Dragon 1:35 UH-1H Huey WIP

Gino- Thanks man!  Almost there... 99% completed you can say at this moment.  I only need to attach the ammo box and M60 then I am going to call it done.  Painted the M60 using MM Metallic Black but I think it is little too shiny.  M60 is usually very flat black like M16s, correct? 

Gene- Again thanks for following my thread.  If it wasn't for you, Gino and others stopping by I wouldn't have been motivated to post updates. 

Update on the Huey... applied very small amount of MIG dust pigment on it except for the windows and the blades.  No way the dust can stay on blades...   Allowed it to dry overnight then I used stiff brush to rub off excessive pigment.

It is hard to see in the pictures but it really has toned down the glossiness and make it look little aged. 

Hope you can see the dust build up on the edges or inside the seams...

I felt the black top of roof was too clean so I applied two coats of pigment.  Knowing Bob, I doubt he washed his Huey every day.  Maybe his Harley he owns but not the government owned property...

More to come...

 I love it Andy! great job. Yes the roof got walked on with muddy boots as often as not so it was never clean, you got it just right!

Looking great.  It is coming together awesome.

M60 is usually very flat black like M16s, correct?

It is like an M16 with parkerized metal and black resin handguards and grips. I use a mix of flat black and silver to give a good dark metal look.

Andy , the satinish finish looks good for this build . Dont know how much weathering you'd want to do anyway . Over in Nam they got pretty well weathered , i'm sure you've seen all of the dust being stirred up at the L.Z.'s in the films of that war .

This Huey is looking great .

Gene- Thanks!  I wasn't too sure but figured guys working on the engine would leave some marks.  I am just not a fan of clean stuff but I assure you my workbench is always CLEAN! LOL

Gino- That great picture of M60 was very helpful... worked on it the night before and it looked better just in time for the show. Thanks buddy!

That primer spot on ammo belt was painted black an hour before the show. LOL  Paint didn't stay on rubber too well after being glued on.

Carl- I absolutely agree.  My next Huey build will definitely be a Vietnam Era and it will be much dirtier and weathered!   Really appreciate you following my WIP...

Guys- Final update... the Huey was completed just in time for the model show Roscoe Turner IMPS here in Indy.  The birthday boy with his wife joined me at the show to see his new toy for the first time.  I think he liked it.  Actually he loved it!  He said it was exactly what he flew for years...  

Black poster in the background seemed to work better for dark green... now you can see the pre-shading job this time. 

I was pleased that we could see inside the cockpit thru the windows but the dashboard was still hard to see.  If I could do it again, I would have cut one of the doors and keep it open...

Let's meet our birthday boy Bob Madigan, former crew chief of 193rd Aviation Company of 56th Field Artillery Pershing based in West Germany.

I am afraid it will be hard for me to let this Huey go when Bob picks it up later this week but at least I have something to remember at home... it picked up 3rd place at the show.

Gino, Gene and Carl-  T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U for all of your help... it won't have been done better without you guys.  One of many reasons why FSM rock!!!  Owe you many many many ....

Looks like he was real pleased Andy ! Sweet looking Huey .Thanks for listing me as one of your helpers . Its great to be listed with Gino and Gene . My input was minimal but i sure enjoyed following this build along and like you i learned a lot from Gino and Gene .

Are we about even on the beers yet ?

Andy;

Believe me, it was an honor to be a small part of what you have done for your friend. It's guys like you that make this hobby what it is.  I only wish I had your skills for building, but any time I can be of some small help, just ask.  Thanks for sharing!

Gene

PS Should have been at least second!

Carl- Actually your comments was a motivator to keep me going.  I broke a new record finishing a model just in 8 weeks and I lost nearly two weeks being sick so six weeks has to be my new record.  LOL  And that drawing of M60 by the side door was a big help at the end.  About the , are we even now?  Think I am still up by ten?

Gene-  Thanks buddy!  That's what everybody told me about the Huey for the second place.  No way I would have brought home the first place because our friend Fermis brought his Chinook and it was a really BEAUTY.  I knew right way he is going to win. 

I looked for a Dragon Huey UH-1D Vietnam era Huey at the show... no luck!!!  Gonna keep eyes for it on eBay but they are being sold at ridiculous prices right now...

deafpanzer

I looked for a Dragon Huey UH-1D Vietnam era Huey at the show... no luck!!!  Gonna keep eyes for it on eBay but they are being sold at ridiculous prices right now...

 Maybe you should try this one

 I think Chris at Cobra still has a few of the old Revell 1/32 kits available, and all the add ons. And yeah, the boots you can barely see under the turret are mine

Damn it!  This is way too tempting too. LOL  I had this awesome Cobra toy from GI Joe when I was young and it is still packed inside one of boxes at my parents cottage.  My boys play every time we visit them in the summer. 

Not bad idea... will keep that in mind.  Nothing in 1/35 scale, just 1/32 right now.  I saw couple of sets at the show I think they were from Academy.  Maybe I am wrong...

 I had my friend Joe Kline build it for me some years ago. Here's the link to some photos:

http://238awc.org/joe2/joe1.html

 He also built a UH-1H for my brother. The background painting is also Joe's work. He's a great artist.

