Model Forum / General / Models / March 2006

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.