I have a Kiowa question.

Modeling Subjects Helicopters
1

First off, let me start off by saying that I know next to nothing about this aircraft.

So, I was doing some research on the OH-58D today and I noticed that some of them have different undercarriage. Some have a fairly typical “crescent” shape, but others seem to be more of a conformal “framework” style. Why the different styles of undercarriage?

I’ll try to illustrate with photos:

2

Yup, your bottom pic is of a newer helo. You will also notice that the front of the sail (part around the engine and transmission, above cockpit) is of a different shape as well. The new skids are able to be raised and lowered. This allows them to be lowered when carrying on a cargo aircarft to reduce the overall height.

3

MAN, that was a fast reply.

Heavyarty (or anyone else), do you know of any good reference sites that illustrate some of the differences between the two aircraft? I’ve tried FAS, Global Security and a few other places off the top of my head with no luck.

Thanks!

4

http://www.kiowapilots.com/

This site has some pic galleries which may be of use.

HTH,

5

Here are a couple walkaround sites.

Both are newer models with new skids and sail.

OH-58D walkaround 1

OH-58D walkaround 2

There is a great resin conversion set by Floyd Warner for converting the sail and some other parts. I have a set on the way for mine.

OH-58D conversion set

Here is Floyd’s build article as well.

6

Cableguy,

I’m just finishing my 35th scale Kiowa Warrior and I did the whole Cutting Edge conversion and highly recommend it. As far as the inverted skids go, I basically took the kit-supplied skids and glued the crosstubes to the fuselage upside down. That gave me the proper upsweep on the crosstubes, and stretched sprue was used for the verticals.

7

Cableguy,

I’m just finishing my 35th scale Kiowa Warrior and I did the whole Cutting Edge conversion and highly recommend it. As far as the inverted skids go, I basically took the kit-supplied skids and glued the crosstubes to the fuselage upside down. That gave me the proper upsweep on the crosstubes, and stretched sprue was used for the verticals. I still need to do the details on the skids, but the basic shape is correct.

8

Thanks a lot everyone! I’ll be doing some more studying up on these birds over the next few weeks. Your input is a big help.

9

Hey Cableguy,

I currently fix Kiowas for the Army through a civilian contractor at Ft Rucker, AL. We have way more of the upper picture in your original post than of the lower. Auto-rotation and running landings are a big part of the training here and the downward bent cross tubes absorbe the punishment way better then the upward bent crosstubes. As was mentioned in the discussion the “Rapid Deployment Gear” (the upward bent ones) as we know them by here are meant to be lowered to shoehorn them into various cargo planes, they also have provisions for storing the MMS (Mast Mounted Sight), the sighting system above the rotor, on the skids on the side of the helo for said transport. Pilots here tell me that both configurations can be seen out in the field.

I am also in the process of building two of the MRC kit with the Cutting Edge upgrade of aircraft that we have here. My intention was to do them for Atlanta but vacationing conflicts kept me from going. Great representation of the external changes of the aircraft but the interior now needs an upgrade set.

Hope this helps,

koek3[%-)]