Flying Tigers https://www.flying-tigers.co.uk Diecast Model Specialists - Model Aeroplanes Thu, 22 Aug 2024 16:20:12 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.2.17 Daniel “Chappie” James Jr., Hobbymaster & Corgi Aviation Archive Arrivals and Updates! https://www.flying-tigers.co.uk/2024/daniel-chappie-james-jr-hobbymaster-corgi-aviation-archive-arrivals-and-updates/ https://www.flying-tigers.co.uk/2024/daniel-chappie-james-jr-hobbymaster-corgi-aviation-archive-arrivals-and-updates/#respond Thu, 22 Aug 2024 05:36:42 +0000 https://www.flying-tigers.co.uk/?p=117686   Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. (February 11th, 1920 – February 25th, 1978) was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force who, in 1975, became the first African American to reach the rank of four-star general in the United States Armed Forces. Three years later, James was forced to retire prematurely due to heart […]

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General Daniel “Chappie” James, Jr., United States Air Force

 

Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. (February 11th, 1920 – February 25th, 1978) was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force who, in 1975, became the first African American to reach the rank of four-star general in the United States Armed Forces. Three years later, James was forced to retire prematurely due to heart issues, just weeks before he died of a heart attack.

James attended the famous Tuskegee Institute and instructed African American pilots during World War II. He flew combat missions during the Korean War and Vietnam War, and received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two Air Force Distinguished Service Medals, two Legions of Merit, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Meritorious Service Medal, and fourteen Air Medals.

Biography

Early life and education

Daniel James Jr. was born on February 11, 1920, to Daniel and Lillie Anna (Brown) James. Daniel James Sr. worked for the Pensacola city gas company, while his mother, Lillie Anna James, was a high school teacher who established a private school for her own and other Black children in Pensacola, Florida. His mother would continue to run the “Lillie A James School” until her death at the age of 82. James graduated from the Tuskegee Institute, a precursor to Tuskegee University, in 1942, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education.

Military career

World War II

James continued civilian pilot training under the government-sponsored Civilian Pilot Training Program. He then enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the United States Army Air Forces on January 18th, 1943, receiving his commission as a second lieutenant and pilot wings at Tuskegee Army Airfield, Alabama, on July 28th, 1943. He remained at Tuskegee as a civilian instructor pilot in the Army Air Corps later that July. Throughout the remainder of the war, James trained pilots for the all-Black 99th Pursuit Squadron.

After completing P-40 Warhawk training and then B-25 Mitchell training, James served as a B-25 pilot with the 617th Bomb Squadron of the 477th Bomb Group at Godman Army Airfield and then at Lockbourne Army Airfield from January 1944 until the end of the war.

While arrested for participating in the Freeman Field mutiny, James smuggled out press releases written by Coleman Young. James did not see combat himself until the Korean War.

While serving in Lockbourne, James next served as a P-47 Thunderbolt pilot with the 301st Fighter Squadron from July 1947 to October 1948, and then served as on the staff of the 332nd Air Base Group at Lockbourne from November 1948 to September 1949.

Korean War

In September 1949, James went to the Philippines as flight leader for the 12th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 18th Fighter Wing at Clark Field. In July 1950 he left for Korea, where he flew 101 combat missions in F-51 Mustang and F-80 aircraft. His combat missions were with the 67th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 12th Fighter Bomber Squadron, and 44th Fighter Bomber Squadron.

James with F-51 in South Korea

After Korea

James returned to the United States, and in July 1951 went to Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, as an all-weather jet fighter pilot with the 58th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, later becoming operations officer. In April 1953, he became commander of the 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, and assumed command of the 60th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in August 1955. While stationed at Otis, he received the Massachusetts Junior Chamber of Commerce 1954 award of “Young Man of the Year” for his outstanding community relations efforts. On August 15th, 1954, he appeared as a contestant on the game show What’s My Line? He graduated from the Air Command and Staff College in June 1957.

James next was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force as a staff officer in the Air Defense Division of the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. In July 1960 he was transferred to RAF Bentwaters in England, where he served successively as assistant director of operations and then director of operations, 81st Tactical Fighter Wing; commander, 92nd Tactical Fighter Squadron; and deputy commander for operations for the 81st Wing. In September 1964, James was transferred to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, where he was director of operations training and later deputy commander for operations for the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing.

