A November in March

Modeling Subjects Helicopters
1

OK, Andy, Jon, and Robert. You requested some UH-1N pics, so here ya go. Never let it be said I don’t keep my word. This bird is, of course, NVG equipped and everything inside is Black. She just came back from Iraq and I was told will be headed back later on. The rotorhead is the later one with the SCAS system that eliminated the stabilizer bar. The pilot told me that the old style flies better, but the SCAS system allows for better altitude control when weapons are fired. The CE sits on the auxillary fuel tank! Not my idea of a great seat if your being shot at, but he said it’s quite comfortable if the tank’s a little low. As you will see this bird is unarmed and that’s why I was able to get close to her (the hoards of kids were mostly over at the Cobra). She carries two rocket pods in the racks you see in the picks as well as either 50 cal or miniguns in the doors. The Marines use LAU this and GAU that. I reallly haven’t picked up on all the new weapons designations (new meaning non VN!). The CE said he prefers the 50 cause he can “reach out and touch someone” from afar. This bird is missing the soundproofing on the interior of the cabin. I wish I had used a fill flash, but if you use Photoshop, there’s a lot of detail in the shadows if you lighten the image. I also took a couple of shots of the FLIR ball. You can see my reflection in one shot it’s so shiny! I got as good a cockpit shots as I could. Couldn’t bring myself to kick the kids out so I could get better pics! Anyway, I didn’t write down the crew memebrs names and unfortunately I don’t remember them. I am very grateful that they took the time to share their knowledge with me and if any of them ever see this “Thank you, guys.” Anyway, on with the show!

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There you go guys. These were taken with YOU the Modeler in mind. Please let me know what I missed so I can do a better job next time. Thanks for encouraging the post!

Ray

2

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

3

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

4

Hey there Ray,

Thanks for publishing those photos. I kept staring at that Bureau number…[8-]…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

5

(-:

Thanks!

Nice stuff!

Andy

6

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.

7

Thanks for the added pics, Ray!

That’s the great thing about Marine helicopters… the general tendancy to shun pristine paintjobs and glitzy markings :slight_smile:
(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 :wink:

Andy

8

Hey Ray,

160455 in it’s younger, “prettier”, and less lethal days in 1982.

Regards
Steve

9

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

10

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…[8D].

I’ll have to look for any other “early” pics. Didn’t haul around a small handy DigCam back then. [:(!]

Regards
Steve

11

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.

12

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing.

13

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.

14

Yamafreak72 ,

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

very interesting [tup]

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

15

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.