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Some advice needed on buying UH-1 Huey books

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  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Australia
Some advice needed on buying UH-1 Huey books
Posted by Helo H-34 on Monday, January 5, 2009 7:29 PM

I was wondering if anyone could pass on some advice on the best UH-1 Huey books that are available . I do have both Squadron Signals Huey in action and Gunship publications .

I was interested in books about the Huey in Vietnam with lots of pic's . I googled Amazon Books and there is lots of titles available

http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1231203937/ref=sr_pg_1?ie=UTF8&rs=1000&keywords=Vietnam%20Huey%20Helicopter&rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3AVietnam%20Huey%20Helicopter&page=1

I just thought some of you guy's may have some of those books or could recommend/suggest other books which have a wealth of information .

Sometime later in the year I would like to try and build a Huey diorama . My last visit to the hobby store the other day , they had a great stock of plastic trees/shrubs and grass matting , so it got me thinking about future projects .

I would like to start planing my new builds in advance , rather than my current method of changing my mind half way through each helicopter build as to which version I want .

So I just thought I would ask for a bit of advice or suggestions on Huey books which would be helpfull for future builds .

                             Kind regards John .

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Monday, January 5, 2009 8:05 PM

John,

  From the Vietnam Huey thread.  My list of refs.

   Ray

The Refs:

     Bell Uh-1 Huey "Slicks" 1962-7, Osprey Publishing, Chris Bishop, ISBN 1-84176-632-1, 48 pp.  Mostly general info on the Huey with very little info on armament.  Good starting place, though.

      UH-1 iroquois/AH-1 Hueycobra, Modern Combat Aircraft 19, Jerry Scutts, ISBN 0-7110-1416-7, 112 pp.  I haven't totally finished reading this one yet, but it has a lot of info on the Hueys used by Army, Navy and Marines through 1984.

    Huey, Modern Military Aircraft, Squadron/Signal, Lou Drendel, 1983, Couldn't find ISBN, 63 pp.  Of course, squadron/Signal is the BIG  name in refs for the modeller and this book is no exception.  There is info on each of the Huey variants up until '83 and 7 pages of color photos that include a good closeup of a huey instrument panel and engine.  Also, there are personal accounts of flying hueys and flying in hueys during the Vietnam War.  I really like this book as a general ref for Vietnam Hueys.

    Vietnam Choppers-Helicopters in Battle 1950-1975, ospey Publishing, Simon Dunstan, ISBN 1-84176-796-4, 207 pp.  If you ever wondered how almost every helicopter around figured into the Vietnam War, this is your book.  Lots of pictures and historical accounts of the ways each type of chopper was used in battle.

    Airmobile-the Helicopter War in Vietnam, Sqadron/Signal, Jim Mesko, 1984, couldn't find ISBN, 63 pp. Similar to the obove title in its coverage, but with many more closeup photos of interest to the modeler and 8 pages of color images.

    Bent and Battered Rotors volume 3, Sqaudron/ Signal, Wayne Mutza, 1993, ISBN 0-89747-306-X, 56 pp. Packed with photos of crashed helicopters with 8 color pages.  This is the ref for diorama makers who want to depict a downed bird authentically.  Has info on helicopter losses up through Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada.

    Bell Uh-1 Super Profile, Christopher Chant, 1985, ISBN 0-85429-437-6, 56 pp. Now we're getting to the good stuff.  This volume has info on each of the Uh-1 variants (both military and civilian) and includes 8 color pages.  In the back is info on Serial numbers and specifications for each of the variants.  Be aware, by the way, that I have seen contradictory info in different refferences regarding total length of aircraft and blade length for individual variants.  Don't trust everything you read in a book!

    UH-1 Huey in Action, Aircraft Number 75, Squadron/Signal, Wayne Mutza, 1986, 49 pp.  Mutza is the man as far as I am concerned.  His book on the Huey have proven to be the most useful for working out the little details that I am interested in.  This book has info on all the Huey variants and two pages of color illustrations of various individual birds.  Also has photos of specific differences between models.  Great general ref and a "must have" for the Huey modeler.

    Fighting Colors-UH-1 Huey in Color, Squadron/Signal, Wayne Mutza, 1992, 32 pp.  As the name implies, this book covers the markings and colors used on the Uh-1.  There is a nice description of the color schemes used in Vietnam, but not in other conflicts.  There are 17 pages of color photos and this is another must for the serious Uh-1 modeler in my opinion.

