Review Air Cavalry -Vietnam from Nick Majerus

[Nap]

Hi to all

Following on my look at a previous release here

https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/french-mary-from-nick-majerus.356262/

Nick announced this latest one here:

https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/new-bust-lt-brown-bust-air-cavalry-update.377607/

This is the 3D images

And now Nicks picture of the resin

Based on this picture of a serving member of the Air Cavalry namely LT BROWN ( later Colonel )

​

Lets have a bit about the man , this picture shows Lt. Larry G. Brown, between tours, at an awards ceremony, Fort Knox.

​

Larry Served with B troop as Scout platoon commander (Saber White 14) in 1967-68. Upon return to the U.S. he qualified on CH-54s and went back to Vietnam.

In Larry's words - "When I got in country Col. Jimmy Hughes, 12th Group Commander, 1st Avn. Bdg., told me I was going to C/3/17 because of the OH58 test and that "I owed him after Ft. Knox". I was going to be there 6 months, then I could go to a crane unit. Ten Months later I transferred to E/1/9 to be Scout Platoon leader." Larry was one of a very few Scout pilot's to fly the 3 main scout aircraft of the war - The OH-13, the OH-6 and the OH-58.

​

Saber White 14, Scout Section Leader Larry Brown and "checking" Jerry Anderson's OH-13 "UFO" at An Kha, November 1967.​

​

Gook gun (Chic-com Type 53) taken in Feb of 68 at Camp Evans. That's me on the left and my observer, SSG Don Crosby, on the right.

Images and text courtesy of Larry Brown

I am going to quote the details from a member of 1/9 Cavalry who served in country 1970 and a PF member NED RICKS

"The pocket patch was locally made. As Brown was a Scout pilot, I propose that the background of this to be white. Here is my reasoning: air cav troops had four platoons - HQ (mess, admin, etc) and three flying platoons of Red, White and Blue.
The "Blues" were the air mobile rifle platoon (Blue being the formal uniform branch color of the infantry) and the associated UH1 lift birds.
Red was the color of artillery branch and the organic gunships were our in house firepower so the guns platoon were "Red." These were almost always AH-1G by 1970.
By process of elimination, the Scouts were the "White" platoon. In 1/9 Cav Scouts flew the Hughes OH6, in 3/17 they had OH58 as I recall.
A scout plus supporting gunship was a "Pink Team." But, Brown was a White.
The scarf could be any color - yellow would set off the piece nicely, but it could be an OD cravat (medical bandage cloth) frequently worn to ward off dust and to mop sweat.
His uniform could be jungle fatigues, but as there are no pleats on the pocket I would guess it to be the drab brown Nomex flight suit shirt."

BIG THANK YOU and RESPECT

​

Here are some good books to look out for

Continued in next post

Nap

 

[Nap]

Lets get to the resin

Details of the release:

Title: Lt Brown Air Cavalry ( Vietnam )

Scale: 1/10th

Material: Light gray resin

Number of Pieces: 3

Sculptor of Master by 3D methods

Casting: Nick Majerus


The review item was received in a small cardboard box with the resin in a clear bag

As you can see there are just 3 parts , torso, head and headwear, no base is included

Prep

Torso: Slight sanding on lower edge , sand casting line running along back of shoulders , putty rework needed on shoulder and on strap at rear together with a bit of prep on the scarf at rear , rebuild the broken end of the scarf with a small amount of putty

Head: Fine casting line to be sanded away from rear of head , some might like to infill the pupils

Headwear: Sand around the brim edges

One thing to note the rear is very flat this makes it idea to be mounted into a deep picture frame to allow for the hat perhaps with a period background

You will see that the 3D obviously reproduces well the reference image , scarf worn around the neck with a pistol belt worn over the left shoulder , the ammunition fills the bandolier

Regarding the belt this could be a locally made belt or a issue pilots weapon ( .38 calibre ) , you would need to detail up the surface if the canvas belt see the pics in references

Torso

As you would expect the feel of the clothing is very much "in country" , relaxed is the word I would choose , really nice definition of the pockets and the pleating , good undercuts on the pocket flaps and the collar edging

The scarf sits well and very naturally on the shoulders hanging down to mid chest

His rank tab shows on the collar with the air cavalry badge on the right arm and the Aviation School badge on the left ....there are many versions of both so plenty of painting options if you wish both coloured and subdued

On the right pocket a roundal , no details are on it making it ideal and easily accessible to paint as you wish

Sitting on the left pocket is the belt with the ammunition loaded in , well shown and good shaping on the actual rounds

All the clothing has soft but well placed folds

The neck area is ready to receive the head

The arms are cut just above the elbow

The rear is flat all the way up to just below the neck



Head

Being 3D this is clearly the face of Lt Brown , very good features , eyes easily accessible , nice nose shaping , the distinctive moustache is really well reproduced , with the mouth being opened to reveal the upper set of teeth

The headwear strap is cast onto the rear of the head , hair texture is there , some might wish to further enhance that area with a little putty

Fit into the neck area of the torso will need some putty at the edges to fit flush



