1/48 Model USA O-1A Bird Dog

VNAF

by Danny Dinh

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Here is my Model USA O-1A / L-19 Bird Dog.  I built this kit straight from the box.  This is my first ever model aircraft that I have built. 

This model represents Major Bung Ly’s aircraft from the VNAF’s 114th Fighting Squadron.  This aircraft successfully landed on the USS Midway on the black April month of 1975 without a tail-hook and carrying his wife and 5 children.

This model was hard to build since the kit has lots of flash and almost none of parts have a perfect fit.  I had to do a lot of fillings and sanding in order to have a half-way decent fit.  The model was spray painted with Tamiya paint.  Overall, I had a lot of fun building this aircraft.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

My uncle is my biggest inspiration to build aircraft.  He flew this particular aircraft during his early years with the VNAF.  He later became an A-37B Dragonfly instructor based out of Phan Rang during his latter years as a VNAF pilot.

Thanks for looking at my O-1A Bird Dog.  Enjoy!
Danny

Photos and text © by Danny Dinh