Medal of Honor A-1H Skyraider - Info Needed on Decals

Mar 11, 2006 7 Replies
R

I'm building a model of an A-1H Skyraider from the 602 Special Operations Squadron, 56 Special Operations Wing, which operated from Nahkon Phanom, Thailand during the Vietnam War.



On 1 September 1968, the pilot, Lt Col William A. Jones III earned the Medal of Honor supporting the rescue of a downed pilot near Ban Karai Pass in North Vietnam. Long story short, Lt Col Jones supported the rescue of the pilot repeatedly attacking anti-aircraft guns around the survivor. His plane was soon hit by anti-aircraft fire and set afire, and his radio transmitter destroyed. Rather than bail out, he elected to fly his aircraft back to Nahkon Phanom to report the survivor's position to rescue personnel despite extensive second and third degree burns to his arms, legs, face, neck, and hands.



[NOTE: Unknown to him, his parachute had been badly damaged by the fire.]

At the time of Lt Col Jones' mission the aircraft tail code was TT and the tail number was 738.



BTW, after being rebuilt, this aircraft was eventually shot down over laos on 28 September 1972 holding the distinction as the last A-1 Skyraider lost during the Vietnam War.



Does anyone know of a 1/48 scale decal sheet depicting this A-1H? I'm not having much luck finding one.



Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
E

wow, that's a damn good one to build. is there a more detailed story somewhere?

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
R

YOU BETCHA!!!

It is in the March 2006 edition of Air Force Magazine. It=92s also available on line. Go to

formatting link
and click on the link for =93Determination of a Sandy=94

There is a sad post script to the story. Jones died shortly before he was to receive the medal and his widow got it posthumously. He died in a civilian plane crash in northern Virginia. Ironically, IIRC, his widow read the speech he'd written for the award ceremony when the President presented The Medal. It's in the article.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
E

if you were responding to my post, thank you. helps if you quote a part.... damn good article.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
E

now i remember building one as a child. i seem to remember a 1/48. who's kit would that be? it was fiddly and complext if i remember right. or i was very young.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
M

Sounds a bit like Revell's old 1/40th scale kit. Lots of operating features, IIRC.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
E

that;s it! damn, you're good bill. have a pic of the one you built? is i hard to find?

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
M

Never built one but I remember one at the first hobby show I went to. A friend of mine who sells kits for fun might have one but I have no idea what they're going for. IIRC, they were re-issued in the '80s. Was that 'Masterpiece Models' from Revell?

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required