HH-3E / HH-3F / CH-3E

It's all a matter of marketing and pay-off. How many variations of the CH-3 airframe can be modeled? Well, there are the USAF birds, the USN birds that were borrowed from the USAF, the USCG birds, and some Italian SAR jobs.
Compare that to the nearly world-wise use of the Sea King, and it all comes down to Dollars/Yen to be made off the sales. Yes, it WOULD be nice, but it won't make any model manufacturer pots-o-cash.

I think the truly telling test will be the sales of NightFlight's resin H-53 series......if that goes well, they MIGHT entertain the idea of doing an H-3. Why don't you contact W.F. Beasley and check his feeling about it??

I'm with Salbando!!!!
I would LOVE to see decent kits of any of these!!!!

Randie

I would love to have the HH-3 "Golly Green" sitting on the ramp close to a slab sided A-1E and an A-1H for a nice "Sandy" diorama.

Now you're talking, Mel!
That would make an impressive, although large, dio!!!!
Now all we need is the HH-3 and a new tool A-1E!!!!!!

Randie

To be honest I had to look up for that helo. But what i found out is interesting.
If someone made this bird with Italian AF/SAR decals ... it's mine!

I thought that revell did a 1/48 Jolly Green?

YUP!

LOOKIE!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3173768112&category=1189

Yeah, they did. But it's a ch-53E SAR - or something to that effect.

Has anyone here built this revell 1/48 CH-53 before?.....how is it?
I know its an older kit 75-78?

TROY!!!!
All i got was tracking info!!!!! No pic!!!!!

Randie

Revell did have a 1/72 "Jolly Green " wayyyyyyyback in the '70's/80's. I remember building one in Air Force Grey/White. I believe it took an unscheduled "fumble" test
flight one beer clouded evening and ended up at the local landfill.

I fixed it! Thanks for the heads up!

Here it is again!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3173768112&category=1189

I have an old 1/72 Aurora HH-3 kit still sitting in the box. I haven't checked it out in a long, long time. I had started on the 1/48 Revell CH-53 but was getting burnt out on scratch building all the formers and stringers in the aft cabin area. Wanted to make it a "Super Golly Green" with mini-guns in the door ways and on the ramp. One of these years! With all the mini-guns available on the Academy Black Hawk kits I won't have to sractch build as much now.

Mel......what kind of interior does that 1/48 CH-53 have?....cockpit and cabin area?

If you are asking about the kit, very basic. Cockpit with rear bulkhead and a cabin floor and that's about it! Would require a lot of work to make it look good. It's a good "shell" to start a lot of work on! I got one at Wal Mart years ago on clearance for $2. It came with a facsimile of a Jeep and cannon. Makes for a big model. One of these years!

Thanks Mel!

I think I'll pass on that kit and wait for something better to come along.

The 1/48 kit is a Super Jolly (H-53) as stated in previous posts. I built one as a kid and modified it into a Pave Low III.
I purchased a 1/72 scale HH-3E built by Starfix, but I think it's an old reboxed revell kit. In any case I'm thoroughly unimpressed.

So the feeling I'm getting is that there seems to be some interest in this particular bird in 1/48th and maybe even 1/35th. As far as limited marketing value, I'm gonna have to disagree. I think it would be a popular kit as many regognize the HH-3 from the Vietnam War and beyond. Lots of USAF and USCG crewdogs and maintainers would probably like to get there hands on one. And if they will build a Super Frelon in 1/35th, why not an HH-3??

BTW, Chief Night Owl e-mailed me concerning this so keep your fingers crossed. Maybe Night Owl will put out a spectacular HH-3 in the future.

Avus,
I think I've got some pics somewhere of the Italian HH-3 that was stationed at the airport in Mogadishu. I remember when it suffered a duel engine compressor stall in the pattern and had to autorotate. They lucked out and the pilto did a wonderful job on the flare...didn't even chop the tail boom off (surprise). Anyway, let me know if you're interested in the pics and thanks to everyone else for responding.

Sal,

Thanks! Pics are always welcome, if not for immediate use then for furture reference. And more: for me it's easyer to find pics of non italian aircraft than to find italian. I beleive that the italian armed forces are still somewhat afraid to have picture databases online.

Dug through some of the storage boxes and found the old Revell 1/72 Jolly Green. It's still in the cello wrapper. The price tag says $3.75. Sheeesh...when was the last time anyone got a store bought kit for less than four bucks?