| Scale | 1/72 |
| Manufacturer | Wolfpak Decals |
| ID | 72-016 |
| Title | Seabirds & Green Hornets |
| Types Featured | E-2C, F-4G (Navy). F-4B, A-1H, UH-1F, CH-3E, UH-1N, MH-53M |
This sheet from Wolfpak Decals covers a mixture of US Navy and USAF rotorcraft - quite a mixture but some interesting subjects. The tyypes covered are the US Navy E-2C, F-4G (Navy). F-4B and A-1H, and the UH-1F, CH-3E, UH-1N and MH-53M of the 20th SOS.
The airframes covered are as follows:-
-
CH-3E 63-09676 "Black Mariah" from the 20th SOS based at Ubon RTAFB. This was a well-known airframe being painted overall black (although there is no explanation as to why!) with all markings in red;
- UH-1F-BF 64-15492 from the 20th SOS. This aircraft was involved in Operation Daniel Boone which involved inserting Special Forces teams into Cambodia during November 1968. It was painted in the standard SEA scheme of FS34079, FS34102, FS30219 and FS36622;
- UH-1P 63-13163 from the 20th SOS during 1968. The UH-1P was the designation assigned to UH-1Fs fitted with miniguns and rocket pods. It was painted identically to -15492;
- UH-1N-BF 69-6654 from the 20th SOS. This airframe was part of the "J-CATCH" programme during the late 1970s and was painted in a "Leopard" scheme of Light Green FS34102. Dark Green FS34092 and Brown FS30118 over a grey base (FS36231). When the J-CATCH trials were over, the 20th SOS retained the scheme;
- UH-1N-BF 69-6620 from the 20th SOS in South Vietnam when the UH-1N replaced the UH-1F/P during late 1970. It was painted in the standard SEA scheme (as for UH-1F 64-15492 above);
- MH-53J Pave Low III 66-14428 from the 551st SOS, 58th SOW based at Kirtland AFB during 2006. This was originally built as an HH-53B and was the first Pave Low to be retired to AMARCin December 2006;
- MH53M Pave Low IV 69-5790 from the 20th SOS based in Iraq during 2008 . This airframe was originally built as an HH-53C and subsequently converted through the various Pave Low versions. It was painted in overall FS36118.
As is normal for WolfPak, the instructions comprise a front sheet with side views printed in color, with additional 3 views in black and white. Following this are 10 pages of history and details for each aircraft together with color details and additional references.
This is another really useful sheet from WolfPak and is a must if you want to build any of the 20th SOS aircraft. A must-have reference is "Green Hornets - The History of the U.S.Air Force 20th Special Operations Squadron" by Wayne Mutza - available here.
Review by Chris St Clair
