Photo-etch for Italieri 1/76 UH-34D

@GMorrison: Thank you for your advice concerning a photo-etch kit for my Italieri UH-34D chopper. I will look into ordering it.

I like Morrisons Second Law of Modeling: "There is never enough time to do it right, but somehow there's always enough time to do it over".  Is there a first law? Perhaps it should be, "The amount of time it takes to complete a scale model is ridiculous." A third law might be this: "Never work on a model unless there is an adequate supply of alcoholic beverage available!"

My Vietnam wound was severe — a bullet, possibly from an M-14 in the hands of Viet Cong or NVA soldier — hit me on the outside of my right thigh just above my knee, shattered my femur, and blew a chunk of meat out of the inside of the thigh. I spent some 10 months at Balboa Navy Hospital, including 111 days in traction. You never really get over a wound like that, but I do pretty well if you don't consider things like bad knees, hearing problems, arthritis, etc. My doctors attribute problems with my gait and back to the wound. I was diagnosed with PTSD in 2008. My disability rating of 40% (20% for the wound, 20% for PTSD) helps me enjoy my model building.

I'd forgotten that Full Metal Jacket scene you mentioned, but that movie is one of my favourites. I could listen 24/7 to that drill sergeant's cadence calling. In boot camp I was intrigued by my Recruit Company Commander’s cadence calling. For a few days, I was hearing what sounded like “Hair-lip, hair-lip, hair-lip rah, leh… Hair-lip, hair-lip, hair-lip rah, leh,…. I finally figured out what he was calling: “Your left, your left, your left right left… Your left, your left, your left, right, left….

Welcome, Bob.

Thank you for your service.  I hope you have fully recovered from the injuries.

I would say do try that PE set. It looks pretty straightforward, not a lot of useless stuff. Things like the grilles will really improve the kit.

Kind of reminds me of the scene in FMJ with the insane door gunner.

That is a very nice model.  I have one in the stash, maybe someday as the Penguin from Antarctica.

Hannants probably won't gig you, but do check the shipping cost.

Please post progress if you decide to build her.

Yes, patience is a virtue. Morrisons Second Law of Modeling states that "There is never enough time to do it right, but somehow there's always enough time to do it over".