We are supposed to unveil on Veterans Day - it is coming soon?
We should not reveal the finished builds before?
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When I was doing my research on the ONU builds (
the Katangese mercenary group ( What did you do in your modeling workshop today? - #5544 by bwilt), the Swedish UN group ( What did you do in your modeling workshop today? - #5915 by bwilt) and the Saab ( What did you do in your modeling workshop today? - #5948 by bwilt )) I came across a compelling story which stuck in my mind…
On November 11, 1961, thirteen Italian airmen of the UN contingent were massacred in the former Belgian Congo. In Pisa and Rome, not far from the “Leonardo Da Vinci” Airport in Fiumicino, a monument commemorates them. Since then, Alitalia pilots have worn black ties as a sign of mourning. The thirteen Italian airmen were part of the crews of two transport planes of the Italian Air Force: the C-119s of the 46th Air Brigade of Pisa, assigned to the United Nations contingent in Congo.
Two Italian aircrews had been operating for a year and a half in the Congo, and their return to Italy was scheduled for November 23, 1961. On the morning of November 11, 1961, the two aircraft took off from the capital city Leopoldville (now Kinshasa) to supply the small Malaysian United Nations garrison controlling the airfield not far from Kindu. Later that day, the Italian transport planes landed at Kindu airport, not far from the border with Katanga, where a bloody civil war was underway.
The mission of the Italian airmen was to transport supplies for the Malaysian “blue helmets” of the Kindu garrison. Their airplanes were the C-119 “Lupo 33” (International Radio Callsign “India 6049”) under the command of Major Amedeo Parmeggiani and the C-119 “Lyra 5” (International Radio Callsign “India 6002”) under the command of Captain Giorgio Gonelli.
After the landing while they were having lunch, the thirteen Italian airmen were attacked and barbarously killed by rebel troops of the Congolese National Army, accused of being mercenaries disguised as airmen in the service of the United Nations.
The members of the two crews who were victims of the massacre were: Major Pilot Amedeo Parmeggiani, Second Lieutenant Pilot Onorio De Luca, Lieutenant Doctor Francesco Paolo Remotti, Marshal Motorist Nazzareno Quadrumani, Sergeant Radioman Francesco Paga, Sergeant Major EMB Martano Marcacci, Sergeant Major Silvestro Possenti, Captain Pilot Giorgio Monelli, Second Lieutenant Pilot Giulio Garbati, Marshal Motorist Filippo Di Giovanni, Sergeant Radioman Antonio Mamone, Sergeant Major EMB Armando Fabi, Sergeant Major Nicola Stigliani.
They were killed, butchered and became victim to cannabalism, which was still widespread amongst the rebels.
Only after a few months was it possible to recover the, due to the cannabalism, clandestinely buried remains of their bodies.
On March 11, 1962 they were able to return to Pisa, and later placed in the Shrine temple, near the entrance to Pisa airport. In front of the Shrine, inside the airport, a C119 has been placed as a “gate guardian” since 1978.
The Fallen of Kindu were unfortunately not the only men lost by the 46th Air Brigade during the long and exhausting campaign in Congo. During two flight accidents, three other officers and four non-commissioned officers lost their lives.
The entire operational cycle ended on 19 June 1962, with the return to Pisa of the last three aircraft of the Detachment. In the space of 23 months, the capable “Flying Wagons” had ensured 2.177 sorties for a total of 9.165 flight hours, transporting 9.328.201 kilo’s of material and 8.100 passengers.
In 1994, at Pisa airport, the President of the Republic, Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, delivered the Gold Medals for Military Valor awarded in their memory to the families of the Fallen of Kindu.
On the occasion of the Sixty-Year Anniversary of the Kindu Massacre, the two aircraft “Lyra 5” and “Lupo 33” involved in that tragedy were remembered with a celebratory livery. The result is an aircraft completely repainted with the gray typical of that mission and that period. The color scheme used is that of the “Lyra 5”, which belonged to the 2nd Group of the 46th Air Brigade, but the codes of the other aircraft that landed at Kindu, the “Lupo 33” of the 98th Group, were also reported on the right tail boom.
What I have:
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A tribute to them would be most fitting.
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Veterans Day here in the US is on 11 November. I believe that’s what he’s aiming for.
Michael 
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Yes, that was the original intent.
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Thanks for the answers, guys 
I have finished, but will hold my pictures back until Veterans Day. 
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As one of the progenitors of this campaign, I guess I should build something.
The veteran I chose to honor is Gail Halversen. His name is probably known to most aircraft modelers. My original intent was to have it be someone you knew. While I did not know him, I did meet him at some point during my time in Berlin. While that was at least ten years after his retirement as Commander at Tempelhof, he did visit several times over the years.
So - it doesn’t take too many brain cells to figure this one out:
There are some pretty good sized gaps at the wing joints, and an unfortunate hatch location on the underside of the fuselage. You almost always know that will be trouble.
I’ll model this in flight, so most of the bottom won’t be seen. Nor will the top for that matter. And while I said to myself it doesn’t have to be perfect, I still couldn’t leave those gaps.
They were too wide for my usual CA fill job, so I used putty first, then went to the gym, shopping, walked the dog… So virtually no wait time if you look at it that way. Came back to find it cured, so I sanded it, and of course discovered it did not completely fill the gaps, but they were much better. I gave them an application of CA, a shot of accelerator, and sanded the joints again. Total time was less than ten minutes. I told myself that’s all the time I was spending on something largely unseen.
Whew! Not bad for a guy who hasn’t finished a fixed wing aircraft in - decades? I am not displeased. On to other projects for now.
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It, ah is, ah sort of unluck knowing you…That’s 5 comrades that passed before this thread is done. 
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In light of revelations of the truth - long suspected - you’re right. He belongs in the same group as Tim Kennedy.
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Dang, hadn’t kept up with details.
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Dis some detailing to landinggear and doors, added brakeline and dooropeners..
And have this one ready for primer…
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Hah! Arrived today; now I can start my contribution to the Veterans’ Tribute Campaign. I am aware that I’ll need to get a move on(!)
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Well, not much to show for around 2 hours’ work, but at least I’ve started:
I haven’t built an AFV Club for some time. I’d forgotten how soft their plastic is; also a fair bit of flash on this one, and some of the fit leaves a bit to be desired. Anyway, onwards and upwards!
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I will show everything within the timeframe specified by the organiser. Fragment of M-ATV, Marcus Luttrell and Danny Dietz
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Re the AFV Club leFH 18/40 - has anybody else built this? I cannot figure out part no 46 is positioned/attached:
I’ve tried looking around walkarounds of the real thing, to no avail.
Can anybody help with this?
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Chaps, stand-down on this; I posted this elsewhere and have a solution - just about(!)
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Some local wannabee Sherlock Holmes found the solution,
cocky s.o.b who thinks he knows it all …
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