Headwear

This is the most recognised piece worn by the air cavalry ( who can forget Apocolypse Now and Col Kilgore ) , the shaping on this is really very good and thankfully the brim is not over thick and in scale , the cords are a good shaping with the crossed sabres badge and rank being worn on the front

Fit to the head is no problem and looks good in place



Final Thoughts

This is not a period I have really looked at despite having a lot of references so found this review particularly interesting to do , there are a few bits of prep to do on the resin but this is a great tribute to all those that served in the Air Cavalry , with a little conversion work other subjects are possible and you will certainly have a good display piece

RECOMMENDED

Thanks to Nick for the review piece and a thanks from me to you all for looking in

For more information on this and to contact Nick :

Email to :[email protected]

You can message here on PF as well as contacting via Social Media

Happy benchtime and modelling

Nap

 

[Nick Majerus]

Thanks Nap!

 

[Ned Ricks]

Nice look at a nice piece.

Left shoulder patch in this case is, I believe, the 1st Aviation Brigade.

Keep on painting!
NR

Added by Nap

Nomex shirt



1st Avn Bde patch

 

[Sgt. Red]

This is a great piece!!

 

[MrBMB]

Full of character this one, can’t say why but it’s like you can sense something in the person about it. Nice review and info Nap

 

[Edorta]

Very fine bust, and complete review.

Military miniatures painted by Eduardo Garcia

 

[Sylvanus]

Very good and an interesting back-ground info

As an Brit Army pilot on the early and mid 60s, when our AAC was tiny by comparison and choppers were infants to us!Certainly Army pilots wore ad hoc flying gear then and individuality was common. at my first Squadron, it was battledress and Standard RAF Flying suits which were rubbish in an Auster AOP9. You wore waht you had normally the and added Divisional Flashes and an AAC Eagle Patch all in colours! Denison Smocks and brown Furline flying boots were also issued in training.We were all voluteers from all arms and included NCOs, unlike the RAF. the failure rate on each course was high. My course had 8. Halfway through the 9 month course we were 3. 2 went to choppers, very basic. I was to stay fixed wing and had to wait for the next course to catch me up. So I had some fun on my own, extra hours and odd jobs like counting swans! When I got my wings there were 3 of us. One went to Malaya. Missing in Jungle six months later, only found later some 2o later years. Two of us went to the same Squadron south of Hannover, near the IGB. Only 2 Squadrons in a Wing in BAOR. We had a lot of prangs on exercise but few fatalities. After I had mine .. I was told that I had replaced another who had been killed in a stupid attempt to shop off his acrobatic skills. RIP. I was immediately moved to amnother MQ. Why? It was that of the one who had died. No one told me when we moved in!

Ramble! We saw the Vietnam debacle from afar and UK declined the invitation to join, unlike the Aussies and the Kiwis. We still had business in Malaya and then Borneo. in BAOR it was preparing for war with Ivan! It nearly happened in 62 and my flight was tasked to escort an US Armoured Division to Berlin at zero notice from our forwad airfield. The Yanks had appeared in nearby woods overnight. Only revealed when 2 US chopper pilot popped in for coffee that morning. As you do. They told us what was afoot!We were all positively vetted even then for our job. 2 hours latter, our Veteran Gungho Ho boss, Former Fleet Air Arm Pilot in WW2 and Army JEHU chopper Pilot at Suez, called us all in for a secret biefing regarding our mission. 3 Auster were !to lead the way to Berlin if .... Guess who. Now go home say nothing and wait for a scramble.!

Fotunateley the US prevailed. The Russians went home from Cuba. Out Yanks went back to Bavaria! We said nothing to our wives. We carried on flying at below 700 feet AGL down to 15 feet as usual.Later our Boss took us down to the Med for a holiday, in our Austers and Skeeters! French Naval Airbase. 2 days to get there, one week and the make way back north via Lake Constance. Frankly all Army Pilot were mavericks including the US. You had to be. Happy new year.I want one of these busts!!! Later, I worked with the Fleet Ar Arm and the RAF as a Ground liaison officer. One of quite a few.

Happy New Year. I am back!
Normal service will be resumes as soon as possible.

 

[Nap]

Hi Guys

Big thanks to Ned Ricks ( a veteran ) for this information

The cloth flash behind the crossed sabers pin is red over white in color. The red/white pairing represents the cavalry guidon. Within organizations, such a hat flash helped to differentiate units and (one hopes) bolster morale.

The arm flashes were only seen by him subdued .........though I am tempted to go full colour on the air cav badge ........we shall see !

The pocket patch

Neds version ( click on for larger image )



Nap

 

[Nick Majerus]

Great job on the review! I wonder if Col. Brown knows I did a bust of him? Thanks Nap.

 

[Nap]

Great job on the review! I wonder if Col. Brown knows I did a bust of him? Thanks Nap.

He certainly does Nick

https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/lt-brown-cav-pilot.631552/

Nap

 

[Ned Ricks]

This is a great bust.
I have attached more recent photos.