1/72 Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, 1972

Kits-World - 1/72 Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, 1972. 450mm(W) x 450mm(H) 17inches(W) x 17inches(H).

Korat can trace its ancestry back to the days of the Japanese Occupation of Thailand when a small airfield was built for use by the Japanese Imperial Army.

After the end of the war, the airfield was passed to the Thai government who continued its use as a base for the Royal Thai Air Force. During the early 1960's, the United States began enlarging the airfield. New facilities were built including barracks, stores, a hospital and numerous security improvements were undertaken. The Laotian Civil War had begun in 1959 and the then Kennedy administration was concerned about spillage of this conflict over into Thailand, notably an invasion by communist forces. Improvements and enlargement of the base continued until 1964, when the USAF began stationing Grumman HU-16 Albatross amphibians of the 33rd Air Rescue Squadron at Korat to support US Navy operations over Laos. These were replaced in 1965 by Douglas HC-54D Rescuemasters.

Following the Gulf of Tonkin incident in July 1964, Republic F-105D Thunderchiefs of the 36th Tactical Fighter Squadron from the 6441st Tactical Fighter Wing stationed in Japan began to be deployed. This unit continued at Korat until October of the same year when they were replaced by F-105D's of 469th Tactical Fighter Squadron from the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing. The same month also saw the additional deployment of F-105's from the 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron from the 41st Air Division.

Deployments continued including Kaman HH-43 Huskies which formed the 38th Air Rescue Squadron and the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron operating F-105's moving from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa on a rotational basis throughout 1964 and 1965.

Operations were ramped up in 1965. This year saw the establishment of the 6234th Tactical Fighter Wing encompassing the 12th, 67th, 357th, 421st and 469th Tactical Fighter Squadrons all flying F-105D's, the 68th Tactical Fighter Squadron operating Mcdonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II's and a Wild Weasel Detachment formed from the 531st Tactical Fighter Squadron flying North American F-100F Super Sabres.

In April 1966, the 6234th Tfw was deactivated and replaced by the reactivated 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, initially encompassing the 421st and 469th Tactical Fighter Squadrons flying F-105D's, followed in May by the 44th Tfs flying F-105F's. In the same month, the 388th also took under its charge the 34th Tfs flying F-4C's and the 13th Tfs flying F-105F's. By this time, No. 41 Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force was also stationed at the base flying Bristol Freighters.

By 1967 the F-105's were beginning to suffer heavy losses and many European-based F-105's started being transferred to South East Asia to make up numbers. The 421st Tfs was re-established as the 44th Tfs in April 1967. The unit absorbed the missions undertaken by the 13th Tfs which moved to Udorn Rtafb flying McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II's.

By 1966, Wild Weasel missions were well underway. 388th Tfw units undertook a number of these missions, notably the 13th Tfs from May 1966 until it was redeployed to Udorn as previously mentioned. Also bought under the 388th was the 12th Tactical Fighter Squadron which was formed from the 333rd, 354th and 357th TFS's and was equipped with the F-105F. At the same time, the 44th Tfs began flying escort cover during the Wild Weasel missions. Later, during the early 1970's the 561st Tfs flying F-105G's was formed and bought under the command of the 388th. The 12th Tfs was re-equipped with the F-105G in June 1967 and despited being temporarily stationed at Takhli, returned to Korat when the 388th and 355th Tactical Fighter Wings were absorbed to form the 6010th Wild Weasel Squadron in 1970. The unit was redesigned the 17th Wild Weasel Squadron in December 1971.

From February 1972, Wild Weasel missions were beginning to be undertaken by the EF-4C's of the re-established 67th TFS. The EF-4C was never really a very effective variant in this role and was only ever seen as a stopgap until the arrival of the more capable F-4E which was introduced in the late 1960's. F-4 and F-105 Wild Weasel missions continued from Korat through the late 1960's and early 1970's.

In 1972 Korat saw the deployment of Ltv A-7D Corsair II's of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing encompassing the 353rd, 355th and 356th Tactical Fighter Squadrons. This period forms the inspiration for this diorama section when hard standings were painted in varying sized blocks of disruptive camouflage as a trial measure. Photographic reference including aerial shots have been used in the production of this base.

Following the Vietnam War, Korat was passed back to total Thai control.
GPS- 14º55'47.83' N 102º04'45.01' E (General location)

Main aircraft operated for the period (1972) given:

LTV A-7D Corsair II