Hey again
I started out a few months ago just wanting to build a 'Nam era UH-1 gunship and no more than that, but having almost completed the 1/48 ESCI UH-1D that rotorwash kindly sent me I have "the itch" and I would like to do some more 'Nam era helicopters.
I've currently got on order and awaiting delivery of -
An Academy UH-1C "Frog" in 1/35 (no details from the seller if it's been dispatched or anything yet (some Korean website, yourhobbylife.com, looks a bit like an Amazon kind of site), I'm a bit dubious about receiving this one I may end up claiming a refund via PayPal and having to source it from somewhere else, it seems in short supply).
I've been inspired by Helo 53's Jolly Greens (here and on ARC) so I've bought a 1/72 Revell HH-3E (again no details from the seller (kingkit.co.uk) if it's been dispatched or anything yet, only bought it yesterday but the website stock has dropped to 0 (from 1)).
A 1/72 Fujimi SH-3H Sea King (which has been dispatched, Japanese ebay seller I think, presumably it'll come on a slow boat from Japan...) to use for various detail parts for the HH-3E.
Last but not least sitting under my bed waiting for me to get the urge to spend the 30 minutes it'll take to build it is a 1/35 Academy Bell 47 USCG.
As well as those I'd like to build a HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant (most notably used in well known/infamous missions such as the Son Tay raid and the rescue of Iceal Hambleton (immortalised in the great film Bat 21, although they used Sea Kings in place of Super Jolly Greens in that film).
But I'm having trouble sourcing a 'Nam era Super Jolly Green kit in 1/72. 1/48 is just too big, at something like 22" long according to the numbers I crunched yesterday.
There are a couple of 1/72 kits around for a HH-53C, an Airfix kit and an Italeri kit, although they seem to be in short supply. But Italeri also make a MH-53J Pave Low III kit which seems to be more widely available.
So, long story short, what I'm wondering is - could the Italeri MH-53J Pave Low III kit be made up as a 'Nam era HH/CH-53 without a lot (or any) scratch building/parts from other kits?