SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

1/48 Italeri UH-1H Fire supression test bird- all white!

7641 views
16 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    September 2015
  • From: The Redwood Empire
Posted by Aaronw on Monday, January 5, 2009 11:46 PM
Thanks, those are great. I had seen the first one you posted with your build at some point but had no idea there was so much else out there.
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Monday, January 5, 2009 12:41 PM

Aaron,

  First off, thanks for putting yourself in harms way for the public welfare. I'm always thanking the vets, but you guys are just as deserving of our thanks. Second, here are some more pics for you to ponder, including some closeups of the system I built. You'll notice there is quite a bit more deatail that I didn't include in my build. Hope you like em.

   Ray

 

Photobucket" border="0" />

Photobucket" border="0" />

Photobucket" border="0" />

Photobucket" border="0" />

Photobucket" border="0" />

Photobucket" border="0" />

Yet another type of system:

Photobucket" border="0" />

   

  • Member since
    September 2015
  • From: The Redwood Empire
Posted by Aaronw on Monday, January 5, 2009 11:03 AM

I think the HH-43 is just one of those odd things that fell through the cracks, outside of seeing the Testor's kit of what is admittedly a very strange looking helicopter I had no idea until I worked with this guy.

There was a really good site with a video of the HH-43 and FSK in action on a training fire. The site seems to be gone but I did find the video on youtube.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf818L961ls

 

Since I found out about them, an HH-43 with FSK has been one of those on again off again projects. I don't normally build in 1/32 so I get kind of burned out on the extra detailing it deserves.

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Monday, January 5, 2009 12:50 AM

Aaron,

  Thanks for the info.  I had no idea about the FSK on the HH-43.  I've kinda had blinders on towards Hueys the last few years!  I'm branching out now though so it's great info to get.  I'll post more pics tommorrow.  In the meantime, this is the FSK right?

http://www.vhpamuseum.org/usaf/arrs/3arrg/images/hh43bDET12,38ARRS%20NaTrangAB,RVN%201968.jpg

Thanks,

        Ray

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Monday, January 5, 2009 12:49 AM

Aaron,

  Thanks for the info.  I had no idea about the FSK on the HH-43.  I've kinda had blinder son towards Hueys the last few years!  I'm branching out now though so it's great info to get.  I'll post more pics tommorrow.  In the meantime, this is the FSK right?

http://www.vhpamuseum.org/usaf/arrs/3arrg/images/hh43bDET12,38ARRS%20NaTrangAB,RVN%201968.jpg

Thanks,

        Ray

  • Member since
    September 2015
  • From: The Redwood Empire
Posted by Aaronw on Sunday, January 4, 2009 11:41 PM

Great pics, thanks. They definately look like they are using foam, so I'd guess they used a similar foam / water mix with compressed air like the one used with the HH-43. That last pic looks like the guys have a hose reel in the cabin with them, or it might just be the winch cable.

I worked with a guy who was a firefighter on an HH-43 in Vietnam so I have a little understanding how those worked. It was pretty amazing the way he described it, the helo would drop off the FSK and the two firefighters, then use the downdraft of the rotors to push the fire away while they made a pathway to the pilot with the foam.

Compressed air foam units are starting to show up again in the fire service and they really are not much different than the FSK except they are smaller and use a different type of foam. They make nice lightweight, fairly maintenance free fire "pumps" on small vehicles like fire department utility pickups, chiefs trucks etc. Vehicles not intended to fight fire but are likely to find fires in their daily driving around so its nice to be able to do something with a smallish fire. I have a photo from the 1930s of a US Forest Service pickup with a similar device too. That one used dry ice to make CO2 which pressurized the water tank.

I was just curious how it worked since the tank on the side of your huey looked about the size of those wheeled fire extinguishers you see at a lot of helipads. I could see someone getting the idea of taking the wheels off one of those and bolting it to a skid.

I don't know anything about these outside of figuring out how they probably worked, but I'm a firefighter so I find these things reaaly neat, and I'd love to see any close ups you have.

You probably know this but in case you don't the FSK (Fire Suppression Kit) was a firefighting unit slung under the HH-43. It kind of looks like a giant golf ball and a hose reel on a sled with a small ladder and misc rescue tools attached to the side.

