So let's say I want to model some of the 1/32nd AH-1G.....

Cobra Company cockpit and turret: (outstanding, by the way....100% improvement over the kit parts)
http://www.cobracompany.com/32001.htm

Cobra Company rocket pods:
http://www.cobracompany.com/32003.htm

Cobra Company 20mm gunship conversion:
http://www.cobracompany.com/32005.htm

Fireball Modelworks decals for the AH-1G, including 'Du Me Mi' and a 20mm bird:
http://webpages.charter.net/osborn82/fm_D01.htm

Andy

Right now the only source for the exposed 7-shot pods is the 35th scale UH-1C kits from MRC.  I actually took the shields and mounting brackets from the MRC Huey and used aluminum tubing for the actual tubes.  Came out pretty good.

As for the rest of the stuff, Andy's pretty much covered all the bases!

Jon 

Guys,

Im in the middle of researching AH-1Gs used by the 1st Air Cav, Ive still got a long way to go, i havnt yet come across Pictures of the "du me mi" " Cindy Ann" or "sound of silence" Cobras that are on the decal sheet. If im right "Cindy Ann" is from C/1/9 Cav, "Sound of silence" is C/2/20 ARA "Blue Max" and i have no idea about "du me mi" although the red and white flag looks like a 5th Cav marking?? am i on the right track? and does anyone have any pictures of these snakes that they could pop on here for me? .

By exposed 7 tube rocket pods, do you mean the M158 (7 seperate tubes)? I managed to get hold of some Brass or Copper tubing (not sure which) from my local HS . for my huey gunship, as in alot of the photos ive seen of the pods they had a brassy color to them an it saves trying to re-create that with paint.

Andy

Andy,

  Me pappy told me that the M-158 tubes arrived in country OD green (or some similar color), but rapidly lost their paint with use.  I have to confess, I have never seen that, but dad replaced a heck of a lot more rockets than me, so I'll take his word for it! 

      Ray
 

Andy,

You're right on about "Cindy Ann" and "Sound of Silence" and their units.  They're both available in decal form from Fireball Modelworks in all 3 major scales.  As for "#1 Du Me Mi", she flew with F/4 Cav out of Hue in 1972 and had all of the anti-Strela (SA-7) mods on her.  She's profiled in Lou Drendel's "Gunslingers" book from Squadron.   From what I've seen, 2/20 ARA and 1/9 Cav had the best marked Snakes in Vietnam.  Some REALLY cool paint schemes. 

Jon

well, I see that the fireball resin anti strella kit is out of production..........what options do I have?????

and it appears the 7 shot pods is a scratchbuilt item as well..........

what about the flipped tail rotor? 

Unfortunately the Strela kit is OOP.  That was your best bet for the right side tail rotor too.  The kit comes with the toilet bowl exhaust and a completely new tail fin. 

Jon

Cobrahistorian wrote:

Unfortunately the Strela kit is OOP.  That was your best bet for the right side tail rotor too.  The kit comes with the toilet bowl exhaust and a completely new tail fin.  Jon

 Jon, with the right-side tailrotor, is there anything more involved with the fin structure, or is it simply a matter of cutting off the left-side gearbox and adding one to the right side?

Andy

Andy,

The fairing is slightly different on the right side tail rotor.  Its pretty doable if you cut the gearbox out flip it around and put it back in.  Needs a LOT of filler, but it is possible.

Jon

Did the -G "Du Me Mi" ever fly without the anti-strella. I'd like to build it in 1/72 but have had trouble trying to work out the exhaust.

Thanks,

Rich

Rich,

It probably did, but it is impossible to confirm that it did in those colors.  It is a 1968 contract build, so it probably arrived in country in late 69.  It wouldn't have gotten the Anti-strela kit until 72, but F/4 Cav didn't exist in that form until early 72 (IIRC) and that's when they started putting those marking on them.   I'll see if I can find anything further, but it is going to be rather difficult to confirm.

Jon

If you're talking about Fireball's anti-strella kit, I just found some excellent news:

http://webpages.charter.net/osborn82/fm32_001.htm

Between this, new decals, and upcoming stuff from Cobra Company, the helicopter modelling gods are smiling upon us.

Andy

hehehehehe, I should go and buy some lottery tickets!

now I just gotta remember to place an order for once.......