TOW Huey in 1:48th!

Thanks Charlie! 

I've got a lot more to do on her, but she's kinda taken a backseat for a bit.  We just moved, so I've just gotten the workshop set back up.  I'm not really happy with the way the camo turned out, so I'm going to re-spray it, this time masking off each color instead of trying it freehand.  Gonna be a nightmare!

I've been focusing on my 1:48th AH-1G with the XM35 system on it.  She'll be done up as a Blue Max bird, most likely "Pandora's Box" from B Battery, since I've got the decals for her. 

Jon

I agree with Ray, I think your TOW pods look fine, as does the rest of the model. Keep up the great work. I will enjoy seeing the finished prodict.

Charlie

Completing a second Huey while I'm finishing the TOW bird. This one's a UH-1C Frog from the 174th AHC known as the "Battlin female dog". I scratchbuilt the XM-158 rocket pods with aluminum tubing and bits of styrene. This one's gonna be a bit easier than the TOW bird!

Hey all,

Ok, here's 554 with the camo on.




Need to finish up the rotors and she'll be finished!

Jon

Hey all,

Well, Chris and I did a little bit of legwork yesterday. Having been in contact with 554's crew chief, we confirmed that 62-12553 and 62-12554 are the correct tail numbers for the TOW birds.

Ray was right, and I owe him a big thanks for continuing to push me with the research!

For some reason, 60-3553 and 60-3554 are at the museum at Rucker. 553 has the XM-26 system on it. Because of that (and the mods made to it to put the system on it), along with documentation from the TOW team that just refers to 553 and 554 (no full tail numbers) it seemed that 60-3553 was the correct number.

That being said, with a little research, we determined that 62-12554 is about fifteen miles down the road from my house! She's been sitting in Air Force colors, with a bogus UH-1F engine cowling on her, but she's the real deal. She's got a bogus tail number on her too, but I was able to get a shot of the panel and it confirms that it is 554.

So, right now, I've pulled the model out again and will be doing some more work on it today.

In the meantime, here's 554 as she currently sits:

Here is another of the panel in the early morning sun and full shot. Note the Peter Pilot door was permanent and modified. This was before initial clean up of any kind so yeah it looks rough. A CE donated our first item, a cyclic grip for the one that was removed. BUC-3 still has black skids under that light overspray as it did with the 170th AHC. Anyone have any historical information on these panel modifications?

Thought I would share some interesting shots of the UH-1C Im PM of restoration on #66-00623 was used for testing. Note the 4 TOW or xm48 rocket stencils on the door and the unique panel. The entire Peter Pilot station was removed, panel modified and cyclic and collective were gone.

John

its been a month now, how about an update?

David

Looks great, Jon

And a note Jon, that SS-11 missle WAS dangerous

Looking good, Jon!!! 

Merry Christmas everyone!

Well, I was inspired yesterday.  My in-laws are in town, and I got a chance to shoot some nice closeups with dad's digital camera.  Between that, and the success I'm having with my OV-10A, I decided to do a little more on the TOW Bird.  I finished the TOW sight, added the roof and removed the cockpit doors.  I was originally going to leave the doors closed, but after I forgot to paint the overhead console, they had to come off.  That ended up being a good thing, because you can actually see the sight now! 

So, without further ado, here's the pics!

Yep!  Got just about everything all set to go to you. 

Is this the one you were needing the rotorhead and blades from the 'D' Huey?

David,

I was in the BOQ on post there when I started. I'm back home now and haven't been able to do much on the TOW bird.  I'm hoping that with a few new developments, I'll be able to get back on track now.  I've got the sight done and now just need to add the main rotor and paint the damn thing. Hopefully by it'll be done by the end of January!

Jon
 

John I was going to ask if you were in BOQ....man, guys that me in the barracks room with that little desk was a nutz idea!

 this looks like a GREAT conversion and its going smoothly! I would still be messing with the TSU!

 David

Yep, those are B Battery birds and I think you're right, that is the Golf Course.  It looks like there is provision for another six rockets (for a total of 18), but they aren't fitted. 

Man, that SS11 missile just scares me.  

The Fujimi UH-1B kit has a full M22 system  It isn't the greatest kit, but I'm sure that it can be used as  a good basis for a Maxwell system!

Jon
 

Jim,

  There were only 2 pics, that's just how they display for some reason.  You are correct about the number of functional FFARs.  I have seen teh Maxwell system with both 12 and 18 rockets per side, but I would say that 12 is most common.  My impression has always been that this was to save weight.  Here's one from the 2/20th with 18 just as you rememebr (only 12 have rockets, however):

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 Here's another with the more common 12 functional FFARs:

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Both of these pics are from the Army Aviation Museum Archives.

