1/72 Italeri VNAF CH-47A Chinook

by Hoa Long

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 This Chinook was very much built straight out of the box.  As one would normally expects from Italeri's helicopter subject, the kit fits very well and most importantly when finished it does look like a Chinook.  I did not have any major problem, the build was very pleasant.

The tail coded '033' Chinook belonged to the VNAF 237th Squadron.  A VNAF pilot who had flown this aircraft, told me that '033' was one of the older air frames in the squadron and usually had to be handled with care.  This particular aircraft was destroyed in a mid-air explosion killing all crew members on board.  

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Sparked by  memories of the atrocities commited by the Viet Nam People's Liberation Army (NVA) in Huế 1968, and  Quảng Trị Easter 1972 , the final communist offensive in April 1975,   caused a massive exodus of the South Vietnamese running southward trying to escape from the Communist 'Liberation Army '.  Being the largest helicopter with heavy lift capability, VNAF Chinooks were kept very busy in the last days of South VietNam.  After military supply/heavy lift missions, flying empty ship, on homebound leg,  VNAF Chinnoks pilots often disobeyed direct order and landed on stretch of roads,  to pickup refugees usually women and children who were so exhausted that they could not keep up with the fleeing convoy. 

I would like to dedicate this work  to the gallantry  VNAF Chinook crews. 

Thank you for viewing my article and I do hope that you enjoy my work.

Hoa Long

Photos and text © by Hoa Long