RTAF Museum Walkaround - Bangkok

[arf-er]

I've got some pixs to share on my forays into Siam:
Subject: AT-6 Texan, used by the RTAF for training in the early 50's after WWII.

[AstroBoy]

Beautiful pictures, thanks for posting, makes me want to get a warbird too, after seeing so many warbirds being posted in the picture house this few weeks

[arf-er]

RTAF Museum Walkaround - Bangkok

Hi! Instead of starting multiple threads (see 'AT-6 Walkaround'), I thought I might group my pixs into aircraft types to bring you a virtual museum walkaround!
OK, here goes...
Category: World War 2 Aircraft

Subject: DeHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth

[arf-er]

Subject: Piper L4 Grasshopper (Military version of the J-3 Cub)

[arf-er]

Subject: Supermarine Spitfire Mk19
(late-model Spitfire with powerful Griffon engine, lengthened airframe, clipped wings and 5-bladed prop) - used primarily for airphoto recce.

[arf-er]

Subject: Curtiss SB2C HellDiver
(The US Navy's lesser-known dive-bomber together with the SBD Douglas Dauntless used in the later parts of WWII).

[arf-er]

Subject: Grumman F-8F Bearcat
(succeeding the Hellcat, used towards the end of WWII and into the '50s Korean War)

[arf-er]

Subject: C-47 Dakota
(Civilian DC-3... the C-130 of WWII, unglam, but this is what the war was won with!)

[arf-er]

Subject: Fairey FireFly
(Royal Navy torpedo bomber used in late WWII and the '50s Korean War)

[arf-er]

Subject: Tachikawa Ki-36 'Ida'
(Japanese Army trainer/recce aircraft leftover in Thailand after the Japs surrendered - the Thai Air Force in WWII was actually part of the Japanese air Wings involved in the invasion & occupation of Burma, and had fought airwars with the RAF, AVG Flying Tigers and later the USAAF/CAF from China, Kunming).

pix1: Ki-36 'Ida' / pix2: Hitachi Ha-13 9-cylinder radial engine @450hp / pix3: Japanese WWII aerial bombs

[arf-er]

Category: Vietnam War

Subject: OV-10 Bronco
USAF counter insurgency (COIN) & forward controller (FAC) aircraft used to direct airstrikes in Vietnam.
RTAF had just decommissioned these, based in Chiang Mai.

[arf-er]

Subject: T-28 Trojan

Counter insurgency / Forward air controller aircraft used by the USAF and also CIA's 'Air America' in the guise of the Laotian Air Force for covert operations.

[arf-er]

Subject: C-123 Provider

USAF twin-engined medium lift transport for short-field operations, also used by CIA's 'Air America' for covert operations.

[arf-er]

Subjerct: L-39 Bird Dog

Another USAF Forward Air Controller aircraft used to mark targets (with rockets) for 'Fastmovers' (F-4 Phantoms, A-7 Corsairs etc) when an airstrike is called, and later to access and report damage. Also used as spotter for SAR missions for downed airmen.

[arf-er]

OK, next, I'll be back with the Jet & Heli categories! Watch this space!