This
Chinook was very much built straight out of the box. As one would normally
expects from Italeri's helicopter subject, the kit fits very well and most
importantly when finished it does look like a Chinook. I did not have any major
problem, the build was very pleasant.
The tail coded '033'
Chinook belonged to the VNAF 237th Squadron. A VNAF pilot who had flown this
aircraft, told me that '033' was one of the older air frames in the squadron and
usually had to be handled with care. This particular aircraft was
destroyed in a mid-air explosion killing all crew members on board.
Click on
images below to see larger images
Sparked by
memories of the atrocities commited by the Viet Nam People's Liberation Army (NVA)
in Huế 1968, and Quảng Trị Easter 1972 , the final
communist offensive in April 1975, caused a massive exodus of the
South Vietnamese running southward trying to escape from the Communist
'Liberation Army '. Being the largest helicopter with heavy lift
capability, VNAF Chinooks were kept very busy in the last days of South
VietNam. After military supply/heavy lift missions, flying empty
ship, on homebound leg, VNAF Chinnoks pilots often disobeyed
direct order and landed on stretch of roads, to pickup
refugees usually women and children who were so exhausted that they could
not keep up with the fleeing convoy.
I would like to
dedicate this work to the gallantry VNAF Chinook crews.
Thank you for
viewing my article and I do hope that you enjoy my work.
Hoa
Long
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