I saw this over at Aeroscale’s Rotary Wing Forum and had to pass it on. It looks way too cool to pass by. I have never seen a US Army UH-60A in Hi-Vis pattern. I have only seen the Navy Gray-Orange SAR bird. After doing my Hi-Vis UH-1H, I may have to do this one to go with it.
It is a Multi-National Force and Observers (MNFO) aircraft from the Sinai circa 2004. Thanks to Dan Stern for spotting it. He also adds, “The nose is matt black with the MFO logo on it if you’re interested.” I for one am.
Check it out…
Looks like it might have been a Rescue Hawk in a former life. The paint scheme seems to match the USCG hawks. But interesting, none the less.
It is interesting, but was not an HH-60J in a previous life. The “J” has a different fuselage, exhaust, etc.; it is actually a different bird altogether. These started life as standard US Army UH-60As. The paint color and scheme is different on an HH-60J as well.
The Hi-Vis scheme looks good on the UH-60A though.
Hey Gino,How ya doing?Are you playing in the sandbox yet?Pretty cool looking Hawk pics you dug up.I’ve never seen a Hi-Vis Army bird until now.That would look good in 1/35 scale but where would you get the MFO insignia?I remember back in the 80’s that H-60’s were no-no’s in the Sinai because the MFO was a peacekeeping mission and Blackhawks are TACTICAL(agression oriented) choppers.
Not in the sandbox yet. I leave in about 3 weeks. I may have to make this one in 1/35. I would make the MNFO decals myself using computer decal paper. They don’t look too complicated. All you need to do is find a site that has them as an image (.jpg) and you can import it into graphics software and manipulate it as needed. It really is quite easy.
Do you know where your going in Iraq yet?I agree with you,I’ll have to add this helo to my H-60 to-do build list.Another UH-60 from Grenada,(your idea),MH-60S,HH-60J all in 1/35 scale.Keep in touch and get in on the 160th SOAR group build here starting June 1st.We’d love to have ya in it!
Thanks. Right now I am supposed to go to FOB Liderty in Baghdad, w/10th MTN HQ. We will see when I get there where I actually end up.
I was on the MFO49 rotation to the Siani, Jan 2006 - Jan 2007. The MFO was still using UH-1H “Hueys” when we got there. The Hueys were replaced by UH-60’s sometime around June or July 2006. The Blackhawks were just plain old UH-60B’s. Nothing special just regular Blackhawk’s with a different paintjob and MFO stickers on the pilots doors and the nose and I think the belly.
Here are some pictures of the Hueys and one of the Blackhawks.
http://s289.photobucket.com/albums/ll221/19kilo30/MFO49/