Italeri 1/72nd Bell 212 AH.1 WiP

Looking good. 

Looks great Bish. So much detail for 1/72!

Hello Bish!

Lookin' good! I'll be following this.

Any plans on detailing the underside and cutting the big round hole there?

Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

Thanks guys.

Pawel, i could not find any really good pics of the underside so not sure what hole you mean. I know there is the round raised piece where the hook should go but the AAC aircraft don't carry that, and on the pic i did find i can't clearly see whats there, though i know its not painted as the rest. It will be fixed to a base so not to much of an issue, but if its an easy fix i might put that in.

Hello!

For a long time I couldn't get it, too - and I guess people who designed most of the Huey scale models neither. But for example Bob Mason mentions "hell hole" in his classic book "Chickenhawk" often enough for me to start wondering about it. Here's what he means:

Well that black shape between the "A" and the "C" is a hole that goes all the way up to the transmission - where the hook harness attachment point is. And the edge of the "hole" has a rail for the hook to ride on. When the chopper/helo rolls or pitches just a little bit, the hook is still hanging vertically from it's attachment point. When the roll or pitch increases, the hook comes to a stop on the mentioned rail on the edge of the hole and the rail takes some of the forces from the load on the hook. And inside the hole, I read, there are fuel system valves for draining and hydraulic lines and the likes. But just cutting a hole there and painting the insides black makes the model much more realistic.

Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

Thanks Pawel, that is the area i thought you emant and that explains it well. The kit instructions just has the hook glued to the base of the kit. I can just drill a hole there, once glued to the base, it should work fine.

I used to be a Hooker, most aircraft i hook loads onto had the hooks attached to the underside. But i have hooked onto a couple, Hip's and a Sea Stallion, that had the hook hanging through a hole in the floor. The rail around the edge would certainly stop the airframe being damaged. Thanks.

I got the Huey all together a ready for painting a couple of weeks ago. The Antenna fit is based on photo's of the real thing not the kit instructions. Fortunatly both the kit and PE set include them for the other versions. The rail on the roof i made with some wire. I have also made some extra antennas for underneath but will add those later.

But then i realised they didn't have the right shade of green for British Army helo's. Xtracolor used to have it, but stopped it a few years back. After doing a search i opted for Hataka acrylics. They do a complete set for British helicopters, but i just got the green and grey. I was wary after my experiance with MiG Ammo. But this stuff was really nice and even in the cold damp winter it was touch dry over night.

I'll give it another night then mask for the Orange.

Sweet. 

Looking great.

Thanks guys.

Finally able to get back to the Huey. I got the Humbrol enamel paint and decided i didn't like that. Its not sold as a clear colour but it is and after 3 coats it still wasn't right. So i cleaned it up, re-primed and just thought i would try my own mix with Tamiya. I ha not done this as i didn't think i could get a match, but some orange with a small drop of red and i thinks its actually a better match than the humbrol. Should have just trie that to start with, would have had this finished over a month ago.

The pics i have of the underside are at an awkward angle so i am not completly certain the markings are correct. These are a bit thick after numerous layers but i am happy enough.

Then the decals were added. The kit dates from 97 but the pics i have are from 2019, while the camo is not the same the markings are mostly good. I did have to close the gap between the letters and numbers in the serial. The Danger stencil on the tail should have a red background with yellow writing. But i didn't have one to suit in the spares box.

The stencils around the doors are from 2 different sopurces in the spares box. Each one is a seperate decal, so they took a couple of evenings to apply.

Then a light Flory wash, these things seem to be kept nice a clean. Followed by a mat coat.

And then all the last bits added to finish it off.

Just need to add it to the base and try and find some decent figures. If i can't, i will just have it on the base with personel.

Well done.

Thanks Lee.

Looking really good.  Nice job.

Thanks Gino.

Well;

        After looking at all these photos I gotta say-Dats a fine looking Whoily Boidy thingy! Ryte up me alley! I'm be likin any Hooey! Didja you know? I saw one once that was whoite and had Angel Wings.It was a hot exfil L.Z. Only one of us got hit, Forrest Gump style. One guess who. The Navy Corpsman! Never told any of the other guys in my unit though!

Thanks TB. I have never seen a real Huey, i never got to do jungle training but i know some guys who did in Belize and i am sure they flew on them. Its nice to get a chance to add such an iconic aircraft to the collection. Should have the completed pics up at the weekend, won't be adding any figures as i just can't find anything sutable.

Decide that there were no figures that fit this scene. British army pilots don't wear the flights suits that RAF Helo pilots where and there are no decent British army soldiers. So i decided to finish it without figures.

Thanks for following. Really pleased to get another British army helo in the stash. There are a few more i would like to do but i'd like to see some new tooled kits.

Stellar work as usual, Bish!

The 'eggbeater' is the star; it doesn't miss the figures. Those Army markings look great. (And a hearty 'second' on the new-tool kits!)

[BTW...I love that 'Gurkhas' poster in your signature!]

Thanks Greg. I would deffinetly like a new tooled Lynx and am amazed we don't yet have a single kit of the Wildcat. But from what i have heard from people who have contacted Airfix, Helo's don't sell.

And its rather fitting as theire is a Gurka battalion base in Brunei along with these helo's.