Daniel “Chappie” James Jr.

Vietnam War

Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. (standing) in August 1967, addressing a conference at Ubon Air Base, Thailand. Robin Olds is sitting to his right.
James went to Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, in December 1966, as deputy commander for operations, 8th TFW. In June 1967, under Colonel Robin Olds, he was named wing vice commander when Col. Vermont Garrison completed his tour. Both in their mid-40s, they formed a legendary team nicknamed “Blackman and Robin”. James flew 78 combat missions into North Vietnam, many in the Hanoi/Haiphong area, and led a flight in the “Operation Bolo” MiG sweep in which seven Communist MiG-21s were destroyed, the highest total kill of any mission during the Vietnam War.

After Vietnam

He was named vice commander of the 33rd TFW at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, in December 1967. While stationed at Eglin, the Florida State Jaycees named James as Florida’s “Outstanding American of the Year” for 1969, and he received the Jaycee Distinguished Service Award. He was transferred to Wheelus Air Base in the Libyan Arab Republic in August 1969 as Commander of the 7272nd Fighter Training Wing.

Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. (standing) in August 1967, addressing a conference at Ubon Air Base, Thailand. Robin Olds is sitting to his right.

 

Following the coup engineered by radical Libyan officers, including Mohammar Qaddafi, James had a tense standoff with the militants in the late stages of turning Wheelus over to the Libyans. James was determined not to be pushed off the base early, but Qaddafi and his followers began pushing the Americans to see how far they could go and at one point “ran a column of half-tracks through the base housing area at full speed”. Following this escalation, James closed the gates of the base. Qaddafi arrived at the gate and while talking to James, moved his hand over to his pistol holster to which James replied: “I told him to move his hand away. If he had pulled that gun, his hand would have never cleared the holster.”

In March 1970 James was promoted to brigadier general and became Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs). James played a key role in rejecting the accuracy of a list of prisoners of war supplied by North Vietnam, despite widespread agreement within the U.S. government that it was in close accord with intelligence estimates. That rejection, in turn, bolstered the politically explosive myth that the communists deliberately were holding prisoners as hostages for some future leverage.

He was designated principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) in April 1973. On September 1st, 1974, he assumed duty as vice commander of the Military Airlift Command (MAC), headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, as a Lieutenant General.

On September 1st, 1975, James was promoted to the four-star rank of general (O-10), becoming the highest ranking African-American in the history of the United States military to that date. He was assigned as commander in chief of NORAD/ADCOM at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. In these dual capacities, he had operational command of all United States and Canadian strategic aerospace defense forces. On December 6th, 1977, he assumed duty as special assistant to the Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force.

James retired from the Air Force on February 1st, 1978.

Death

James died of a heart attack on February 25th, 1978, just two weeks after his 58th birthday and three weeks following his retirement from the Air Force. An earlier heart attack had forced his retirement.

He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, following a Funeral Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC.

He was survived by his wife, Dorothy Watkins James, their daughter, Danice Berry, and two sons, Daniel James III and Claude James. His wife Dorothy died in 2000 and is buried with him in Arlington.

Arlington National Cemetery

Personal life

James met his wife Dorothy while he was at Tuskegee, and they were married on the campus on November 3rd, 1942. They had two sons and one daughter. General James’s son, Lieutenant General Daniel James III, also served in the United States Air Force as a fighter pilot and in the Texas Air National Guard. He served from 1995 to 2002 as the Adjutant General of the Texas National Guard (the first Black general to hold the post), and as Director of the Air National Guard from 2002 to 2006. In the summer of 2006, he retired from the Air Force at the rank of Lieutenant General after 38 years of total commissioned service, on active duty and as an Air Guardsman.

James appeared as a guest on the August 15, 1954 episode of the panel game show What’s My Line?

Political positions

James was widely known for his speeches on Americanism and patriotism, for which he was editorialized in numerous national and international publications.

Excerpts critical of the growing civil rights movement were read into the Congressional Record.

