Green Hornet Hueys

There is a book out that might be just what you are looking for.  Tons of pics, most from the vietnam era.  Saw it in the bookstore and tried not to slobber on the pics!  Here is a link to the book on Amazon, but I think that Squadron and Barnes and Noble both carry it as well.

 http://www.amazon.com/Green-Hornets-Operations-Squadron-Schiffer/dp/0764327798/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216959664&sr=1-1

Specifically I was looking for the paint scheme, markings, configuration (Apparently he flew slicks and gunships) special nose art, etc.  I think I found the insignia of a stenciled hornet, which would then lead me to figure out how to create a decal.  He was pretty highly decorated, but he never spoke to us about his experiences (My grandfather often told me that if anyone talked about their time during war, they were never actually there), so I'm trying to put the pieces together as best I can.  All the help I'm getting is very much appreciated.

The Green Hornets was the 20th SOS (Special Operations Squadron) of the USAF.  They flew UH-1Fs and later UH-1Ns.  Both were painted in the camo scheme you mention above.

The F model is the same short-bodied Huey as the Academy UH-1C kits, but with a different engine/exhaust set-up.  Instead of exiting straight out the rear of the aircraft, the exhaust makes a 90 degree turn and exits out the right side of the fuselage.  This was due to the above mentioned use of the same engine as the SH-3.  Here is a pic of a UH-1F.

There is no F kit in 1/35; you would have to convert it.  Italeri does have one in 1/72.

Later in the war, they switched to the larger and more powerfull UH-1N.  It is a twin-engined, long-bodied Huey.  The new Dragon reboxed USMC UH-1N is available and has some nice extras.  It also comes with the correct weapons for a Vietnam Green Hornets bird, not a late '80s to early '90s USMC helo as it is supposed to depict.  The new DML version would be the easiest to make in a large scale.

The Cobra Company set is to convert the older, Panda UH-1N that did not come with weapons into a Green Hornet helo.  It also has general parts to update the interior of the Panda, or new/updated Dragon rebox, kit into a better representation of a UH-1N.  Neither has a well-detailed interior and is missing many items.  Here is a link to a review of the CC set.  

About the only (poor) pic of a 20th SOS UH-1N that can be found on the net.

Good luck and show us some pics as it comes along.

Outstanding!  I really appreciate the info. Looks like I'll have some decisions to make.  My scratchbuilding skills are nowhere near what would be needed to convert the Academy kit and convincing my wife to let me add another kit to the closet is like applying for a home loan.  I suppose I could build the C version and hope no one notices (Of course I will know, which always forces me to to go the extra mile on bits I know no one will ever see).  The way I see it if I'm going to do this I better do it right.  I can't tell you all how much I appreciate the info and I honestly had no idea Hueys were like Phantoms with all the different versions.  Thanks!

Aside from the different engine, the UH-1F also had a longer diameter (48 ft) main rotor, and a baggage compartment on the right side of the tail boom below the exhaust.

Here are a few pics of 20th SOS Green Hornet Hueys I was able to dig up. As you can see, they were very plainly marked, only serial numbers and the hornet stencil being visible.

Well don't tell my wife, but I picked up the Dragon UH-1N from e-bay.  So that improves my options a bit.  So as I understand it the exhaust is the only real noticable difference between the F and C models and the N is the later version with the longer cabin and what looks like a different nose.  I think between your help, pictures and the book I just ordered from Amazon I should have enough to get me started.  Again I really appreciate your help with this.  I know it will mean a great deal to my wife and her family to have an homage to something he loved so much.

Isn't it funny how this hobby always goes from a simple idea to an expensive endeavor?

Hi DiscoStu , Earlier this year I built a 1/48 version of a Green Hornets Huey . I used Revell/Monogram's UH-1C and Italeri's UH-1D Huey's for the build . I had to join the 1D tail boom to Monogram's 1C tail boom just near where the elevators are positioned . There were some dimensional difference's with each tail boom section , that is Italeri's UH-1D tail section was slightly wider than Monogram's UH-1C . I had to spread the 1C section to accommadate the aft section of the 1D .It's not very noticable in the pic's I posted but close inspection shows a slight anommaly As other's have already mentioned there's the exhaust turn around to do as well . Also the M-93 Minigun's were exstensivly used on Green Hornet Huey's . My miniguns came from a 1/48 Heller/Italeri UH-1N " Green Hornets" kit . Squadron's UH-1 Huey Gunship Walk Around book was very helpfull with my build . If your interested in more pic's of my build you can search through FSM forum pages . The conversion was a lot of work , if I build another Green Hornets Huey , I'll probably build a UH-1N version . I hope this may be of some help .

Kind regards John

I also forgot to mention that my Huey was airbrushed in the alternate Southeast Asia scheme of Dark Green FS 34079 and Tan FS 30219 over Light Gray FS 36622 .

John

Wow!  That looks pretty sharp. I appreciate the info.  I'll take a look at your page and see if I can work up the guts to change the Academy "C" to an "F", I also put in an order for the Dragon UH-1N kit, figure it's always a good idea to have a spare, right?

DiscoStu wrote:

You got to love the Military.  It's a "Q" if it's armed but cloudy outside, "T" if it's unarmed, sunny, and a leap year, "Z" if the Pilot is a Sagitarius, and a "TLY.5/2" If the door gunner knew Nixon.

Who ever said the military was logical

Here's a picture his brother e-mailed me.  Now I'm new at this whole different Huey versions stuff but this doesn't look like the N model (I can confirm, however that is a C-130 in the background):

Lets try this:

IMG]http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n85/Stugeorge/KDonStripAlert75land-1.jpg[/IMG]

Lets try this:

IMG]http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n85/Stugeorge/KDonStripAlert75land-1.jpg[/IMG]

Well that's more of a picture of a C-130 with a Huey in it I think. That is definitely a UH-1F/P. Can't tell if it's armed in that pic, but you can see the front blade antenna on the roof.  There would be a second one behind that one (charcteristic of USAF Hueys). You can also see the flak jacket in the chin bubble so they must have been going somewhere with bad guys around.  Thanks for sharing and please feel free to share any others.  Not many good pics of USAF Hueys around.

    Ray
 

rotorwash wrote:

Well that's more of a picture of a C-130 with a Huey in it I think. That is definitely a UH-1F/P. Can't tell if it's armed in that pic, but you can see the front blade antenna on the roof.  There would be a second one behind that one (charcteristic of USAF Hueys). You can also see the flak jacket in the chin bubble so they must have been going somewhere with bad guys around.  Thanks for sharing and please feel free to share any others.  Not many good pics of USAF Hueys around.     Ray

Can't agree with you Ray, there is not enough detail shown to make out which model Huey that is. All short-bodied Huey's had blade antenna's in that location