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Pilatus PC-6 Porter

Jean-Luc, thanks for posting the pics.

Hi Gino! No Problem! Thanks to you for submitting the pictures! Jean-Luc

Hi Gino Great work! I really like the overall grey/black flat finish. Very special operations "insertion by night" My only comment might be that the base is a little big and has some "empty" spaces. Sorry for my ignorance on this - to me at least - unusual subject. Is this a plane that was used in Vietnam and/or is still used? I guess it was/is used for insertion of small teams and/or resupply? Thanks for sharing this great work.

Thanks Jesper. It is the same plane that was used in Vietnam, and seen in the movie Air America. It is still used today by the USAF Spec Ops guys. I actually left the open spaces on the base purposefully, to show the openness and nothingness of the desert.

I can see what you mean about the wide open desert. I did not think about that. To that effect the gear on the "landing strip" is very effective. Underlines the "This is what you got, make it last" feeling.

Wow Gino! Great job on a wingy thing by a 'Tread head'

Heya, Gino, Wow! As always, beautiful work! Doesn't matter wheather it has treads, rotors, screws or wings, your work is always top shelf, dude! I have always wanted to build one of these as an Air America Porter. Can I ask where you got your kit and how your experience building it was? And lastly, whether it came with Air America decals as well. Keep up the great work, G! Thanks, amigo... Much Aloha, Johnny B. PS If I remember right, you're currently posted in Alabama --- are you going ta make Tamiya Con this year...?

Hi Johnny. The kit is by High Planes Models out of Australia. I ordered it from them directly. It was a pretty nice build for a limited run, multimedia kit. It has injected wings and fuselage, resin prop and exhausts, metal struts, PE for the antennae and steps, vac-formed canopy and doors, etc. The fuselage is molded with all the glass in place, so you have to cut each one out and then replace them with the vac-formed ones. I made the aux fuel tanks out of thick plastic rod. The decals are custom made as well using computer decal paper. No Air America decals with it. They have it in two versions, one in Swiss and Austrian livery, and the other in Aussie Army colors. Sorry, won't be making it out to TamiyaCon for a while, at least not till I get stationed back in Cali.

Heya, Gino, Thanks again, amigo... Sounds like cutting the windows out could be a bit of a goat rope, but I think that this might be the only game in town... Much appreciated on the info and link, buddy. Sorry we won't see you at Tamiya Con this year --- it'll be here when you return to CA. Keep up the great work! Much Aloha, Johnny B.