Secretary of Defense Harold Brown (left) and General James (centre) visit Jimmy Carter

 

The statements by James in which he repudiated the most militant point of view endeared him to concerned whites, including President Johnson, who invited him to a White House reception. Immediately after the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and as riots erupted in several areas across the country, James addressed a gathering of Air Force Association officers at which he declared that in spite of events and the resistance to progress, “I’m not disgusted-I’m a citizen of the United States of America and I’m no second-class citizen either and no man here is, unless he thinks like one and reasons like one and performs like one. This is my country and I believe in her, and I will serve her, and I’ll contribute to her welfare whenever and however I can. If she has any ills, I’ll stand by her until in God’s given time, through her wisdom and her consideration for the welfare of the entire nation, she will put them right.”

He was awarded the George Washington Freedom Foundation Medal in both 1967 and 1968. He received the Arnold Air Society Eugene M. Zuckert Award in 1970 for outstanding contributions to Air Force professionalism. His citation read “… fighter pilot with a magnificent record, public speaker, and eloquent spokesman for the American Dream we so rarely achieve.”

Colonel (at the time) Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. in front of his McDonnell-Douglas F-4C Phantom in Thailand during the Vietnam War

 

Hobbymaster 1/72nd scale F-4C Phantom II 63-7499, flown by Daniel “Chappie” James Jr, 433rd TFS/ 8th TFW, 1967

Check out Hobbymaster’s 1/72nd scale F-4C Phantom II 63-7499, flown by Daniel “Chappie” James Jr, 433rd TFS/ 8th TFW, 1967 which is available to pre-order from Flying Tigers. Please click on the image/ link below to go straight to the model page to order your now.

 

 

Hobbymaster updated photo gallery.

Check out the latest HM photos below. Please click on the images or links to go straight to the model page to order your model now.

HA2423 Hobbymaster 1/72nd scale MiG-15 bis Red 1998, Maj. Ivanovich Mikhin, 518th IAP, North Korea, May 1953  SOLD OUT AT PRE-ORDER

HA7429 Hobbymaster 1/48th scale FW 190A-3 Black 13, 8/JG.2 , Luftwaffe, WWII  SOLD OUT AT PRE-ORDER

 

Corgi Aviation Archive new model arrivals at Flying Tigers!

Check out the latest Corgi Aviation Archive 1/72nd scale models recently arrived at Flying Tigers. Selling out quickly…make sure you get yours now. Please click on the images/ links below to go straight to the model of your choice.

AA36810 Corgi Aviation Archive 1/72nd scale Westland Lysander MkIIIA, RAF No.161 Sqn  SOLD OUT AT PRE-ORDER…NO MORE AVAILABLE!

 

 

Hobbymaster models due to arrive soon at Flying Tigers.

The following Hobbymaster models are due to arrive soon and are available to pre-order at Flying Tigers today.

Flying Tigers will also consolidate your orders to save on postage costs across all brands !

Please click on the images / links below to go to the model of your choice, or  CLICK HERE  to see them all.

HA9801 Hobbymaster 1/72nd scale Dassault Mirage IIICJ “first Shahak kill” No. 59, flown by Yoram Agmon, 101 Squadron, IAF, Hatzor Air Base, July 1966  RRP £100.00  Flying Tigers only £74.99   SOLD OUT AT PRE-ORDER

HA19097 Hobbymaster 1/72nd scale F-4F Phantom II 38+20, JG 74 “Molders”, 1982  RRP £104.00  Flying Tigers only £77.99   SOLD OUT AT PRE-ORDER

HA3582 Hobbymaster 1/72nd scale F/A-18C “Finnish Air Force RIAT 2023” HN-411, Finnish Air Force, RAF Fairford, July 2023  RRP £102.00  Flying Tigers only £76.99   SOLD OUT AT PRE-ORDER

HA9351 Hobbymaster 1/72nd scale McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo “Gerry’s Clown” AF56-176, 45th TRS “Polka Dots”, 1969  RRP £118.00  Flying Tigers only £87.99   SOLD OUT AT PRE-ORDER

HA9706 Hobbymaster 1/72nd scale MiG-31E Foxhound “MAKS 2005” 903, Russian air Force, 2005  RRP £144.00  Flying Tigers only £107.99   SOLD OUT AT PRE-ORDER

 

That’s all for this week.

Thank you for reading this week’s Newsletter.

