A November in March

Great pics of an HMLA-269 "the Gunrunners" aircraft out of MCAS New River, Jacksonville, NC.  They're a great bunch of guys.  Unfortunately, I didn't recognize any of them in the photos.  I noticed one Marine was keeping a watchful eye over the cockpit.  I know from experience that if you put a kid in a helicopter's driver's seat he's going to want to push some buttons and flip some switches.  Great pics and thanks for sharing. 

Semper Fi,

Chris

Thanks Ray

Great looking bird aint she?

Wonderful photos also.

They will come in handy when i start my 1/35th N with CC UH-1N Upgrade & UH-1N Weapons ( after i order the resin that is )

Cheers Again For The Pics

Robert

Hey there Ray,

Thanks for publishing those photos.  I kept staring at that Bureau number..............seems that I flew that very bird (found her in my logbook).........in a previous lifetime.........before she sprouted all the new lumps and bumps.  It was good seeing her again.

Thanks
Steve

  (-:

Thanks!

 Nice stuff!

Andy

Thanks for the added pics, Ray! 

viper_mp wrote:

Wow, looks like somebody could use a new paintjob and new markings.  Its bad when you can barely make out MARINES on the tail shaft.

That's the great thing about Marine helicopters.... the general tendancy to shun pristine paintjobs and glitzy markings :)
(I personally really do not like that hi-viz Whiskey scheme from -169 that Twobobs replicated in decal form.... give me a dirty, flight-worn, camoflagued bird anyday)

Besides, all you really need to hear is the WHOP-WHOP-WHOP of the rotors to know that Marine skids are coming to ruin your day ;)

Andy

Hey Ray,

160455 in it's younger, "prettier", and less lethal days in 1982.

Regards
Steve

Chris,

  Thanks for the info on the unit.  If you ever do see any of those guys tell them I said "Thank You" will ya.  I would have loved to see the armamant in place, but I guess you don't have much use for it in Auburn.  Of course you could probably have some fun shooting at migrating Canadian Geese with the minigun!

 Steve,

   Is there a Huey you DIDN'T fly.  Thanks for posting the earlier photo of 455.  Just add the rockets and guns and she wuld be good to go!   You happen to have any more of those "before" shots handy?

    Ray

Hey Ray,

I flew "Some" of them "a lot".  I keep an eye out for Bureau numbers.  Like some have said earlier, it's hard to see cammoed Bureau numbers through soot sometimes.  The soot just "enhances" the camo.......

I'll have to look for any other "early" pics.  Didn't haul around a small handy DigCam back then. 

Regards
Steve

 I've been looking at the great images Rotorwash posted of the USMC UH-1N Huey . 

I decided to add an Heller/Italeri 1/48 UH-1N Huey to the workbench along with Cobra Company's UH-1N Update and Detail set . I've had a quick look at Squadron.com but I couldn't see any "Low-Viz" decals for a 1/48 Huey .

The only decals I have in my stash is this sheet from Academy for their 1/35 AH-1W Super Cobra .

There's two Low-Viz MARINES markings I could use , however the squadron tail markings are 'TV' [HML/A-167] or 'EM' [HMM-261] . I realize these are Cobra squadrons , I was just wondering if they could be used on the UH-1N Huey .

                 John.

Helo 53 wrote:

The only decals I have in my stash is this sheet from Academy for their 1/35 AH-1W Super  I realize these are Cobra squadrons , I was just wondering if they could be used on the UH-1N Huey .                  John.

John,

An HML/A will be equipped with both UH-1Ns and AH-1Ws, so it wouldn't be incorrect to have HML/A-167(or any other HML/A) on a UH.  Also, HMM-261 is a CH-46 squadron out of New River, NC.  The reason you see their designation on a Cobra is when the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) of a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) deploys aboard ship, the HMM is the "lead" squadron and ends up being known as something like "HMM-261(REIN)" meaning "reinforced" since they will have detachments from an HML/A, HMH (CH-53s), and VMA (Harriers) attached to them for the deployment.  All of the aircraft within the ACE or reinforced HMM, will usually have the HMM's designation painted on them somewhere.  Also all personell attached to the ACE have to wear the HMM's patch, usually not very willingly.  As an aside, I hear there's no 46's left at New River, so I guess all the former HMM's are now VMM's. 

Yamafreak72 ,

Thank's for the additional information on the HMM Aviation Combat Element ,

very interesting

I was also curious about the two tone gray scheme . Obvisiously its FS 36320 and 36375 . I can see how the darker gray is along the top of the tail boom , leading edge of the tail fin , top of the engine/exhaust housing but is all the cabin roof area the darker shade of gray and should part of the nose cone be finished the same ???

                                   John

John,

Look here for some pretty good pics:

http://www.airliners.net/

 Looks like the scheme might vary slightly from a/c to a/c.  BTW, I have this kit in 1/35th, but still don't have the $$$ put together for the cobra company correction and ordinance sets.  Not to mention the time!  Don't forget to show pics of your build.