The Monogram 1/48 and 1/24 UH-1 Huey has all the characteristics of the UH-1B (narrow chord vertical fin, ‘B’ model rotor head, narrow chord, symetrical aifoil elevators, etc),BUT has a ‘B’ model fuel filler cap on the right side AND a ‘C’ model filler cap on the left side.
So, what was the prototype for the kit? Maybe a ‘B’ retrofitted with the ‘C’ fuel system? Some weird one-off prototype? Anybody know of an actual aircraft that would have this arrangement?
I have finally gotten to my ‘Phantom Huey’ ( you would not believe how long I have had this) and want to portray an actual aircraft, from the 1st Cav if possible, from 1967 if possible. (Your author was with ‘D’ Company, 1st Bn, 8th Cav in 1967). Filling in the cap and removing the additional ‘C’ fuel tank would be really difficult (clear fuselage and all), and building a ‘C’ rotor and modifying the vertical fin the same (same reason) So… Who can help?
PS: If anybody reading this flew gunships for the Cav in '67, many, many thanks. May have made it possible for me to be doing this today.
Don’t start cutting that clear-molded Phantom Huey! I’ll trade you a new, unopened solid (green plastic) kit for that! Clear is too brittle for cutting on, and if you’re going to have to paint it anyway…
The parts were off the sprue when I bought it, lo, those many years ago. Paid too much, too. so I’m gonna build it anyway…
Thanks for the offer to trade, but I’ve got one of each of the various releases and re-releases: Combat chopper, Rambo Combat chopper, Heliswiss, the latest release, and yes, one more Phantom, all the parts in place, original box, but no shrink wrap.
By the way, I don’t think Revell will ever be able to re-release the Phantom Huey. Comparing the Clear vs. the various solid versions, it’s easy to see where the tool ing has been reworked to eliminate many of the interior parts, not to mention really modifying the fuselage molds to enable the solid fuselage to have clear windows, now molded on a seperate sprue.
Unfortunately, it is a Frankenstein Monster of the two models and neither is close. My guess is that they had pics of both that they used for the details and used one for one side and the other for the other side, combining features from both types.