The Chinook is a well known heavy transport helicopter, which has been soldiering on for many years. What a lot of people don’t know (and I didn’t know until a few years ago) is that an armed version was used in Vietnam.

 Four armed/armored ACH-47A Chinooks were specially built for the U.S. Army by Boeing Vertol in late 1965. Three of the four aircraft were originally fielded in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) for a six month temporary duty (TDY) test period assigned to the newly formed 53rd Aviation Detachment.

 The three ACH-47A's to deploy were 64-13149 - nicknamed "Easy Money", 64-13151 nicknamed "Stump Jumper", and 64-13154 - nicknamed "Birth Control". The first ACH-47A produced, 64-13145 (later known as "Co$t of Living") remained in the states for further weapons systems testing at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), California. Following the test period, the unit was attached to the 1st Cavalry Division's 228th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion and re-designated as the 1st Aviation Detachment (Provisional). By February 1968, only one of the original four gunships was still flying. "Easy Money", 64-13149, was the only ACH-47A to survive the Vietnam War.

I for one, am happy with the fact that Italeri has decided to rerlease this kit, even though ist a big mother...... (yet a lot smaller that the 35th scale version about to be relased by Trumpeter), because the only 48th scale Chinook until now was the Aurora kit (which, I have been told, is a very basic kit).

 It doesn’t look as though it has been upscaled from their 72nd scale release (item # 341054), but I’m not entirely sure.

 The kit itself consists of 5 olive green sprues and one clear sprue. The 15 page A 4 size booklet is as clear as other Italeri instructions. New (to me) is the fact that they have included the Testors Acrylics numbers in the painting instructions.

 The decals.

 Proved with the kit are decals for the Aberdeen Proving ground version, Stump Jumper and Easy Money, the only surviving ACH-47. She is preserved at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville Alabama.

 http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/aviation/easy_money/index.html

 As I’ve said earlier, I’m happy with this kit and will build it (sometime in the next 35 ears I guess), along with its 72nd scale cousin (which rests somewhere in my ever growing stash. (Note to self, do something about that growing stash)

 For those who would like to find out more, the following websites were usefull for me in providing meterial for this review:

 http://www.chinook-helicopter.com/chinook/gunsagogo.html

 http://tri.army.mil/LC/CS/csa/ach47a.htm

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