Bell Iroquois UH-1F/P 'Huey' gunship, i/48 scale
The basic short-cab Bell UH-1F/P in SEA camo
Airmen of the 20th SOS play the waiting game at a forward operating base in Vietnam
Variations in dimensions btw the UH-1B/C and UH-1F/P (having longer rotors and tail boom.
Italeri UH-1D/H (below) and Monogram UH-1C for comparison. Rotorhead and rotors from Italeri and aft part of tail boom will be added to Monogram UH-1C to create correct proportions for UH-1F/P kitbash.
Casting aft part of F model engine was done by creating a mold of the upper part of the UH-1C with added bulk around the engine cowlings to allow carving the new shape.
Half-way there...the port side of the engine casting prepared for a second cast.
Starboard side of the same casting with the engine exhaust port drilled in.
Second cast of port side after much filing and shaping and cutting to fit in space cut out of the UH-1C.
Second cast of starboard side, same procedure.
Showing the 'loose' fit of the engine casting, which required ample Tamiya putty and more filing and shaping.
The tail booms were cut and spliced to estimate the best joining point with 24" added to boom length. I should have used 36" for better proportions. To measure this, I used the joint at which the boom joined the cabin to the joint of the rudder.
After completing most of interior painting, the camo paint was added using the putty-worm blending method and photo references. I made the 'Green Hornet' decal from on-line images.
A mock-up of the stance.
Starboard side close-up.
Port side close-up.
M134 GAU miniguns were installed on both sides of the UH-1F/P gunships with a large ammo cannister feeding both guns.
I used the CMK minigun kit which included brass casting of barrels and actions only. I had to scratch build the gun stands and mount using plastic and brass sheet.
Image of model coming together on a diorama board. Shows minigun mounted in door.
This photo and the second photo in this album are being used to stylize the diorama. I'll scratch-build the camp cots and folding chairs. Figures are from ESCI, Hasagawa, Aero Line, and Plusmodels.
Kommentit
12 July 2018, 17:19
Album info
Bell UH-1F/P model Huey gunship in 1/48 scale, representing the USAF 20th Special Operations Squadron of the 2nd Special Operations Wing as used in SEA. The 20th SOS used 5 UH-1F/Ps (3 slicks and 2 gunships) when inserting LRRPs (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols) into Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam.
