Kitty Hawk’s 48th UH-1H in 134th AHC markings circa 1969-1970 RVN
This is but one of the Hueys I flew during my tour with the 134th AHC. This is a 2nd Plt Huey as noted by the white accent markings. 1st Plt birds carried red marking where these are white. The UH-1Cs and Ms, our gunships, had light blue accent details.
Our Hueys were maintained very well even considering our operational environment. Our Crew Chiefs took pride it their mounts and allowed us pilots to fly them with their close scrutiny. Later, after several of our birds were shot-up, the Brass determined the nose Demon Head looked like a Target and directed it to be modified with only a white outline.
It WAS a fun build for me bringing back memories of this grand ole War Horse!! A LOT of detail was covered up with Engine Cowl, but I detailed it all! Provisions are included in this kit to show everything all opened up, IF you’re so inclined. This kit isn’t perfect and DOES have its challenges. That said, it IS, by far, the best Huey on the market in any scale!!
I did use the Eduard instrument panel and overhead console, cabin seat belts. Modified the pilot and copilot seats, per the actual things. For one thing, the kit comes with the sliding side armor panel in the full forward position. Next to impossible to enter and egress like that!! Positioned P and CP seat belts as we normally did with the seat bottom and back clear of belts!
Overall paint color was mixed to my liking and remembrance.
Questions?? Comments??
EDIT: I forgot to mention I used Werner Wings excellent decal sheet for this build. Five Star all the way and I eagerly await his new release with correction!
Bo
7 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Rob Pollock said on March 26, 2018
I did this one as an iM review build last year. I think it’s a really good kit – lots of fine detail.
Yours looks the business!
Bowman Roberts said on March 26, 2018
Thanks. I’ll try another some day.
Marc Barris said on March 26, 2018
I like this build, you did a great job, your memory is still good, how many hours did you fly in the UH-1.
Bowman Roberts said on March 26, 2018
2k plus.
Craig Abrahamson said on March 26, 2018
Beautiful lookin’ Huey, sir….outstanding build!
Bowman Roberts said on March 26, 2018
Thanks, Craig.
Tom Bebout said on March 26, 2018
Whop, whop, whop, whop, I can hear it coming a mile away, and when in sight she sure looks good. Like what you did with this old war horse.
Bowman Roberts said on March 26, 2018
A sound heard just about any time during the day over there.
Robert Royes said on March 26, 2018
Very nice build!!
Bowman Roberts said on March 26, 2018
And fun, too.
Jeff Bailey said on March 27, 2018
Like Tom, the sound of the air / blade interaction takes me back a few years. 2K hours in these? Sweet! Beautifully done, Bowman. I like the way you described the pride in their machines that your maintenance guys had. I was in Abrams tanks (same turbine as in your mounts, I believe only modified) and our mechanics were worth their weight in gold. We couldn’t be successful at our business if they weren’t successful in theirs.
Bravo !!!
Bowman Roberts said on March 27, 2018
For sure gotta have good maintenance to accomplish the task at hand.
Thanks, Jeff.
George Williams said on March 27, 2018
Really nice build of this not so easy kit, you must be very pleased with the result.
Bowman Roberts said on March 27, 2018
Not so easy, but fun for me.
Hans Wilhelm Fischer said on March 27, 2018
Very fine build.
On my screen the pictures appear very dark and show few of the details, so I “photoshopped” a bit. Allow me to join two photos – an overview and a detail to show the details of the interior.
This seems a general problem to if you use a white background without overruling the exposure-automatic of the camera.
2 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Bowman Roberts said on March 27, 2018
No problem at all. I need all the help I can get.
EDIT: So it’s the White background that’s the issue for Auto Exposures?? I’ll use blue next time.
Thanks.
Greg Kittinger said on March 27, 2018
Good looking Huey! Well done.
Bowman Roberts said on March 27, 2018
Thanks.
paul teixeira said on March 28, 2018
What a great looking Chopper. Great job!
Bowman Roberts said on March 28, 2018
Thanks Paul. Just bought a LED lighted display case and it really does show it off. Made for 1/8 cars but this Huey barely does fit inside!!
bob mack said on October 3, 2018
marvelous model Bo and your wonderful service is much appreciated…what a gutsy outfit…i had a buddy that told me they were dropping into Pleiku through a mountain pass in the early days, when the pilot rolled it onto its side to shoehorn in to the LZ…he was sitting by the open door with nothing but a seatbelt between him and eternity as a nineteen year old kid looking down at the gorge…a ride he never forgot and a story i think of many times