    Wlak Around- Uh-1 huey Gunships- Walk around numer 36, Squadron/ Signal, Wayne Mutza, 2004, ISBN 0-89747-479-1, 80 pp.  32 color pages and ilustrations of indvidual gunships from Vietnam showing the unique markings of each.  Needless to say this book is primarily dedicated to the B and C model Hueys.  Also has a little info on RAAF D model gunships. Almost every weapons configuration I have been able to find that was used in Vietnam is here.  Lots of closeup shots of the various hatches, access panals, screens and such.  If you don't have a copy of this book, do yourself a favor and get one quick.  It will help sort out many of the questions you have concerning weapons configurations and even has photos of the little mentioned "Sagami" mounting system for the M60.  If I could own only one book on the armed Huey, this would be it.

   Well, there you go.  As far as i know that is all the major literature on the Huey.  The Gunslingers in Action (Aircraft number 14) also has a few Huey things, but is mainly dedicated to the AH-1G.  I hope this helps in your quest for Huey info.

 

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Australia
Posted by Helo H-34 on Monday, January 5, 2009 10:11 PM

                Ray

Thankyou so much for the comprehensive list of UH-1 Huey books . It was exactly what I was hoping someone might have . I do like these three titles

Vietnam Choppers-Helicopters in Battle 1950-1975, ospey Publishing, Simon Dunstan, ISBN 1-84176-796-4, 207 pp.  If you ever wondered how almost every helicopter around figured into the Vietnam War, this is your book.  Lots of pictures and historical accounts of the ways each type of chopper was used in battle.

    Airmobile-the Helicopter War in Vietnam, Sqadron/Signal, Jim Mesko, 1984, couldn't find ISBN, 63 pp. Similar to the obove title in its coverage, but with many more closeup photos of interest to the modeler and 8 pages of color images.

    Bent and Battered Rotors volume 3, Sqaudron/ Signal, Wayne Mutza, 1993, ISBN 0-89747-306-X, 56 pp. Packed with photos of crashed helicopters with 8 color pages.  This is the ref for diorama makers who want to depict a downed bird authentically.  Has info on helicopter losses up through Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada.

So I'll start to make enquire's on these three straight away . Bent and Battered Rotors looks exciting , as I have a number of older Huey / Helicopter kits that I would really like to make into a crash diorama .

Thank's again Ray

                                             Kind regards John

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 7:08 AM

John,

  Glad I could help. Bent and Battered Rotors is a great ref.  Also, check this thread I started over at ARC for a bunch of helo misadventure photos.

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=171541 

Good luck!

    Ray
 

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Australia
Posted by Helo H-34 on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 3:32 PM

Thank's for the link to those images on ARC's web site , There quite amazing and sad at the same time . The only book I had on my shelves with a crashed Huey was this one...

It has a Photo of a crashed RAAF/RAN Huey

Anyway Squadron.com had the Bent and Battered Rotors book in stock , so I placed an ordered for the book . It should arrive in about 2 weeks . I'll search around some of the military bookstores here in Sydney for the other Huey publications .

                            Kind regards John

 

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 7:35 PM

John,

  I may be wrong, but I was pretty sure the RAAF/RAN never flew Charlie model Hueys.  That looks like a US Army bird to me.   

    Ray

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Australia
Posted by Helo H-34 on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 8:29 PM

 Sorry about not being more accurate about the pic I posted , Here's the text from the start of that chapter

 

Here's the text to accompany the pic

[URL=http://imageshack.us]

Your right Ray , about the Huey's being U.S.Army birds .

                                                      John

 

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 9:05 PM

John,

  No worries.  Looks like we were BOTH right!  I always wondered where EMU's came from.  thanks for the info.  Now here are a few 135th pics for you.  I'm pretty sure most come from the unit website, but I'm not positive anymore.  I bet I know what kinda bird you'll be building next!

Ray

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  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Australia
Posted by Helo H-34 on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 10:09 PM

Great pic's Ray ; Your library of Vietnam Huey's must be enormous . One pic you just posted is of great interest as it shows a nice close up of the twin machine gun pintol mount . I was having trouble trying to figure out how the twin guns were attached to the metal bracket . Your pic appears to show the guns bolted to the bracket from underneath , I wrongly thought they may have been bolted to the bracket from the side of the guns . The pic certainly solves a huge dilemma I was having Confused [%-)] .

Thank's again for the pic's Ray , they were copied straight on to my UH-1 Huey CD Disc's Wink [;)]

                                                    Kind regards John

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