Seven years ago John Vojtech started his Esci 1/72 scale AC-130H gunship, intending to finish it for the 2001 International Plastic Modelers Society/USA national convention in Chicago. But the enormity of the project and "real life" issues got in the way, and John had to step away from the modeling bench for a while. He finished it for the 2005 nationals in Atlanta, however, and it was the most-talked-about model airplane in the contest. It was not idle chat either, as it won Best Aircraft and the coveted People's Choice award. The detail of John's model is staggering. Much of the fighting cabin can be seen through the open loading doors in the rear of the fuselage. A few Fxluard photoetched details are used on the model, hut nearly everything is scratchbuilt, including the 105mm and 40mm Bofors cannons. Add to that two completely wired and plumbed turboshaft engines, dropped and detailed flaps, opened nose radome, and several accessories, not to mention the completely rescribed and re-riveted exterior. He used every material at his disposal: styrene, metal, wood, wire, and epoxy putty.