Ray 

Thanks for the welcome Ray. Well, there you go-12 rockets instead of 18. I suspect both were used. Why 12 instead of 18, I couldn't say for sure, but my guess is that 12 would be used, providing an additional 350lb or so of fuel, it would also help keep the acft lighter due to high density altitude conditions, or just unit SOP. Thanks Jon for asking Ray to post the pics for me. I'm not familier with this particular ship-it looks like a B Battery Huey(the red square on the cargo door). C Battery ships had red circles. BTW, Ray, the first and third pics did not open for some reason. The pics look like they were taken on the "Golf Course" at the 1st Cav Div. base camp in An Khe. This was a huge area where choppers were parked. A runway was also built for fixed wing acft.

Jim 

 

 

Jim,

   First of all, welcome aboard!  Second of all, thanks for your service!  Now for the Maxwell system.  Here are the photos that Jon wanted me to post of the 2/20th.  Do you recognize this bird?

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As you can see there only 12 function FFAR tubes on each side.  I have many more pics of this system from the Rucker archives that I can post as well.  Also check the Unusual Hueys thread for more on teh Maxwell system.  Although, I suspect you already know most of what's written there.  again welcome to the forum!

     Ray
 

Thanks for the welcome Cobrahistorian. My first post and I already have egg on my face. After posting last night I decided to find out if there was any info on the net about the Maxwell system. I found out that: a. there were 18 tubes of 2.75 on each side and b. the SS-11 (M22) system had 3 missiles on each side. Oh well. Now all I have to do is find out more info on the M22 system-length and diameter of the missile, launch rail details, etc.

Jim 

Jim,

Welcome aboard! We definitely need to sit down and talk!  I'm very interested in hearing how the Maxwell system worked in combat.  I've spoken at length to Ed Gilmour who tested the SS-11 system at the Test Board and he had nothing good to say about the missile.  

Glad to see another Maxer on here.  Although I'm not from the unit personally, it has a special place in my heart.  

Ray, can you post that pic of the Blue Max bird with the Maxwell system on it?  I can't get to my external hard drive right now and it isn't on this computer.

Again, Welcome, Jim!  There are some incredible people on here, you're in good company!

Jon

 

Hi everyone, this is my first post on the forum, so please bear with me. This post is a little late for this thread, but decided to go ahead, anyway. Cobrahistorian you have me pumped up to do a little known TOW version used on Hueys in Vietnam. It's called the Maxwell System, Designed and developed by Robert Maxwell, CWO, US Army. I Worked with him when I was with the HQ Battery, 2/20 ARA, 1st Cav.  The System was comprised of half an XM3 2.75 FFAR subsystem (that is two rows of tubes) with an SS-11 launcher attached to the side of the tube housing, and then braced. This was used on both sides of the huey. DUH! It was pretty neat. The line batteries would remove the XM3 system and hang a complete SS-11 system, comprised of two missles on each side of the huey. I certainly hope your TOWS are more reliable than ours were. It seems like half the time the batteries were dead/defective and when you fired the missle it went anywhere but where you wanted it to go.

JIm 

I must say Jon that it looks just like the one at Mother Rucker.  Looks like your Mk I eyball is still in calibration.  I look forward to seeing the finished product.

A BIG thanks to Chris!  With a little help from him I've been able to cobble together a pretty good representation of the TOW optical sight.  Since I'm headed back to work tomorrow, I may not have time to paint it until later in the week, but it'll be done soon, I promise.  Should be able to get some pics later this week too.

Jon 

Looking good man.

Great to see you made it home, Jon.

Ok, I'm back home.

The Huey and my F-106 sustained minor damage en route, but everything's been repaired.  I added the toilet bowl exhaust tonight too.  It took some minor re-shaping, but it is in place and looks good.  Now I'm working on the TOW sight.  I robbed the one out of a Monogram Cobra.  It take some adapting, but fits well.  Once the sight is in place, I'll re-attach the windscreen, close up the roof and then add the door windows and the rotors. 

Then its just a matter of paint and getting the decals finished and she'll be done!

Jon
 

Jon,

  I read you loud and clear!  Let's keep having fun a not worry about seat arrangements.  She's looking great and I can't wait to see her finished.  

    Ray

Sweet! Thanks for adding it!

I'm not sure about the seats and I'm not up on my computer right now, so I don't have access to my photo files.  I am assuming (probably bad, but this is a fun build, not an accuracy build) that they were installed, simply because 553 has them now.  Of course, using that logic, it wouldn't have flown with armored seats in Vietnam then, and we clearly know that it did. 

For some reason, the camera focused on somewhere other than where the lens was pointed.  I'm not sure why, but it looked really clear in the screen when I auto-focused it. 

I'm hoping to get this finished up by the weekend!

Jon