My latest project was a 90th Happy Birthday celebration for the Iraqi Air Force.
Late 1958, at Rashid Airbase near Baghdad, a Cessna Bird Dog is refuelled for next to a stored Westland WS.51 helicopter.
I was reading the good new Tom Cooper book on the early Iraqi AF and found pictures of both these types and it seemed like an interesting pairing, both being largely forgotten. The Cessna in particular only seems to feature in two photos ever published and sports a strange all-black scheme that suits the type well. There is no information on upper wing detail but since the scheme was presumably for low visibility, I thought small national markings seemed most likely.
The Westland chopper was featured in an LF decal sheet in larger scales and is pictured in a very clear image in the Cooper book, although I have continued the blue along the tail boom based on the photo which I don't think LF do on their paint profile.
Both aircraft are from the Minwings kits, they went together fine, although the clear plastic doesn't do a great job of showing off the interiors. I made up the steps in the Dragonfly with bent wire as the supplied plastic parts were very thick.
The Beford QLD is from Arrowhead Minatures with a scratch built frame. The type was in use by the RAF in Iraq until their departure in the middle of the decal so it seemed probable that some were left or sold to the Iraqi AF.