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]]> https://www.flying-tigers.co.uk/2024/daniel-chappie-james-jr-hobbymaster-corgi-aviation-archive-arrivals-and-updates/feed/ 0 Vietnam People’s Air Force, New Corgi Announcement , New Model Arrivals and Updated Photo Gallery https://www.flying-tigers.co.uk/2018/vietnam-peoples-air-force-new-corgi-announcement-new-model-arrivals-and-updated-photo-gallery/ https://www.flying-tigers.co.uk/2018/vietnam-peoples-air-force-new-corgi-announcement-new-model-arrivals-and-updated-photo-gallery/#respond Fri, 01 Jun 2018 14:00:20 +0000 https://www.flying-tigers.co.uk/?p=42986 The Vietnam People’s Air Force (Vietnamese: Không quân Nhân dân Việt Nam) is the air force of Vietnam. It is the successor of the former North Vietnamese Air Force and absorbed the Republic of Vietnam Air Force following the re-unification of Vietnam in 1975. The Vietnam People’s Air Force (VPAF) is one of three main […]

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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21, North Vietnamese Air Force, 1972.

The Vietnam People’s Air Force (Vietnamese: Không quân Nhân dân Việt Nam) is the air force of Vietnam. It is the successor of the former North Vietnamese Air Force and absorbed the Republic of Vietnam Air Force following the re-unification of Vietnam in 1975. The Vietnam People’s Air Force (VPAF) is one of three main branches in the Vietnam People’s Army which is a part of the Ministry of Defence. The main mission of the VPAF is the defence of Vietnamese airspace and the provision of air cover for operations of the Vietnam People’s Army.

The first aircraft in service for the Vietnamese Armed Forces were two trainers, a de Havilland Tiger Moth and a Morane-Saulnier, which were initially the private property of the emperor Bảo Đại. In 1945, Bảo Đại gave the aircraft to the Vietnamese government. Until 1950, even though the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) had acquired credible offensive capabilities on the ground, it was almost powerless against reconnaissance or attacking operations from the French Expeditionary Air Force. On 9th March 1949, General Vo Nguyen Giap was authorised to establish the Air Force Research Committee (Ban Nghiên cứu Không quân) under the General Staff to study ways to deal with the air war. The first Vietnamese service aircraft flight was made by the Tiger Moth on 15th August 1949. A small-scale training was carried out in the following years.

Further development of aviation in North Vietnam began in 1956, when a number of trainees were sent to the USSR and China for pilot training. They were organised into two groups, for pilots and mechanics, respectively; and among others, utilised the Czechoslovak Zlín Z-226 and Aero Ae-45. The first unit of the VPAF was the No. 919 Transport Regiment (Trung đoàn Không quân Vận tải 919), organised on 1st May 1959, with An-2, Li-2, Il-14 aircraft, followed by the No. 910 Training Regiment (Trung đoàn Không quân 910) with Yak-18 trainers. In 1963 the Air Force and Air Defence Force were merged into the Air and Air Defence Force (Quân chủng Phòng không – Không quân).

Pilots being breifed on dogfighting tactics in front of Chinese made MiG 19s. known as a Shenyang J6. These aircraft were supplied to the 925th FR in 1971, the only unit to operate the MiG 19. China delivered 50-plus of these jets but it was quickly superceded by the MiG 21. 

The first North Vietnamese combat plane was a T-28 Trojan trainer, whose pilot defected from the Royal Lao Air Force; it was utilised from early 1964 by the North Vietnamese as a night fighter. The T-28 was the first North Vietnamese aircraft to shoot down a US aircraft, a C-123, on 15th February 1964.

The North Vietnamese Air Force (NVAF) received its first jet fighter aircraft, the MiG-17 in February 1964, but they were initially stationed at air bases on Mainland China, while their pilots were being trained. On 3rd February 1964, the first fighter regiment No. 921 (Trung đoàn Không quân Tiêm kích 921), aka “Red Star squadron”, was formed, and on 6th August it arrived from China in North Vietnam with its MiG-17s. On 7th September, the No. 923 fighter regiment, aka “Yen The Squadron”, led by Lt. Col. Nguyen Phuc Trach, was formed. In May 1965, No. 16 bomber company (Đại đội Không quân Ném bom 16) was formed with Il-28 twin engine bombers. Only one Il-28 sortie was flown in 1972 against Royal Laotian forces.

