North Vietnamese 8.8 cm Flak 18

[Story]

So I had a built-up-by-someone-else Tamiya 88mm and wondered what it should be until a buddy *gifted* me a 3D full sized 88mm projectile and the lightbulb went on.



"At that time (1963), Hanoi’s air defenses consisted of 22 search radars and a single Wurzburg fire-direction radar that Beijing had supplied in 1954 to control 16 batteries of World War II–era German 88mm anti-aircraft guns, supplied by the Soviets."
per: https://www.historynet.com/13703647.htm

See also https://laststandonzombieisland.com/2020/06/19/catching-flak/german-88mm-gun-nva-vietnam-flak/

Flak 88 anti-aircraft guns and Type 24 heavy machine guns presented during the National Day parade on September 5th, 1960 that was conducted by the People's Army of Vietnam. The Flak 88s had been captured from Nazi Germany by the Soviets during WW2 and 72 of these cannons were transferred to the People's Army of Vietnam in 1954. All were phased out by 1965.

[Story]

Next question was 'how did it want to be displayed?'

I had a plywood wine box (where I kept some masonry tools) that with it's rope handle looked appropriately Ammunition Box-ish.



From an old Soviet manual on captured German ordnance, colored plates showing what the AA rounds looked like.


I'm figuring the box's interior sprayed flat white with the ammunition plates on the left and right sides, the exterior sprayed Soviet green.

To top it off, a monochromatic-all-white NVA instructor with a tiny B52 positioned in front of the round on the box's base.


So a 1/72nd scale B52 held by a 1/35th scale instructor would be about 1/2500 scale
Free STL file B52 🎨・3D printing idea to download・Cults (cults3d.com)
https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/art/b52

[Old Wombat]

Okay, you've piqued my interest.

[Story]

Okay, you've piqued my interest.

I always do. 

[Buzzbomb]

Ok.. this has lots of merit. Plus I learned stuff 

[Frank3k]

Interesting project. I did a quick print on my FDM printer - the B52 is scaled to 1/2500; I think it's a bit too big compared to the picture, but it's yours if you want it. Some prmer, a quick pass with a blade and it'll look right:

[Story]

We'll just agree that the instructor has a 1/48th scale model, because his students are militia.

So, yes please.

[Story]

Ok.. this has lots of merit. Plus I learned stuff 

Thank you, as
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHHAAbgoPGw

[apophenia]

Ok.. this has lots of merit. Plus I learned stuff 

Yup. Who'da guessed that there were ever 88s guarding Hanoi   

[Story]

I can't imagine the North Vietnamese throwing *ANYTHING* away in 1965, so a real WIFF would be "what was the next life for those tubes?"

I think I've found the final form.

From the last sentence of this caption
On August 5, 1964, the 141st and 143rd 88mm Gun Companies (Battalion 217) coordinated with naval ships and militia to shoot down an American plane at Hon Gai (Quang Ninh).


https://kienthuc.net.vn/quan-su/nguon-goc-phao-phong-khong-88mm-bao-ve-ha-noi-hai-phong-nhung-nam-1954-1960-1425822.html

On 5 August, aircraft from carriers Ticonderoga and USS Constellation (CVA 64) destroyed an oil storage facility at Vinh and damaged or sank about 30 enemy naval vessels in port or along the coast.
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/t/tonkin-gulf-crisis/tonkin-gulf-crisis-aug-1964.html

The U.S. lost two aircraft to anti-aircraft fire, with one pilot killed, Lieutenant Richard Sather, piloting an A-1 Skyraider. Another, Lt. (jg) Everett Alvarez Jr. an A-4 Skyhawk pilot, became the first U.S. Navy Prisoner of War in Vietnam.:56 North Vietnam claimed to have shot down eight U.S. aircraft.
https://www.calendarz.com/on-this-day/august/5/vietnam-war#google_vignette

Richard Sather
https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt000000qaMmLEAU
https://www.dailybulletin.com/2014/08/01/remembering-richard-sather-pomonas-first-casualty-of-vietnam/

Everett Alvarez Jr.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everett_Alvarez_Jr.

[Ramba]

Never knew the Vietnamese used the 88's. Looking forward to seeing yours done.