Trumpeter 1/48 A-37B Dragonfly
A nice thing in this site is that I discover models to build that I overlooked in the past.
Trumpeter's Tweet is one of them. It is a nice small kit loaded with features. However, Trumpeter is week with the details and does only part justice with the kit. In particular, the cockpit and canopy frame have much to be desired. Moreover, the small intake parts are inaccurate and difficult to fit in the fuselage. Hence, I chose to add the supplied intake covers.
I took a photograph of the aircraft displayed in the Military Museum of Ho Chi Min City. It belonged to the South Vietnamese Air Force and was repainted several times after capture. Yet, surface detail of the wing area shows that Trumpeter was true to the source.
Proof that a friend was right who told me the Trumpeter Tweet was "under-rated" - very nice work and a good result.
If I do one of these, I'd do it with VNAF markings, as one of the "Victory-Minded Squadron" - the VPAF pilots who came down to DaNang and took over six AT-37s left behind, and used them to make the attack on Tan Son Nhut Airport that closed it for evacuation, that for the past 48 years has been blamed on VNAF "defectors" because obviously the North Vietnamese "couldn't learn to fly a T-37 that fast". I got the story from the last surviving member of that group of VPAF pilots, for Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club.
Thank you Tom.
Interesting story. Yet, the poor quality of Trumpeter's kit does not motivate me to build another Tweet.
There's always the Monogram kit to show you what real "poor quality" is. 🙂
The point was about the revival of interest in previously dismissed kits. Unfortunately, my first impression was correct 😃
Excellent job on the Trumpeter kit, Rafi! Thanks for the kit info!
Thank you Spiros!
Despite the challenges with this kit, the end result is amazing, Rafi @blackmopane
Well done.
Thank you John!
I’m not sure what the term “Tweet” means these days, Rafi, but it looks as though you turned the Trumpeter kit into a more than acceptable model of the Dragonfly.
Thank you George!
Tweet was the nickname given to the basic trainer version. The operational version became the super tweet ono.
Well done, Rafi!
Thank you Gary!
Very nice. I’ve got one in 1/72-scale you’ve just inspired me to pull from the stash.
Thank you Brian.
I look forward to see you results.
Nice work Looks great
Steve
Thank you Steven.
Wow this is awesome! Really great work @blackmopane
Thank you Keith!
Nice one. I have it sitting in my stash...one day...
Thank you Chris.
Now, I know..
It just goes to show what kind of skill and talent you have to get this kind of result from a "lesser quality" kit. Outstanding job, as always.
I agree with you about this sight too. I see so many kits that I've never seen, or considered before. I have to control myself, my stash is already at the point that realistically at my build pace, I'll never get to all of them. I need to step it up!😉
Thank you Clint.
Thanks to the high costs of kits, my stash diminished to a handful of bargains, such as this Tweet.
Very nice model. I built the ancient Hasegawa 1/72 Tweet which was difficult... Yours looks amazing!
Thank you Maurits!
A lovely build of this Dragonfly. @blackmopane
Thank you John.
That is a lovely Dragonfly! I'm a fan of the A-37 - I have kits to do in all the S. American liveries that flew them.
Thank you Greg!