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Sunday, January 4, 2009 10:55 PM

Aaron,

   Thanks for the kind words. I confess that I know next to nothing about fire suppression systems. However, here are some nice color pics of a couple the army tried. Please feel free to wax eloquently on them if you wish.  I'd love to know what each one is.  I have closeups in B/W if you'd like them as well.

   Ray

 

System 1:

Photobucket" border="0" /> 

Photobucket[img]http://Photobucket[img]http://Photobucket

System 2: what's on my bird

Photobucket

" border="0" />

Photobucket[img]http://Photobucket" border="0" />[/img]

  • Member since
    September 2015
  • From: The Redwood Empire
Posted by Aaronw on Sunday, January 4, 2009 9:37 PM

Nice job on something really different. I'm guessing this was the Armys version of the USAF firefighting kit used by the HH-43?

Were you able to find much info on this besides the photo? I'm curious if it is just a modification of the idea used with the FSK or if this was a dry chem based system like a big fire extinguisher.  

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Sunday, January 4, 2009 6:26 PM

John,

  I agree about the exhaust staining, but if you check the pic of the real bird, it just ain't there yet.  I think she had just been repainted from her former Flat Iron Medivac days and hadn't had time to get dirty yet.  Anyway, it seemed like my one chance to do a relatively clean white bird and be accurate to the photograph!

    Ray
 

  

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Southeastern MA
Posted by ellevenbee on Sunday, January 4, 2009 5:57 PM

Nice job Ray!   I really like this one, it is something a bit different from all the other Hueys out there.    You should hit that tail boom with a little exhaust staining.   Whats a Huey without a bit of dirt on it??

I look forward to your next project.

John

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Australia
Posted by Helo H-34 on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 9:26 PM

Very , Very nice Ray . I also like the scratch-built stuff as well . The overall white finish is certainly different and it does look great Thumbs Up [tup]. I'm really going to have to pull my socks up on my Huey builds to get them to look as good as your Huey , again Ray , well done Make a Toast [#toast]

                                                       Kind regards John

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 8:20 PM

Mel,

  Thanks for the compliment.  I learned a lot building her.  I wish I had the skils of some of you other guys.  I was just over at Charlie's a few weeks ago and man, his bird is AWESOME in person.  Have a Happy New Year, sir!

    Ray 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Lafayette, LA
Posted by Melgyver on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 7:47 PM

Ray,

Very nice job on an unusual Huey!  Nice to see the picture of the "real" one too!

 

 

Clear Left!

Mel

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: SE Alabama
Posted by Retired Gunpilot on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 4:00 PM

Thanks, I will send him an email and see if he can make me a couple of sets of 1/35th decal sets for helicopters. Maybe I'll get some in black and some in yellow for the older configurations.

Thanks

charlie

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 3:09 PM

Charlie,

  Absolutely, Joseph's Flat Iron set comes with everything you could think of.  I only used a fraction of em on my bird since she had obviously been repained and I figured some were probably not used.  Heck, he can even make a custom data stencil for your bird with her serial!  His work is first rate and will spoil you forever from wanting to use kit decals.  Here's the address to his site:

 http://webpages.charter.net/osborn82/ 

Ray

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: SE Alabama
Posted by Retired Gunpilot on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 3:02 PM

A very interesting model Ray and Happy New Year to you and your family. Do you know whether Fireball makes all the data decals for Huey's. All the info decals that most kits do not include.

Thanks

charlie

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
1/48 Italeri UH-1H Fire supression test bird- all white!
Posted by rotorwash on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 2:22 PM

Guys,

  I just finished this bird for the GB over at ARC, but I wanted to post it here as well for all the Huey fans.  The fire supression system and hoist are scratchbiult.  Lots of Eduard PE was added as well.  Tool chest inside cabin was kitbashed from another Revell SAR Huey kit.  Decals are custom made by Joseph Osborne of Fireball Modelworks.  His stuff is incredible and I am greatful for his help on this build.  I had a great time building this one, but I really hate white!  Happy New Year everyone and heres to a fruitful 2009 modelling year!

  Ray

 Here's the actual bird:

Photobucket" border="0" />

Photobucket[img]http://[img]http://Photobucket" border="0" />Photobucket[/img][/img] Photobucket" border="0" />

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.