The North Vietnamese Air Force’s first jet air-to-air engagement with US aircraft was on 3 April 1965. The NVAF claimed the shooting down of two US Navy F-8 Crusader, which was not confirmed by US sources, although they acknowledged having encountered MiGs. Consequently, 3rd April became “North Vietnamese Air Force Day”. On 4th April the VPAF (NVAF) scored the first confirmed victories to be acknowledged by both sides. The US fighter community was shocked when relatively slow, post-Korean era MiG-17 fighters shot down advanced F-105 Thunderchief fighters-bombers attacking the Thanh Hóa Bridge. The two downed F-105s were carrying their normal heavy bomb load, and were not able to react to their attackers.

USAF’s F-105 Thunderchief bomber was hit and crashed by VPAF’s SA-2 missile

In 1965, the NVAF were supplied with supersonic MiG-21s by the USSR which were used for high speed GCI controlled hit and run intercepts against American air strike groups. The MiG-21 tactics became so effective, that by late 1966, an operation was mounted to especially deal with the MiG-21 threat. Led by Colonel Robin Olds on 2nd January 1967, Operation Bolo lured MiG-21s into the air, thinking they were intercepting a F-105 strike group, but instead found a sky full of missile armed F-4 Phantom IIs set for aerial combat. The result was a loss of almost half the inventory of MiG-21 interceptors, at a cost of no US losses. The VPAF (NVAF) stood down for additional training after this setback.

Meanwhile, the disappointing performances of US Air Force and US Navy (USN) airmen, even though flying the contemporary advanced aircraft of those times, combined with a legacy of successes from World War II and the Korean War, resulted in a total revamping of aerial combat training for the USN in 1968 (Top Gun school; established 1969). The designs for an entire generation of aircraft, with engineering for optimised daylight air-to-air combat (dog fighting) against both older, as well as for emerging MiG fighters, were being put to the drawing board. US forces could not consistently track low flying MiGs on radar, and were hampered by restrictive rules of engagement (ROE) which required pilots to visually acquire their targets, nullifying much of the advantage of radar guided missiles, which often proved unreliable when used in combat.

Anti-aircraft systems the North used against US aircraft during Operation Linebacker and Linebacker II

The VPAF (NVAF) was a defensive air arm, with the primary mission of defending North Vietnam, and until the last stages of the war, did not conduct air operations into South Vietnam; nor did the NVAF conduct general offensive actions against enemy naval forces off the coast. However it did conduct limited attacks on the opposing naval vessels, notably damaging the United States destroyer USS Higbee in 1972. In a separate incident, MiG-17s that ventured over water were shot down by surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) fired by US warships. The VPAF also conducted an air attack mission against a USAF radar and navigation installation in Laos.

The VPAF (NVAF) did not engage all US sorties. Most US aircraft were destroyed by SA-2 surface-to-air missiles or anti-aircraft artillery (AAA), and in some cases, even small arms. Typically, VPAF MiGs would not engage unless it was to their advantage. Some of the aerial tactics used were similar to Operation Bolo, which lured the NVAF to the fight.

On 24th March 1967, regiments Nos. 921, 923 and 919 were incorporated into the 371st Air Division “Thăng Long” (Sư đoàn Không quân 371). In 1969, No. 925 fighter regiment was formed, flying the Shenyang J-6 (the Chinese-built MiG-19). In 1972 the fourth fighter regiment, No. 927 “Lam Son”, was formed.

VPAF flew their interceptors with superb guidance from ground controllers, who positioned the MiGs in perfect ambush battle stations. The MIGs made fast and devastating attacks against US formations from several directions (usually the MiG-17s performed head-on attacks and the MiG-21s attacked from the rear). After shooting down a few American planes and forcing some of the F-105s to drop their bombs prematurely, the MiGs did not wait for retaliation, but disengaged rapidly. This “guerrilla warfare in the air” proved very successful. In December 1966 the MiG-21 pilots of the 921st FR downed 14 F-105s without any losses.

