P-5 Marlin, gunship *finished*

[sandiego89]

AP-5 Marlin, Gunship, VP-40, off Vietnam, operating from USS Currituck (AV-7)

1/72 Marlin, Minicraft/Hasegawa, 1972 boxing.

by Sandiego89

During 1965 under Operation Market Time, the maritime effort to stem the flow of resources into South Vietnam, leaders were looking for a more effective platform to detect and interdict small vessels in the coastal regions and the Mekong Delta lowlands. Long endurance for the long, but often boring patrols, but with good firepower, and the ability to operate at night when Viet Cong sampans frequently operated, was essential.   The insertion and recovery of Seal/UDT teams into sensitive areas far up the Mekong was also a less advertised part of the mission.  The Marlin seaplane, on the verge of retirement, was seen as an attractive platform, and with mobile basing from seaplane tenders could vary their operating locatons, and be free of large land bases.   

The Marlin already had the ability to carry door guns, bombs and rockets, but a bit more firepower was needed and the repair Depot at Naval Air Station North Island converted Marlins with forwarding and side-firing armament, and special sensors.  The aircraft operated from Sea Plane tenders and from Sangley Point, Philippines.  The squadrons soon gained a formidable reputation rekindling the spirit of the famous "Black Cat" Catalina squadrons of WWII.

Anyone whiffed a Marlin yet? 





Sizable aircraft, 1/72 Harrier for scale. 



   

[PR19_Kit]

That Marlin could certainly carry a big 'ole gun, or three......................... 

[kerick]

Looks like fun!

[McColm]

Not the Marlin but it's sister Mariner. Using the 1/72 Mach2 kit with  turbofaned engines from a A-10A, sponsors from the MH-53E and E-1 radome on the Hawkeye base stand, scratch  built ESM wingtip pods.
I think I called this the Marnia AEW.

[comrade harps]

When I was making my WW2 USMC Douglas R4D-6A gunship, I was wondering about using flying boat gunships as part of the backstory. If you're at Iwo Jima or Okinawa, it would make sense to have a persistent gunship capability present before any local airstrips were captured. A Marlin would do the job nicely.

Can't wait to see a Marlin bulging with the gear you port over from the AC-119.

[zenrat]

...Anyone whiffed a Marlin yet?  ...

Not yet...

[jcf]

When I was making my WW2 USMC Douglas R4D-6A gunship, I was wondering about using flying boat gunships as part of the backstory. If you're at Iwo Jima or Okinawa, it would make sense to have a persistent gunship capability present before any local airstrips were captured. A Marlin would do the job nicely.

The Marlin is a post-WWII design, wartime would be a PBM Mariner.

[comrade harps]

When I was making my WW2 USMC Douglas R4D-6A gunship, I was wondering about using flying boat gunships as part of the backstory. If you're at Iwo Jima or Okinawa, it would make sense to have a persistent gunship capability present before any local airstrips were captured. A Marlin would do the job nicely.

The Marlin is a post-WWII design, wartime would be a PBM Mariner.

A Mariner, then! 

[Dizzyfugu]

I whiffed a crappy VEB Plasticart BE-6 into a British late WWII patrol bomber - and with all the additional guns (most from a Matchbox Privateer) it would have made a suitable entry to this GB, too:


1:72 Supermarine Stalwart GR.1, aircraft MT982/'(FV-)Z' of RAF No. 205 Squadron, Malacca/Nicobar Islands (Ceylon), Summer 1945 (Whif/VEB Plasticart Be-6 conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[PR19_Kit]

That looks remarkably like an updated Mariner too. 

[nighthunter]

That looks remarkably like an updated Mariner too. 

Same thought here.

On a suggestive note, I'd mount a Privateer nose turret on it.

[sandiego89]

Work commenced

20mm cheek cannon fairings.





Additional side-firing cannon hole drilled aft of the port side door. 



rather sparse tail observer station.  By this time in service the Marlin tail guns had been removed, but that is boring....

[zenrat]

A gunship needs tail guns to keep the opponents heads down after it has passed over them.

Is there any internal structure in these other than the cockpit?  Mine will be an amphibian so i'll need space inside to build wheel housings.

[sandiego89]

A gunship needs tail guns to keep the opponents heads down after it has passed over them.

Is there any internal structure in these other than the cockpit?  Mine will be an amphibian so i'll need space inside to build wheel housings.

No zenrat, no internal structure at all except the cockpit floor and the small bulkhead behind the cockpit.  You can see these pieces still on the sprue above the cockpit in the below pictures.  The fuselage itself is rather flimsy and a bit warped, going to be a tough glue job; imagine it will stiffen up a bit once the wing is joined, but not confidence-inspiring.  No other bulkheads, floor or tail observer/gunner compartment detail.

 

[kerick]

This looks so interesting. Keep it up!