Bell OH-58A Kiowa – Esci 1/48
Following Hughes OH-6A presented here on April, a new Vietnam aeroscout is coming from my bench.
This mid ‘80s 1/48 scale model by Esci is pretty good although its age.
I got a lot of work inside the cockpit, none the less outside, with an Allison engine taken from the CMK resin set and modified for a Bell machine.
I used Testors enamel colors with artistic oils and chalks as weathering.
As reported in Print Scale decals sheet, the example 68-16761 (callsign 'Inferno 761') of Casper Platoon is taken in 1970, just few months after delivery, so that I chose a semi-gloss finishing.
Following Casper Platoon official website, I got a small diorama according the Landing Zone (LZ) English homebase during Vietnam war.
Pilot from Plus Model.
Enjoy,
Alessandro
Rome
Very nice work, Alessandro...your fine detailing could have been "showcased" with some additional photos, however. But it's not too late to edit your article and plug in some more pics for us. 🙂
Oh...never mind - I see you just DID. 🙁
😉
Very nice work Alessandro, especially considering the age of the kit. Great detailing in the cabin. How did you make your seat harnesses? They look very natural and realistic.
Dear Mike, although it was poorly considered by the crews (and so poorly photographed), I've collected around 100 good pictures of inside and outside details before starting. Seat belts are from Eduard heli generic set. In real life seats were more basic than the kit ones, no paddings indeed (gotten by the civil version 206).
Alessandro, great work! Where did the M-60 MG in the rear seat come from?
Bernard, thanks a lot! M-60 is coming from H-13 Italeri kit, M-16 from Tarmac crew figures, incendiary (orange) and smoke (grey) grenades, ammunition case, intercom, fire extinguisher etc etc are self made
Thanks, Alessandro! I've got the kit, and had no idea.. The only others I could think of were in the REAL old Aurora (!) Huey. There's an M-16 in the O-1 Birddog from sometime back. Whatever that company was, the kit was a one hit wonder, as we used to say. Nice work on the "smokes" and the interior in general.
One of the guys in our club flew these in Kosovo. He's flying for the Baltimore police these days. Probably misses Kosovo!
M-16 in the Bird Dog I used for Hughes 'Loach' previously. Check it on April contest if you like (much more elaborated!) 😉
I always wanted a ride in a Loach, but didn't. Our TTY/crypto maintenance man got to, and went to Can Tho a couple of times when we were there in the Delta '68-9. Didn't see any Kiowas during my tour, several hops in Hueys.
This looks really nice, a fantastic project, but that finish has to be what was on it the day it arrived in-country. Believe me, things weathered FAST over there.
Tom, yes and not. Pictures do not give a perfect result of finishing. Anyway is more matt than gloss...
Good to see a helicopter, Alessandro, and this one is well detailed and displayed. You obviously have a passion for this subject.
Job well done.
Interesting subject and setting.
Thanks for sharing it.