The U.S. Air Force and the US Navy continued to lay down great expectations on the F4 Phantom, assuming that the massive arms, the perfect on-board radar, the highest speed and acceleration properties, coupled with the new tactics would provide “Phantoms” an advantage over the MiGs. But in encounters with lighter VPAF’s MiG-21, F-4 began to suffer defeat. From May to December 1966, the US lost 47 aircraft in air battles, destroying only 12 enemy’s fighters. From April 1965 to November 1968, in 268 air battles conducted over North Vietnam, VPAF claimed to have shot down 244 US or ARVN’s aircraft, and they lost 85 MiGs (including 27 F-4s and 20 MiG-21s).

In one of their few offensive air attacks by the VPAF during the entire conflict, on 12th January 1968 a four aircraft formation of Antonov An-2 biplanes was reported flying towards a secret USAF TACAN and radar site in Laos guiding American bombers over Northern Vietnam. Two aircraft flew on to the strike, while the other two split off. As the two continuing An-2s flew over, their crews dropped 120 mm mortar shells as bombs through the aircraft’s floor and also strafed their targets with 57 mm rockets from the wing pods. However, as the two aircraft flew back and forth attacking the facility, one aircraft was heavily damaged by ground fire from the facility and crashed. Meanwhile, crew at Lima Site 85 managed to call in a nearby Air America helicopter; a crew member aboard the helicopter armed with an assault rifle fired on the last biplane and caused it to crash. The site was eventually overrun by People’s Army of Vietnam commando climbers.

VPAF Pilots walk past MiG-17s on the flight line

In the spring and summer of 1972, to illumine the theatre of war 360 tactical fighters of the US Air Force and 96 Navy fighter, a great number of which were F4 Phantom of recent modifications, opposed only 71 VPAF’s aircraft (including 31 MiG-21).

The culmination of the struggle in the air in the spring of 1972 was 10 May, when the VPAF’s aircraft completed 64 sorties, engaging in 15 air battles. VPAF claimed 7 F-4s were shot down (U.S confirmed five F-4s were lost). Those, in turn, managed to shoot down two MiG-21s, three MiG-17s and one MiG-19. On 11th May, two MiG-21, which played the role of “bait”, brought the four F-4 to two MiG-21s circling at low altitude. MiGs quickly stormed the “Phantoms” and 3 missiles shot down two F-4. On 18 May, Vietnamese aircraft made 26 sorties in eight air engagements, which cost the 4 F-4 Phantom;Vietnamese fighters on that day did not suffer losses. On 13th June, a MiG-21 unit intercepted a group of F-4, the second pair of MiGs made a missile attack and was hit by two F-4 and did not suffer losses.

Over the course of the air war, between 3rd April 1965 and 8th January 1973, each side would ultimately claim favourable kill ratios. A total of 201 air battles took place between American and Vietnamese planes in 1972 sorties. VPAF lost 54 MiGs (including 36 MiG-21s and one MiG-21US) and they claimed 90 U.S aircraft were shot down (including 73 F-4 fighter and two spy RF-4C)

President Ho Chi Minh congratulates his highest ranking ace, Capt. Nguyen Van Coc, who flew MiG-21s during the war

US Navy ace Randy Cunningham believed that he shot down a Mig-17 piloted by the mythical “Nguyen Toon” or “Colonel Tomb” while flying his F4 Phantom. However, no research has been able to identify Col. Tomb’s existence; Cunningham most likely downed a flight leader of the 923rd Regiment. Legend states Col. Toon had allegedly downed 13 US aircraft during his tenure. Many North Vietnamese pilots were not only skilled but unorthodox, as Cunningham found out after making elementary tactical errors. The resulting dogfight became extended. Cunningham climbed steeply, and the MiG pilot surprised Cunningham by climbing as well. Using his Top Gun training, Cunningham finally forced the MiG out ahead of him and destroyed it. In fact, there wasn’t any pilot in VPAF named Nguyễn Toon, he was a fictional character of the American pilots and they often made jokes with the dissertation. An invention of the American pilots, Colonel Toon was a combination of good pilots in Vietnam, like the “solo artist” lonely night bombing in World War II was called Washing Machine Charlie.

There were several times during the war that the US bombing restrictions of North Vietnamese Airfields were lifted. Many VPAF (NVAF) aircraft were destroyed on the ground, and those that were not, were withdrawn to a sanctuary in the north west of the country or in China. In December 1972, the North Vietnamese air defences nearly exhausted their supply of surface-to-air missiles trying to down the high-flying B-52 raids over the North. The North Vietnamese Air Defence Network was degraded by electronic countermeasures (ECM) and other suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) measures. Though the North Vietnamese forces claim over 81 US aircraft as shot down during Operation Linebacker II, (including 34 B-52s, two attributed to the VPAF), U.S sources acknowledge only 27 aircraft lost by the Americans (including 15 B-52s).

