A-37B Dragonfly
Hi all,
This is my Cessna A-37B Dragonfly, build in 2020. This model depicted the former VNAF 516th Fighter Squadron based in Da Nang during the VN war. I replaced the kit's seats with the Quickboost seats because they represented the Vienam era seats, and they are superbly casted. I also added Airwaves interior PE to improve the canopy frames. The kit's canopy molding just don't cut it. Other than that, the rest of the build was just good old fashion brute force modeling and scratch builds to raise the model standard up. The model took over 4 months to build, off and on.
Build summary:
- Rebuilt the fuel tanks. The tank cross sections were oval. I added sheet stocks to make them rounder
- The molded filler caps on the wings were replaced with PE caps
- Addressed the dihedral wing angle. The kit's wings seem a little sagged
- Added the jet intake tubes to make them more realistic
- Added exhausts fairings. Monogram forgot them
- Added taxi light using MV lense and polished off the light cover. Added gun camera window next to the light
- Used Albion alloy tubings for the 7.62mm machine gun shroud. The kit part is awful
- Improved the FOD screens. The Airwaves parts were ok. But could use some enhancement with more wire mesh
- Improved the Napalms BLU10 with weld beads decals and PE filler caps.
- Landing gears were shortened to get the proper stand
- Added structural beams inside the airbrake
- All the louvers were replaced with Archers railroad louver decals. These planes had lots of louvers
- Markings were all painted, except the squadron logos on the tail, the stencils and shooting stars on the fuselage
- Tamiya paints custom mixed to get the SEA tactical scheme during Vietnam era.
- Napalms were painted with Alclad dull, bright aluminum, and chrome just to have different shades variation
There are some slight variations between the South Vietnamese AF than the ones used from other parts of the world. Check your reference carefully before building. Hope you like the build.
Well done model!
thanks Dan. Glad you like it
Fantastic build out of the classic Monogram kit, Tiet! Great improvements and a well documented job. Will definitely use it as a guide, upon building mine.
Welcome aboard!
Thanks Spiros. Feel free to drop a line if you need pointers.
Wow - really striking! Your elbow grease really paid off.
Thanks Greg. Indeed a lot of elbow grease involved.
Superb!
phil
thankyou Phil
Amazing looking Dragonfly, Triet @Flyingdragon
You entered this great community with an outstanding build, welcome.
Beautiful overal looks and upgrades.
Thanks John.
You did a great job with what - to me - is Monogram's worst kit, from their worst era of cheapness of design and production, the bottom of the bottom for them. A triumph of modeling skill and plain stubborn determination.
Thankyou Tom. Indeed not one of Monogram better one. But the Trumpeter's isn't much better. If it wasn't for my liking of the Tweety, I wouldn't have gone very far.
That is an inspiring build of a cool aircraft. It is amazing that it could fly with all of that ordinance.
Thanks Don. I love the Tweety Birds. That's why there's lots of efforts went into it.
Beautifully built and superbly detailed... most excellent!
Thanks Andrew.
Beautiful job!
Thanks Robert
Nice job, Triet! Welcome to iModeler.
Thankyou Gary. glad you like the build
Great finish and detailing! I love the cockpit enhancements and work on the ordinance in particular. Your mixed SEA colors for the camo look exactly right to me, also beautiful airbrush work. Thanks for the pics of the corrected wing dihedral - very useful to those of us who will build the kit one day.
This is spectacular work for your first article on iModeler. Hope to see more in the future.
Thank you Colin. Feel free to drop me a line if you need help.
@Flyingdragon, What a wonderful debut Triet! ? That is some superb scale modeling and I look forward to seeing more of your work sir! ?
Thank you Gary.
WOW! This looks like a labor of love. Excellent work on the scratch built improvements. The finish is AWESOME!