Basically as the topic says, are there any huey kits or AM stuff to do a surf rescue style huey?
Andrew
Are you talking about full pontoons or the inflatable emergency floats seen on some over water helicopters?
If its the second the only thing I know of is one of the 1/72 Aeroplast Hueys includes them. I got the kit for something like $6 at Squadron and it includes the floats, one of the large cabin mounted radars like the Italian Hueys use and some other misc parts, searchlights and such. The parts are nothing spectacular but were all I could find and are passable (particularly considering how cheap the kit is). The kit itself is pretty toylike, but not a bad model to give a young child to build (looks buildable, just not very accurate).
In a larger scale I think ESCI did a 1/48 Italian Navy AB-205 (or maybe 212) that included the same parts I mentioned for the Aeroplast kit, including the inflatable floats.
Thanks Aaron, but I was after the full pontoons (thanks for the right term) like this kiowa but in a huey, might be up for some kit bashing/scratching
Andrew
You know I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a Huey set up like that so you may have some trouble finding anything.
Ray might be able to dig up some photos to at least give you something to go by if it was an option. I don’t think it would be that hard to scratchbuild the floats if you had some reference material to follow.
One of the few pics I can find
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Airfast/Bell-204B/0120542/L/
Above link has an actual photo of 5 hueys done as such, I also have a book with a photo of a huey working on oil rigs with pontoons. So while rare, I figire it doable. Might be easier to carve the pontoon out of foam or light wood.
Andrew
Neat, I do believe that is the first time I’ve seen a Huey like that. As far as finding AM, that is probably pretty slim, but looking at the pontoons I think you could probably make something decent looking pretty easily. I’m thinking probably some styrene tubing and then either building up a frame for putty or a scupting epoxy, or as you said maybe balsa. The few helicopters I’ve seen like this seem to utilizize a lot of the regular landing gear, but you would need some better close ups. I recently finished an H-19 with pontoons and it used the rear legs of the landing gear almost unmodified, and replaced the front legs with a cross brace and some struts.
Here is a conventional H-19
and the H-19 with floats
It is hard to really tell from your photo, but it looks like they are just attached to or around the regular skids.
G’Day Andrew,
Not sure what scale you are after but the only floats I know of are in 1-72 produced by Hawkeye models of Australia. In the 1980’s there was concern of terrorism on the oil rigs off the coast of Australia so a small number of the RAAF UH-1H fleet (2 or 3 I think) were fitted with floats to support the Counter Terrorism guys. The Hawkeye set is based on these aircraft however I think they are pretty generic floats so should work for what you are after
Cheers
Cairnsy
I would try kitbashing a couple types of external drop tanks to make up a pair. Once you have them, you could sell resin copies.
Think I would start with the booster rocket of a Revell SnapTite kit of the space shuttle…they might be close to the right shape. Or the auxillary boosters from an old Atlas Missile kit.
I once made a pair from some wing tanks from an F-100 to go on a Bell 47…they looked pretty convincing.
Thanks Gerald, will look at that option as well, since the possible suggested producer hasn’t got back to me yet.
Andrew
Andrew,
I’m not sure what scale you are looking for, but I am puting the finishing touches on an old ESCI 206 kit that came with floats. It is a 1/48 scale kit, that I did as a fictitious USCG aircraft. I understand that there is also a Bell 47 (1/35?) that is currently out that has a set of floats. Let us know how you make out. Look forward to seeing your progress.
David
Here is a photo:
Andrew,
Back in the late 70’s there were some 204s and 205s working offshore that had fixed floats. At that time the floats were round on both ends, not pointed. My father flew them for a while. I actually got some time in the 205 that had the fixed floats. I have some pics somewhere. I will try to locate them and get them to you.
Bill
Just found the esci kit on ebay. Dont think I’ll bother paying $70US+postage though (its not even collectors quality)
Right now I’m thinking Tomcat fuel tanks look to be a good starting point to make my own
Andrew
Konigwolf13 The potencial for dioramas is endless with a floating Huey. Looking forward to see what you come up with!
Always wanted to do a diorama of a De Havilland Beaver by a dock in a northern Canadian setting loading up with gear and a fisherman. Have two kits in different scales by Hobbycraft. One kit the fuselage haves are clear plastic! Not ideal but one day will make it happen. Will try for a late 50’s era as my uncle was a bush pilot back then in northern Canada.
What scale are you thinking? I have plenty of drop tanks I can start with. Maybe I can make some and start casting them in resin. I wonder what kind of a market there would be for them. I know at least one person(HAHA) that would be interested in a set. Given the cost of resin and mold making materials, I can’t imagine the cost would be very high.
fantacmet, I’d like build it in 48 scale, so i gues I need to figure out app. scale sizes etc. Tomcat tanks are very similar profile and shape but I dont know about size/scales issues yet. I figure a 48 tomcats tanks would be to small so prolly start around 32 scale. Now if I can find the time for finding the deatils and the maths…
If tomcats tanks arnt the right size I guess it would be time to look else where.
Andrew
Finally got a reply from hawkeye models today about the pontoons. The are currentley out of the production as one of the molds need to be modified or something, but he’s putting me on the back order list for when its done. Now I have to figure out a killer diorama. Thanks for all the help and suggestions people.
Andrew
I found the picture I was looking for of the civilian Huey on floats. Don’t know how to paste it here, though.