Within 12 days of the operation “Linebacker-2” (18th–29th December), during the eight air battles seven US aircraft (including four F4 Phantom) and three Vietnamese MiG-21 were shot down.

After the negotiated end of American involvement in early 1973, the No. 919 transport air group (Lữ đoàn Không quân vận tải 919), was formed; and equipped with fixed-wing aircraft, as well as helicopters (rotor-wing) in November.

During the 1975 Spring Offensive, the bombing of Tan Son Nhut Air Base, the only airstrike conducted by the VPAF, occurred on 28th April 1975, just two days before the Fall of Saigon. The operation was carried out by the VPAF’s Quyet Thang Squadron, using captured A-37 aircraft flown by VPAF pilots and RVNAF defectors led by Nguyen Thanh Trung who had bombed the Presidential Palace in Saigon, less than one month earlier before defecting to the north.

Vietnam Air Force Museum MiG-21 Fishbed

During the Vietnam War, NVAF used the MiG-17F, PF (J-5); MiG-19 (J-6), MiG-21F-13, PF, PFM and MF fighters. They claimed to have shot down 266 US aircraft, and US claimed to have shot down or destroyed 204 MiG aircraft and at least six An-2s, of which 196 were confirmed with solid evidence (100 MiG-17s, 10 MiG-19s and 86 MiG-21s). However, VPAF admits only 154 MiGs were lost through all causes, including 131 in air combat (63 MiG-17s, 8 MiG-19s and 60 MiG-21s). Using those figures, total kill ratio would be 1:1.3 to 1:2. With the number of losses to MiGs confirmed by US (121 aircraft shot down and 7 damaged), the kill ratio turns 1.6:1 against the MiGs, or 1.1:1 even accepting the VPAF’s figure of only 131 in air combat. However, this ratio does not include the number of ARVN’s aircraft shot down by VPAF (One source claims 72 ARVN’s aircraft were shot down by VPAF.

A MiG-21 flown during the War sits on display

The VPAF did not play a major role during the Ho Chi Minh Campaign in 1975. The only sorties flown were conducted by five captured VNAF A-37s. SA-2s were transported into South Vietnam to counter possible US military air strikes. The US could not bring back their air power during the 1975 offensive, which had proven decisive in 1972, and the VNAF did not have the capability to strike targets in the north nor to defend against the onslaught in the south.

After the end of the Vietnam War (called the American War in Vietnam) in May 1975, more regiments were formed. No. 935 fighter regiment “Đồng Nai” and no. 937 fighter-bomber regiment “Hậu Giang”, followed by no. 918 transport regiment “Hong Ha” and no. 917 mixed transport regiment “Đồng Tháp” were created in July 1975. In September 1975, the four newly created regiments were formed into the 370nd Air Division “Lê Lợi” and the 372nd Air Division “Hai Van” was formed, including among others the 925th fighter regiment.
On 31st May 1977, the Vietnam People’s Air Force (Không quân Nhân dân Việt Nam) was separated from the Air Defence Force (Quân chủng Phòng không).

MIG-17 used by the North Vietnamese air force in the Vietnam War donated by the Egyptian air force to National Air Force Museum Dayton Ohio

When South Vietnam was overrun by PAVN forces on 30th April 1975, approximately 877 aircraft were captured by PAVN. Of that number, 41 were F-5s and 95 were A-37s. When Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1979, former VNAF A-37s flew most of the ground support missions. These aircraft were more suited to the role than the MiGs. Former VNAF F-5Es, C-123s, C-130s, and UH-1s were used by the VPAF for many years after the end of the War.

In the years between 1953 and 1991, approximately 700 warplanes, 120 helicopters, and 158 missile complexes have been supplied to North Vietnam by the USSR and PR China (primarily the MiG-19 (J-6 series). Even today, three-quarters of Vietnamese weaponry has been made in post-Cold-War Russia.

