Gecko Models new 1/35 scale US Navy Patrol Air Cushion Vehicle (PACV) (late production)

Gecko models has shown more on its 1/35th scale Vietnam-era PACV today - with sprues and art on display. We look at it in our preview...

Gecko Models new 1/35 scale US Navy Patrol Air Cushion Vehicle (PACV) (late production)

Gecko models has shown more on its Vietnam-era PACV today - with sprues and art on display. We look at it in our preview...

US Navy Patrol Air Cushion Vehicle (PACV) (late production)

Gecko Models

1/35th scale
Kit No: #35GM0101

Plastic injection kit

The Subject: The Patrol Air Cushion Vehicle (PACV), also known as the Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV) in Army and Coast Guard service, played a crucial role during the Vietnam War. These hovercraft were designed for patrolling marshy and riverine areas. A total of six hovercraft were built: three for the Army and three for the Navy.

The PACV’s unique feature was its lack of draft, allowing it to operate freely in the shallow and reed-filled waters of South Vietnam, particularly in regions like the Mekong Delta and Plain of Reeds. Its remarkable speed of 60 knots (110 km/h; 69 mph) made it faster than other watercraft in the conflict.

The PACV's speed, maneuverability, and firepower lent themselves to many types of missions, including patrolling, search and destroy, escorting other ships, raiding, reconnaissance, medical evacuation, transporting artillery pieces, and providing fire support to infantry. It was best suited for ambushes and raids, especially at night, when it could be easily concealed behind reeds and swamp grass. Although it was too loud to be very effective at surprise attacks, it could use its speed to raid Viet Cong bases and escape before they could react. The PACV was found to be most effective when employed in combined arms operations alongside helicopters, artillery, and other watercraft; patrol missions conducted in concert with air cavalry or Hurricane Aircat airboats were found to be especially effective. The PACV's low profile and radar also meant that it was used as a stealthy stationary radar station when its engines were off. However, Army evaluations found that the ACV had insufficient firepower, being unable to damage armored or fortified targets, and recommended that it be outfitted with heavier weapons. They also found that it could be too loud to be used effectively for patrol and interdiction missions. Fuel resupply was another frequently cited issue for longer missions, especially given that no adequate method of refueling in the field existed.

The PACV was frequently compared to a helicopter because of its speed, terrain crossing ability, maintenance requirements, and cost.Army ACV units operated similarly to air cavalry.

Operating these highly specialized vehicles required pilots and maintenance personnel undergo considerable training, with pilots requiring 75–100 hours of flight experience before participating in combat.Training requirements meant that the Army had to set one craft aside for training for 14 days every month. Troops riding in and on the PACVs also needed training to use them safely: during evaluation, one soldier died when he fell into the hovercraft's intake, and another lost his hand to the propeller.

Another downside of the PACV was the degree of maintenance it required: each hour of operation required 20 hours of maintenance, double the 10-hour average for contemporary military helicopters. An Army evaluation found that the PACV had an operationally ready rate of 55.7%, and all three Army ACVs were only operational during June 1969. This maintenance requirement, which was made even worse when the vehicles suffered damage, combined with the insufficient firepower to lead an Army evaluation to conclude that "there is no hope of the [PACV/ACV] unit fighting to a satisfactory conclusion in any large engagement." The PACV was also very expensive, costing about $1 million each, as much as thirteen Patrol Boat, Rivers (PBR's).

Because of their high profile and degree of threat, the PACVs and ACVs in Vietnam became major targets. The Viet Cong used ambushes and naval mines against the PACVs. Mines proved especially effective: Army ACV 902 was destroyed by a tripwire-triggered mine on 9 January 1970. Though no one onboard was killed, 14 men were injured and the attack slowed the pace of ACV operations because of Army regulations stipulating that the hovercraft work in pairs to protect each other. When ACV 901 was destroyed by a command-detonated mine on 3 August 1970, killing three, the ACVs were deactivated. The 39th ACV Platoon ceased operations on 31 August 1970 and officially left Vietnam in September, transferring their sole surviving ACV to the Army Transportation Museum in Virginia. Navy PACVs returned to the continental United States that August.

The Kit: Gecko Models 1/35 scale US Navy Patrol Air Cushion Vehicle (PACV) (late production)

The test kit of Gercko Models new 1/35 scale US Navy Patrol Air Cushion Vehicle (PACV) (late production) has been released for assemnly testing. We have not seent he kit put together yet, so we will hold off on going gaga too quickly, but we can work out some things with the images that we have already.

Large slabs cover the upper and lower hull of the PACV

We know that the kit is a full injection moulded kit, an that it will most certainly be cheaper than other kits of the type in the past. The low looking parts count is refreshing, but no doubt there will be a lot og aftermrket for this kit on the market soon after release, as there is space to modify, and real estate for items to be placed upon.

The clear parts for the kit

It looks like a resin stretcher is included in this kit, Surely that will be packed full of stowage on most people/s kits...

Thankfully there looks to be only a minimum of photo-etch which is a welcomr change for hecko models. This could change however, as this is the test kit...

The marking choices for this kit are gaudy and colourful and will serve a lot of modellers very well...

You can find out more about Gecko Models kits on their website