Airfix 1/72 Cessna 0-1F Bird Dog
Thought for once I would do a quick fun build over a week end. And here it is, the old Airfix 0-1 Bird Dog. What a tiny model for me to be doing. The old decals pretty much fell apart so most are from my spares box. Fit was OK but the clear parts were as thick as the bottom of a Coke bottle. The interior is very sparse but you can't really see inside either. The only thing I added were the antenna wires made from copper wire.
Gotta hand it to the pilots who flew these in Vietnam as the 0-1 was pretty much a bullet magnet. Those pilots had lots of guts but they really came thru in placing ordnance where it did the most good.
8 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Craig Abrahamson said on March 10, 2017
I see whatcha mean about the clear parts...turned out well enough, though.
Tom Bebout said on March 10, 2017
My biggest disappointment were the clear parts. Didn't have enough guts to try sanding them down.
Frank Cronin said on March 10, 2017
Tom,
I have to hand it to you for this little gem. Excellent job. I recently did an O-1 in 1/48 and I thought that was tedious. I built it for a pilot that flew it in Nam. Again I hand it to you with compliments.
Tom Bebout said on March 10, 2017
Thanks Frank, the Bird Dog is one one the reasons I mainly do 1/48 scale. Add in age and eyes and 1/32 is starting to look really good to me.
Robert Royes said on March 10, 2017
Nice little build, looks great.
Bernard E. Hackett, Jr. said on March 10, 2017
Given what you had to work with- and the only one in 72nd- great result. The 48th is kinda rare these days, though AOA actually did a decal sheet for it. Roden now has a 1/32nd, and AOA probably will make their 48th sheet bigger. I hear bad things about Roden decals.
For such a widely used aircraft, there oughta be a new kit in 72nd and 1/48th, IMHO
Tom Bebout said on March 11, 2017
Thanks Bernard, the little bird took me longer to build than I expected, mainly because because of it's size. I agree there should be at least a good 1/48 kit made of this A/C.
Greg Kittinger said on March 10, 2017
Occasionally a quick, short build is enjoyable! This one ended in a good result. Nice work.
Jeff Bailey said on March 10, 2017
Very nice, Tom. I have a friend who was a combat photographer who flew in these. His plane was shot down twice and he still has some health issues caused by the crashes. However, he liked flying in them. As long as they weren't getting shot at, of course. Yours is a sweet little fun project that looks great!
Allan J Withers said on March 11, 2017
Nicely done Tom.
Joe Caputo said on March 11, 2017
Big "atta boy" for even finishing this one, Tom, let alone making it look that good. These old Airfix kits certainly show their age (don't we all) but you did a fine job.
Tom Bebout said on March 12, 2017
Thanks Joe, would really like to see a nice 1/48 kit done of this A/C. Civilian and military versions would be interesting.
George Williams said on March 15, 2017
I never think of Cessnas as being military aircraft, but it sure makes for an attractive model, good work, especially with such an old kit and in 1/72 scale.