With the success of
the T-28 in "Farm Gate" in Vietnam and the might of the Skyraider,
North American began development of a Trojan with heavier payload capability.
Primarily for export to developing nations the addition of the R3350 engine and
strengthening of the airframe increased the load to that comparable to the
Skyraider. The A/T-28G also received the addition of six wing mounted cannons
and made it a formidable weapon in the COIN role. In 1968 after decades of
political turmoil in Chile and the influence of Che Guevara and fear of
communist sympathies spilling over from neighbouring Chile, the United States
decided to protect it's interests in the rich mines and oil fields of the
country by supplying the right wing military Junta with weapons. This was the
break North American needed and aided by U.S. government grants the Fuerza Area
Boliviana soon began receiving their "Cazadores." Unfortunately the
influx of American weapons did nothing to stabilize the region and the A/T-28
saw many years of distinguished service often firing upon those who had been
it's pilots only months before. Since 1982 when some semblance of consistent
democratic rule finally appeared, the Cazadore has still been in service, but
mostly against drug traffickers.
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This was the winner
of the "Latin America America-o-rama " competition on the "What
If " modeling site. Initially I was none too enthusiastic about the build
and was really struggling for inspiration, so I decided I wasn't going to waste
a "good" kit on the project and went with the ancient Monogram T-28.
You know the toy like one with giant raised detail and working landing
gear, that I had got in a job lot off Ebay and probably was going to give away
anyway. Then the idea hit me "I wonder what this would like with that old
P-47 engine I've got sitting in the parts drawer?". The fit was perfect on
three sides but there was a giant step on the bottom that had to be blended in,
but I loved the muscle car look it gave the profile instead of the ugly smashed
in bulldog look the T-28 has.
The cockpit involved
alot of scratchbuilding, complete ejection seats and added bits here and
there to busy it up. I was planning on using the kit decals for the instrument
panels but lost them somewhere along the way. So I tried something new,
took a piece of paper scribbled on it with a pen and some coloured markers and
then just cut to fit and white glued it to the instrument panels. Simple yet
effective.
The paint was a mixture of my
trusty Wal -mart equipment Grey primer for the underside and Misterkit acrylics
in RAF Sky, dark earth and RLM Schwarzgrun for the camouflage. Decals
were from a set of Aero-Club Bolivian T-33. Weathered with a pastel wash, still
trying to get the hang of effective washes. Gun and exhaust stains were a new
method I tried which is so simple, I can't believe it's my idea, yet I've never
seen it anywhere else. I just took the chalk pastel, drew directly on the model
and smudged it with my fingertips. Repeat till you get the desired shade!
A Great example of how even a
supposed "bad" kit that initially doesn't hold much interest can turn
into something you are proud of.
Leigh
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