Today the VPAF is in the midst of modernisation. It still operates late model Su-22s, aircraft of the Cold War era. However, it has recently been modernising its air force with models of the Su-27-SK air superiority fighter following closer military ties, and an array of arms deals with Russia. To date, Vietnam has ordered and received 12 of these aircraft. In 2004, it also acquired 4 modified variants of the Su-30 MK2V, newer models of the Su-27. In May 2009, they inked a deal to procure additional 12 aircraft from the Russians to bolster their ageing fleet. The Vietnamese air force has also acquired new advanced air defence systems, including two S-300 PMU1 (NATO designation: SA-20) short-to-high altitude SAM batteries in a deal worth $300 million with Russia.

Vietnam People’s Air Force – 9 Su-27SKs and 3 Su-27UBKs in use as of January 2013

On June 2015, it was reported that the air force was interested in acquiring European and U.S aircraft as part of its ongoing modernisation. Fighter aircraft included; Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, General Dynamics F-16 and Saab Gripen E/F.
With the lifting of the US embargo on lethal weapons-export to Vietnam, the first lethal Western arms procured were Israeli-sourced medium-range SAM-system SPYDER-SR/MR. First deliveries began in 2016.

Some notable combat aircraft that were operated by the air force consisted of the MiG-15UTI, MiG-17F, MiG-23, the American F-5 Tiger II, and the A-37B Dragonfly. Transport aircraft were the C-47 Dakota, C-130 Hercules , An-2 Colt, and the Beriev Be-12 amphibious aircraft. Helicopters consisted of the Ka-25 Hormone, Mil Mi-6, Mil Mi-4, and the CH-47A Chinook. Most of these aircraft have now been sold off or scrapped, due to loss of parts. Vietnam’s rapid economic development is opening the country to foreign investment and has resulted in Hanoi’s new acquisition of more modern equipment.

 

Hobbymaster Vietnam War era models available to buy from Flying Tigers.

Flying Tigers has some great models available to buy or pre-order from the Vietnam War era. Please click on the image of your choice to go straight to the model page.

 

New Announcement…. Corgi Aviation Archive 1/48th scale English Electric Lightning F.6 XS927/N RAF No.74 Squadron ‘The Tigers’

AA28402 Corgi Aviation Archive 1/48th scale English Electric Lightning F.6 XS927/N RAF No.74 Squadron ‘The Tigers’, RAF Tengah, Singapore, 1969. This model is now available to pre-order from Flying Tigers !

Don’t forget NO DEPOSIT necessary with Flying Tigers and if you order with your debit or credit card your payment is not taken until your model is available to dispatch.

Please click on the images / links below to go to the model page, or CLICK HERE to see all models in the Future Models section.

 

New Model arrivals next week from Oxford Diecast.

The following models are due to be delivered from Oxford next week. Pre-ordered models will be sent out on arrival. Please click on the images / links below to go to the model page, or CLICK HERE to see all models in the Oxford Diecast section.

 

That’s all for this week.

Thank you for reading this week’s Newsletter.

Richard.

Flying Tigers.

The post Vietnam People’s Air Force, New Corgi Announcement , New Model Arrivals and Updated Photo Gallery appeared first on Flying Tigers.

]]> https://www.flying-tigers.co.uk/2018/vietnam-peoples-air-force-new-corgi-announcement-new-model-arrivals-and-updated-photo-gallery/feed/ 0 Phabulous Phantoms! https://www.flying-tigers.co.uk/2012/phabulous-phantoms/ https://www.flying-tigers.co.uk/2012/phabulous-phantoms/#respond Fri, 13 Jul 2012 11:07:15 +0000 http://www.flying-tigers.co.uk/?p=554 The magnificent McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II was one of the most successful jet aircraft of all time and is still much loved by aircrew and enthusiasts alike.  Without doubt, the Phabulous Phantom has been the most successful model in the Hobbymaster range to date and this section features the few Hobbymaster Phantoms that we […]

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The magnificent McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II was one of the most successful jet aircraft of all time and is still much loved by aircrew and enthusiasts alike.  Without doubt, the Phabulous Phantom has been the most successful model in the Hobbymaster range to date and this section features the few Hobbymaster Phantoms that we still have in stock!

 

The post Phabulous Phantoms! appeared first on Flying Tigers.

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