Andy,,,    you rock - - -    superb job my friend

A++

                That is a 5 beer rating,,,,,,,,,,  nothing better than that!

Gene- Thanks for the link!  It was good seeing it again.  OK Cobra is now on my wish list along with Huey from Dragon.  It was really a nice break from building armors so I will try to build one every year if possible.

Bill- WHOA!  Good thing I am already home so I don't have to drink and drive. Thanks for the beers!   Since it is done, I can return to my StuG and finish it so I can join you finally for Pacific GB.

Andy i still owe you 10 beers ? Your too expenssive ................either that or i dont charge enough .

Great job.  It came out really nice.  Glad to have helped out along the way

Andy, I may not have commented much as this build was going along. Im certainly no expert on hueys. But i loveed watching this build come together and the end result was amazing. Much kudos.

Gino-  Thanks!  I am afraid you will be hearing my thanks again and again for next few weeks...

MrRabbit- I am glad you had the chance and enjoy following my build.  Really appreciate you taking your time to post your comment.

I like to visit model shops while I am on business trip.  It paid off when I stopped by a little shop in Evansville... scored a Dragon Huey kit for only $45.

I am definitely going to build this later this year along with some Dragon figures of 1st Cav set.  Am afraid Bob's wife got me hooked into helicopters now...

Have a good one!

Looks interesting Andy. Any particular AC yoru going to do?

I am thinking about building the Huey based on one seen in the movie 'Apocalypse Now' with surf boards hanging on the landing skits.  I am not sure which model it is and I need to look further into this.  

  Oh boy, when I first saw that movie I thought there are two types of people who saw that movie, those who thought they understood, but didn't, and those of us who really did understand, and wished to he** they they didn't. But that's another story. 

  Actually, most of the Huey's in that movie were UH-1B and UH-1D models, not the later C & H models. 

Good find there.  I'll be looking forward for a build log on this one later in the year.

Andy... Great build to a great helicopter! I wish that I had followed this earlier.

I was a grunt with B Co. 2nd Bn 4th Inf and we were assigned to the 1st Bn, 81st FA (Pershing) 56th FA Bde and we got to fly in UH-1's a couple of times. Never knew the outfits that flew us but perhaps it was the 193rd. I didn't know at the time that we had dedicated aviation support and I don't recall the Strella buckets mounted but I was there a long, long time ago... 1972-1974 and at that time, they may have been very rare in Europe.

What time-frame did you model here?

Thanks for the memories! I hope that you'll be comforted in knowing that your model went to a good and certainly well deserving home. I salute your friend Bob!

Great job!

Gene- Thanks for the information!  I will go with UH-1D.  I have to watch the movie again... never ever get tired of watching it.

Gino- Thanks buddy!  You will be first to know... 

Kevin- Never too late... glad you enjoyed this.  WOW!  What a small world!  But I think he was there between 1985-1987.  Yes, you are correct he was with 193rd Aviation Company.  I used the pictures from 193rd's Facebook page so it has to be in mid 80's.  Bob said everything was perfect EXCEPT for the ammo belt.  He said the crew normally removed those belts because it restricted the gun movement and used homemade item to feed the ammo.  I can not remember what was done to make it better... maybe you know what Bob was talking about. 

His wife told me he is keeping the Huey inside the plastic bin that I had it secured inside until he builds a kind of display case to keep it free of dust. We looked everywhere for readily made display cases but they were very expensive for that size so he will make one. 

Again, thanks for dropping by. Glad you had the chance to enjoy this build!

deafpanzer

 Bob said everything was perfect EXCEPT for the ammo belt.  He said the crew normally removed those belts because it restricted the gun movement and used homemade item to feed the ammo.  I can not remember what was done to make it better... maybe you know what Bob was talking about. 

He's probably talking about the old faithful C ration can. You attach a C ration can to the side of the M-60 right below the feed entry and it helps prevent jams by keeping the belt from twisting. I didn't even think about that while you were building the model. Sorry.

Here's a picture of one:

YES YES YES!  That's what Bob said... c ration can.  Thanks for posting the picture!  Now I understand better.  It shouldn't be hard to remove the belt anyway and repair little paint around it.  

 Yep, thats the classic fix for the feed problem with the 60. That picture is from when my unit first arrived in Nam and still used the brass bags and "butterfly" handles like are on your model so it looks like just what you need. A small piece of dowel painted OD green works just right. BTW, that C ration can just happened to be a perfect fit for the M-60, almost like it was made for the job!

Andy,

Any chance of getting a 'single' photo of your build with the complete 56thFA patch with Pershing tab? I'd like to (and of course with your permission) pass that photo on to the 'later' guys on the 2/4 Inf Facebook page. Also would like to submit it here. I will need your full name as well so you can get due credit.

Many thanks!

Gene- I think its funny... a simple C ration can fixed the problem while the gun makers reaping in million of dollars can not come up with a better solution? 

Kevin- Sure I can ask Bob about this.  Only problem I don't have the final pictures that includes the Pershing tab.  And he is working to get second patch of his unit 193rd Aviation Support.  Once he gets everything together I can go over his place to take final pictures. My full name is Andy Leffler and you can post anything about the Huey.  My way of saying thanks to those who served our country since I can not do the same.