Andy,

  I get what your saying, but the argument could also be made that the left guns had the brass bags because the tail rotor was on the left side!  That's what I was laways led to believe anyhow.

     Ray

Ray,

Im just going on what ive heard from the 1st Cav Crew guys, though like you say its also possible that on a higher level the reasoning for the left side bag was due to the position of the tail rotor. Though its also worth considering that the left side M60 "ejection port" faced away from the TR and towards the Crew compartment unlike the right side gun, also, as far as i know, the "Slick" door gunners would only usually be allowed to fire on the first initial approach into an LZ at which point they would be on short final, descending and not flying fast enough for spent brass ejected from the right side of the left gun to fly back and towards the tail rotor. Though i could be wrong. 

If the TR was the main reason behind the bags on slicks,it seems strange that the right side gun was not fitted with them, as the "ejection port" on the right faces the TR direction and shells could fly back and over the tail boom. I suppose it all depends on who tells you what and so far the info ive been given all points away from TR damage as the main reason for the left side bags. Though that doesnt by any means mean im right or that the info i have is right, it just means that as ever there are conflicting accounts of what was going on or why, in Vietnam, which isnt really a surprise. Anyway its all trivial but interesting .

Grandad,

Well that rules out 778's blade being re-painted . I have no idea what the colour of the blades were, i always presumed (though i shouldnt) that those that were not white were OD but on closer inspection the blades in the photo look black, so thanks for that . You have saved me from a modelling boo boo, as i would have probably painted mine OD (ive gone back and corrected the post with the info you gave me).

I see from all the Huey threads I'm going to have to get pickier on the kits I buy. Actually, I feel closer to just giving up before I start.

I love Hueys. I made my first Huey when I was about 6 or 7, and it was a bad kit - I still remember the left half of the fuselage had the nose bent down below the windshield so I couldn't even finish it half decent (of course these days I could fix that with some heat and putty.

Before today I was looking forward to making my 1/24 Monogram Huey, and thought it was a good kit with good detail. Now, I understand that is it a bad kit with bad detail and scale. Even that new Dragon Huey, which I thought was an utterly awesome model - well, third party patch kits are already out for it to fix up inaccuracies on stuff I have no idea what they really people are talking about. I sort of believe in only doing something if I can do a good job. Now I'm not sure I can. And now that if I'm going to have to buy $70 worth of patches from Eduard for the MRC Huey "Frog" to be able to gain a good level of accuracy and detail, I'm starting to feel like dumping these kits in the bin.

I'm thinking I'll just stick to sci fi kits. Something not based in reality where I'm not going to have to worry so much about "fuel pump on the wrong side", or gearbox wrong, or the like...

I really am feeling somewhat overwhelmed, dejected, and lost at where to start...

HeavyArty wrote:

You shouldn't really be discouraged.  Most of the things that the AM and PE sets correct are not really huge inaccuracies.  Most of them would only be caught by a crew chief or us rivet counters.  You can make some very nice Huey kits straight out of the box on most of them.  Add a few scratch-built items and you can have a really great looking model.  Remember, you only need to build for yourself, not others.  If you are happy with it, it is great.

Thanks for the advise. I've still feel utterly devestated. Especially after seeing that magnificent Huey "Mustang"...

The photo etched instrument panels are something I really will take as a minimum from now though. Since I restarted with modelling again, I've tried painting instrument panels, and I still stink... That and etched panel lines vs the old style raised panel lines. That is one reason I'm dumping (or just using for practice) the old hasagewa and monogram kits I have.

For the Huey "Frog" model I'll probably pick up the Eduard interior PE kit. For the Monogram 24th Huey, it's fate is undecided... I might park it another 5 years.

I'll third that!  While we sit here and debate the minutae of Huey details (this panel needs to be fixed, those rivets are too big, that Huey didn't fly with that armament system) we often lose sight of the fact that we're pretty lucky that the Huey kits out there are pretty good and pretty accurate.  The MRC kits are some of the best models straight out of the box.  Sure there's aftermarket stuff, but don't take those as absolutely necessary in order to build a decent model!  As Gino said, build for yourself!  This is supposed to be fun!

I know that I have begun to suffer from severe AMS (Advanced Modelers Syndrome) and often have difficulty just building a model straight out of the box.  As for Andy's "Mustang 6", well... AMS has become an art form in its own right with him!  I just nod, pick my jaw up off the floor and wish I could do something somewhere close to his magic.  

DON'T BE DISCOURAGED!  BUILD THOSE HUEYS!

(and don't be afraid to toss in some resin too! ;) )

Jon
 

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"1-6 is in hot"

rotorwash wrote:

Andy,    Just got off the phone with my dad and asked about brass in the cockpit.  He told me that it was not unhear of for a little hot brass to find it's way down the neck of particularly ornary pilots!  In a gunship with a free gun all it took was a little "creative positioning" of the gun to get brass to go just about anywhere.  Any of you other guys heard of this?  anyway, I thought you might get a kick out of the story.      Ray

Kinda like "non-lethal fragging". 

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Randie Agape Models

Without them? The men on the ground would have to work a lot harder. You can help. Please keep 'em flying! http://www.airtanker.com/

Hot brass in the cabin was definetly a "weapon" of amusement at the right moment. At the wrong moment though everyone was at the mercy of just how distracting it was to the man on the stick.

Chief Snake 

I'll pile on and add my 2 cents U.S., just build it and enjoy it.  I've been building a good 50 yrs now and was a door gunner and love Hueys!  If I've learned anything, it's "don't wait for a perfect model, it may never happen" whether out of box or if you use every accessory or improvement parts that come out.  Somebody somewhere will still find fault with it!

I've seen models go from over sized raised rivets to our fine engraved panel lines and lightly drilled indented dimples representing rivets.  Fact is, reality is still not being served.  The real Huey had rivets raised up from the surface - and I don't remember any 'fine' engraved lines that scaled up would be significant chanels separating panels!  Look at any photos of real Hueys. Modelers will be better served when they accept that 'this is modeling, NOT reality' and never the twain shall meet!

Most of the available Huey models are damn nice kits out of the box.  If you want to make them better, there IS room for improvement.  Add what you want so long as you're still enjoying the build.  You'll build a heck of a lot more enjoyable models that way.

If you want to build that perfect model, you have all my respect and - God bless!  But if you want to simply enjoy modeling like 85% of the rest of us, don't throw out that perfectly good model for some nebulous - ridiculous and fictitious when you get down to it, notion of perfection.  'Build and have fun!'

Clear right

Howie  

Howie,

Transmission received and understood! 

Melgyver wrote:

Putting hot brass down the neck of an "FNG" pilot was sort of a "tradition".  Welcome to the "Guns" sort of thing!

might sound kinda funny, but I cannot actually remember brass flying around inside the Huey. But I'm sure it did. The one thing I still remember most of all was that everything was a light grey that looked like it had been sand blasted. Lots and lots of wear inside there.

gary