Need help finding a helicopter crew!

Hi there,

I've just got hold of a set by Tamiya " US armoured troops" 35117, which I'm going to use for a VietNam Huey but I guess with different paint and heads they might do for your model. They consist of two APC drivers and three soldiers sitting which could be used either in the heli or with legs hanging out the sides. The drivers could be converted to either pilots or maybe door gunners.

Good luck,    Rich

Check over on the helicopter forum regarding new modern helicopter crew figures being contemplated by a figure sculptor.

Wasup guys? Did Helicopter subject move here? ))))))

Avus thanks for the Helmets link - the best reference on them I ever seen! Great stuff!

I wanna make a little conversion to DML Vietnam helmets so that they whould look closer to modern but I have a question: Since when HGU-56 came out and replaced SPH-4 mods? I mean was it before 91'-93'?

Thanks
Andy

P/s Avus on your helmet link the first (most modern) one looks like Star Wars Imperial Pilot's helmet ))))) Allmost Darth Vader's!!!

Ok, I'm about to order the Nemrod Hawk Crew. Is there any manufacturer that makes heads with the proper HGU helmets? I'm going to use the two seated figs for my KW and at least one of the others for my Apache (I've already got two IHADSS helmets waiting for them).

Thanks again guys!

I have made (or will make) all pilot kits (Dragon, CMK and Nemrod) and I must say that CMK are the worst, then Dragon and Nemrod are the best regarding detail.
Gino is right about the helmets (but not only ): Dragon and CMK figures have the SPH-4 Helmet while Nemrod's have SPH-4NV (basically the same as above only with a NVG mount). As far as I have seen actually Army and Air Force helicopter crews use the HGU-56 witch is different from the SPH-4.
Here you can see differences btween the various types

the latest news is dragon kit #3311 has been re-issued and should be on store shelves very soon. I have had a bear of a time finding this kit. I did buy the CMK crew and am very impressed with the detail. I was not so fond of the price. You could modify the dragon kit to look like a modern UH60 crew with ease. Arty is correct on all acounts for the uniforms. Our aircrews/pilots all wear the OD green flighsuits with the woodland airsafe vests.

Thanks to all, especially HArty. I think I'll start with the Nemrod crew and go from there! Dudley

The raised area on the front top of the helmet is a cover over the raised visor. It is the same color as the rest of the helmet. This is the type of helmet used by Army, Navy, and USMC helo crew, AF crews use a different type that has an exposed visor that can be dark tinted or clear. I am not an expert on the helmets, but have been told that the type on all the above figures is an older version. The newer version is shaped a little differently. I believe the Nemrod sets have the newer version. They still look about the same to me. I wouldn't worry about changing them.

And that visor on the helmet should be dark, correct?

Sounds about right. The flight suits being worn in CENTCOM AO (Iraq/Afghanistan) are a sand color. The vests on the CMK figures are not really modern, actually the same as in the Dragon set, Vietnam era Chickenplate Armor vests. To make them more modern looking, sand off the bulge on the front. Either black or camo (woodland or desert) is good for the new Airsafe vest that is currently worn.

HeavyArty,
I have the first CMK crew you listed. However, I thought that the colors used in Modern UH-60 crew in OIF would be Buff with a Black vest... does that sound right?

This question has come up frequently. Here are some answers I have posted before. Most of these are available through Great Models Webstore at http://www.greatmodels.com (no affiliation, just have had great service through them)

Trumpeter CH-47D crew.  Set of crewmen and a couple of Soldiers for their CH-47D.  They look pretty interesting.  The aircrew are wearing the current HGU-56 helmet as worn by the USAF and US Army crewmen. Looks like it also comes with some extras.  The Soldiers look like they could be used in any OIF scene as well.  Here's the description from Trumpeter:

"Set makes 5 figures and includes equipment, display base and a cockpit for use in making a diorama on the base provided."  

And a link to sprue shots and a mini-review.

Vietnam CH-47 Crew. Another announced crew set from Trumpeter.
It includes 2 seated pilots, a standing Crew Chief, and a standing ground crewman.  It is scheduled for release in 1st Quarter '08.  It looks promising for a nice Vietnam Chinook dio.  They look usable as any helo pilot/crew in Vietnam as well.

DML has a pretty nice Vietnam era crew.  It comes in and out of production as DML sees a need for them (or something like that).  They can be found from time to time on eBay as well, but can go for a high price there.  They are now included in the Dragon (ex-Panda) UH-1D Huey kit as well.

Nemrod has a modern UH-60 crew and a couple of guys that look like a crew chief and a AF PJ:

CMK

UH-60 crew.  A set of three crewmen and a few GIBs (Guys in Back) listed for UH-60s, but the pilots and crew chiefs have Vietnam era "Chicken Plate" armored vests.  I have seen them advertised as a UH-1 crew as well. The soldiers look from about ODS era (late '80s to early '90s):

Same CMK set as a Vietnam era UH-1D/H crew, which they are more suited for due to their "Chicken Plate" body armor.

GIBs

Vietnam UH Door Gunners.  Announced new release.  I haven't seen them on the market yet.  They look promising, sort of.  The M60 gunner would be fitting for a UH-1B/C or an OH-6A as a free M60 door gunner.  The other figure is a grunt with an M16A1 wearing an M1 helmet, not a door gunner at all.

Seated Vietnam Pilots.  Announced new relese.  Again, I haven't seen them on the market yet.  They too look promising.

US Helicopter Pilot's Vietnam, Standing

While these aren't pilots they'll go well with Vietnam Hueys:

Seated Cav troopers by CMK

Legend US Cavalry Heliborne Set by Legend.  Some have found these figures and their gear to be a little undersized.

Verlinden made/makes a standing US Cobra pilot as well. Pretty good figure w/ flight suit and survival vest.

Coree (sometimes under the Dynasty or Legend names as well) has a set of 2 resin figures called UH-60 Helicopter Crew: 1 helmeted male w/ M4 carbine; 1 female wearing cavalry hat. It is kinda hokey, female is in image of Barbie, she doesn't look too realistic. Male is wearing  nomex ABDUs (Aviator BDUs) though.

Kirin from China, which is the resin side of Dragon, also had a couple sets, but both are long OOP.  One was a set of Cobra pilots from ODS.  The second was a set of crew chiefs loading ordinance.

ADV/Azimut has a set of Helo pilots listed as US Helicopter Crew for Huey, Cobra, Apache.  They come with both SPH-4 and the ITAS Apache helmet.  The set includes one seated adn one standing pilot.  They look pretty nice.

 

Also, some kits come with good crews.

Academy/MRC

UH-1C kits, you get a pretty good 4-man crew from Vietnam era.

OH-58D kits come with a good modern 2-man crew, probably the best modern ones out there. They also come with molded on seat belts as well.  Very nice.

Bell-47s come with good Korean war era pilot as well.

(Notice the Academy/MRC trend? Hmm?)

DML/Dragon

OH-6A comes with two guys form the DML Vietnam helo crew set too. The pilot with "WAR" on his helmet (Hugh Mills, actual pilot of Miss Claude IV) and the seated gunner.

LAPD MD-500 comes with a pilot and sniper in the back as well.

Sentinel/SAR

UH-1B/C models also come with a descent 4-man Vietnam era crew as well. Not as nice as the DML or Academy ones, but still very usable.

That about covers it. Not much out there, definitely an area that needs more attention.