1/72 Hobbycraft DHC-4 Caribou- Goats, Chickens, Beans and Bullets
The C-130 Hercules gets all the glory for the role it has and continues to play in the arena of tactical airlift. Perhaps less well known but, not insignificant, is the humble De Haviland of Canida, Caribou. It is smaller than the 130 and even more capable of landing on short, unimproved landing strips. Special Operations Forces, the Green Berets and other SOG teams, had bare bones forward operating bases in Vietnam. The needed an aerial logistics supply trian not reliant on dangerous ground transportation. The US Army fulfilled this requirement with the DHC-4 Caribou. Born out of the Canadian wilderness, with strong bush plane roots, note the Otter and twin Otter, the Caribou was more than capable. When the USAF took notice of the Army flying a fixed wing cargo aircraft, they became apoplectic. The demand went to the service component secretaries and the DHC-4 became the Air Forces C-7A Caribou, which flew with reserve units into the 1980's.
I decided to build this aircraft based on a 1/72 scale Caracal Decals set (see photo). I liked the overall olive drab, high visibility scheme. The Hobbycraft kit provides good bones for a model but, it should be noted that the cargo area is void of detail and so is the cockpit. I bought an aftermarket cockpit set, search on 1/72 DHC-4 Caribou cockpit, it includes resin, printed photo etch and an accurate shaped vacuform canopy!
The cockpit set was expensive but, in my opinion, was well worth it. I included in one of the photos, the instructon sheet for the cockpit set.
Very cool model, James (@jbpruitt). Your model brings back a lot of memories. These were still flying when I first became a pilot in the Air Force. They were always fun to watch. Well done.
Thank you, George. I joined the Air Force in 1987 and so never remember seeing a Caribou in flight.
Excellent job and fantastic result, James! Good move to go far an aftermarket cockpit and canopy. You are absolutely right about the Caribou: it is so well suited for operating from short, unprepared strips. A real workhorse.
Thank you Spiros, work horse indeed!
4th Fighter Group WW2 ace Steve Pisanos took command of the USAF squadron flying the C-7s in Vietnam - the unit had bad morale from losses that he determined were from poor training on the airplane. He instituted a training program and also some Don Blakeslee WW2-variety leadership, and turned things around during his time with the squadron. As he told me, it lasted after he left.
Nice work on this.
Very interesting Tom. I read S well, in the book Caribou Airlines, that the Army's maintenance practices with the DHC-4 were decidedly subpar. They would fly with flight critical maintenance squaks that would have the tail red X'd, non-flyble pending repair, by AF personnel.
You did a beautiful job on this Caribou, James @jbpruitt
Looks very good.
Thank you for your kind words.
Nice DHC-4, James.
Great to see this rarely seen kit built, and finished so well.
Thank you, George.
Excellent build! Love the elegant lines of the Caribou.
Thanks Greg, me too!
Nice build. Brings back some memories, made a few jumps from Caribous and the turbine variant known as the Buffalo.
I like the turbo prop Buffalo, especially in the bright RCAF yellow livery!
Nice work, James. You never see these built.
I built mine long ago, posted here somewhere, I got the colours reversed so used the kit decals till it gets a repaint !
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
1. kit decals.
Your bird looks great in these colors and you may be the only one to notice the color reversal.
Looks great! Nice job on this Caribou. @jbpruitt
Nicely done James, the Caribou always put on a great display at airshows.
I think there is at least one still flying. I would really enjoy the opportunity to see it in the air!
They were retired from RAAF service in 2009, HARS acquired two in 2011, both airworthy, -----
I've already stripped the decals off mine and have a set of anniversary decals for it, just need to get on with the repaint !
2 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Super nice work on this lesser known tatical air lifter. I always thought rhey were a really cool plane, and there capablelitys were pretty impressive. Great build.
Thanks Clint!
🙂 ... Greetings ... 🙂 :
Nice and decent looking work on this model, James.
Very rarely seen and yet you have given it a dignified stance, good work.
Thank you, sir!
Good work on this nice looking model, James.
Nice one. Funnily enough the RAF tried something similar by trying to stop my lot (Army Air Corps) procuring the DHC2 Beaver based on a weight limit. The MOD of the time got tired of the whining and just told the Army to get on with it...and the rest is history. And they have been trying to derail both Army and Naval aviation ever since...ah well.