tweet". The Combat Dragon program was successful, but unsurprisingly the combat evaluation revealed some of the deficiencies of the A-37A. The most noticeable problem was that the aircraft lacked range and endurance. Other concerns were heavy control response during attack runs (the flight controls were not power-boosted) and the vulnerability of the aircraft's non-redundant flight control system.


I've a "thing" for the air war over Vietnam. Just a kid when all this was going on, but I do remember seeing it on the 6:30PM news pretty well every night and still recall chatting to my father when Saigon fell in 1975. I must visit Vietnam one day. I've built a 1/48 A-1J "Sandy" and a 1/32 F-105D - below. I want to add to the collection with a T-28D, A-26K and the A-37A now as discussed. I was the most motivated I've ever been building the A-1J and the 105. I've a small library at home on the air war over Vietnam - many over the North (RP6).

My A-1J



The "5"



With the issues I'm battling with my Trumpy Me-262, I'm finding it hard to get motivated to finish it - it's a bloody chore at the moment trying to fix warped LE slats, sink marks in the top of the wings - annoying stuff! So, I'm easily distracted from finishing this, but I must.

Cheers

Adam

[RHB785]

They both look beautiful Adam. I especially like the F-105. Because I work almost entirely in 1/72 I have the Monogram and Airfix 1/72 kits.

Regards,
RHB.

[Adam the Akrodude]

Hi Ross

That 105 cost me a small fortune to get right. The Trumpeter kit is so wrong in many areas (nose, canopy, intakes, lower dorsal fin) and the detail is terrible in the cockpit and wheel wells. Still, it's the only game in town if you want a 1/32 "Thud". So, unless you have an absolute passion for this aeroplane (which I do), I would not recommend this kit. I think the Hobby Boss F-105 kit isn't too bad if you want a larger F-105. Not bought this kit, but have seen some built and they look pretty good.

If I was building a 1/72 "older" F-105 kit - Monogram or Airfix with raised panel lines, I'd probably sand those panel lines smooth, or perhaps near smooth - not even bothering to re-scribe (would be too heavy in 1/72 in any case). Monogram usually have great overall dimensions and shape with their kits don't they, as does Airfix. Be interesting to compare the Monogram 105 with the Airfix offering - shape and dimensions. I built the 1/48 Airfix E.E Lightning F.1 and it's overall shape and dimensions seem pretty good - my only recent foray into building a Airfix kit since I was a kid.

BTW, I'm a totally F-105 nut! Read almost every book written by those that flew this magnificent flying beast into the hell over Nth Vietnam. I even have a 105 throttle assembly (weighs half a ton!). It's a pretty sophisticated piece of kit - controls the flaps, speed brakes, mike button, etc.

So, if you need any references for a particular 105, let me know. I may just have something I can pass on to you.

Cheers

Adam

[RHB785]

Thank you for the kind offer Adam. I might just take you up on that sometime in the future.

Regards,
RHB.