The B-57B was saved from retirement by the Gulf of Tonkin incident to become
the first jet aircraft to deploy to Vietnam. The 13th BG, comprising
the 8th and 13th TBS’s, deployed from Yokota AFB through
Clark AFB to Bien Hoa in August 1964. Initially they were restricted to unarmed
reconnaissance missions but were released to combat missions in February 1965,
conducting day and night interdiction missions against targets in the North
until October 1966. The 3rd BG then moved to Phan Rang were it
operated alongside the RAAF’s 2 Sqn B.20’s in the "Iron Triangle".
In 1968 the 13th TBS stood down leaving only the 8th TBS,
whose mission had returned to night interdiction along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
By mid-1969, the 8th had only 9 serviceable aircraft and the decision
was made to withdraw the B-57 from active service. The surviving aircraft
returned to the US and storage at Davis Monthan. This aircraft was one of
16 recalled to active service to be modified as a B-57G and serve a second tour
in Vietnam between 1970 and 1972, returning to the US to serve with the Kansas
ANG until 1974.
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The Italeri kit
features finely raised panel lines and decals by Zanchetti. The molded on
seat belts were removed and replaced by ones made from lead foil. Some
wiring and switches were added to the cockpit as well. The elevators were
separated from the horizontal stabilizers and slightly drooped. Everything
else that is "hanging", flaps, speed brakes and bomb bay, are options
in the kit. There are a couple of things to watch for during construction.
First, when opening the holes for the wing pylons, the outboard pair is for the
rockets, not used on the Vietnam versions, and the inboard pair is for the
bombs, applicable on all versions. Second, the painting instructions for
the 8th TBS SEA scheme has the Dark Tan and Medium Green areas
switched (from photographs that I found) and the Dark Green called out as 34097
instead of 34079.
Richard
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