Hello from Guam everyone! I am getting ready to build Testor’s version of 1/35 scale HH-43 Huskie. Suprisingly it is shown on the last page of the Feb. 2004 FSM “History you can Build” by Dick McNally. I am wondering if anyone in the FSm family here has built this before, has any tips, hints or other interesting comments as I get ready to lay this bird out. I have had it on the shelf for nearly two years and when I saw the article it sparked my creative interest. I’m still putting finishing touches on my Bell 47d, does anyone have Jason’s pic of his from his post. I can’t seem to get the pics to "pop up!. Any help is appreciated. By the way it takes months to get my FSM hard copy to Guam. Feb. just came yesterday 4/30. By the way Happy May Day…Eric[8D]
I have built it, descent kit, interior is pretty weak and needs alot of detailing to look good.
HeavyArty-I agree-looks like it is weak in the interior area, that’s the reason for the post. Any other comments on detailing appreciated, any sites to view? Thanks eric
Check out this site. http://www.h43-huskie.info/
Anyone have a copy of that kit they want to part with? Email me.
Lee
I believe Italeri is re-issuing it soon.
Go to Cobra Company. They have a limited edition interior detail set for this kit. Supposed to a fantastic set
Eric, I am building the Testors HH-43 kit. I’m about 90% complete. Added stringers,longerons, vertical tunnel, back step area, seat, wiring, fuel tubes and few other things to cabin. Added overhead panel with circuit breaker panels, rotor brake cylinder and handle, wire bundles, etc in cockpit. Added exterior cable and tube bracing, jack points, antennas, drians, pitot tube, HF antenna wire on exterior, and cut out xsm screen openings, and engine intake and covered with brass screen. Need to try and come up with landing lights. Right now I’m stalled because my Future spay job came out poor, and I broke off the left side vertical fins. I Have two kits from Testors. Early kit came with decals from Italeri. The star and bar insignia seem to be the right size but the decals fall apart in water. The sheet is a combination of a little military and the rest civilian. Really poor. The second kit decals are from Scalemaster and are military, but the star and bar seem to be to large. I need to find a decal sheet that has USAF and numbers small enough to fit the vertical fins and some star and bar insignias. My references are some photos of the bird I crewed in Viet Nam S/N 59-1590. Becarefull with the tail it is fragile. Good Luck with your build. Scat
Before using really old decals like this, go to a LHS and pick up some DecalSaver from MicroScale . This will add a clear, very thin film to the decals and should keep them from falling apart. You can apply it by brush and it is self leveling.
I just picked this kit up, I found it cheap and it falls into my long term goal of building military fire and rescue vehicles.
I would like to build one of the firefighting units the HH-43 could sling load in, to go along with the helo. Anyone know of detailed plans or a kit? Otherwise I guess I will have to scratch build it from the few pictures I’ve seen.
That detail kit look good, I may try to pick one up.
There are many phots of the HH-43 at this site as well