I am starting a diorama of infantry fastroping out of a 1/35 Academy
UH-60, but can’t find in flight crew figures anywhere. Any ideas out
there? Thanks,
Dudley
This question has come up frequently. Here are some answers I have posted before. Most of these are available through Great Models Webstore at http://www.greatmodels.com (no affiliation, just have had great service through them)
Trumpeter CH-47D crew. Set of crewmen and a couple of Soldiers for their CH-47D. They look pretty interesting. The aircrew are wearing the current HGU-56 helmet as worn by the USAF and US Army crewmen. Looks like it also comes with some extras. The Soldiers look like they could be used in any OIF scene as well. Here’s the description from Trumpeter:
“Set makes 5 figures and includes equipment, display base and a cockpit for use in making a diorama on the base provided.”
And a link to sprue shots and a mini-review.
Vietnam CH-47 Crew. Another announced crew set from Trumpeter.
It includes 2 seated pilots, a standing Crew Chief, and a standing ground crewman. It is scheduled for release in 1st Quarter '08. It looks promising for a nice Vietnam Chinook dio. They look usable as any helo pilot/crew in Vietnam as well.
DML has a pretty nice Vietnam era crew. It comes in and out of production as DML sees a need for them (or something like that). They can be found from time to time on eBay as well, but can go for a high price there. They are now included in the Dragon (ex-Panda) UH-1D Huey kit as well.
Nemrod has a modern UH-60 crew and a couple of guys that look like a crew chief and a AF PJ:
CMK
UH-60 crew. A set of three crewmen and a few GIBs (Guys in Back) listed for UH-60s, but the pilots and crew chiefs have Vietnam era “Chicken Plate” armored vests. I have seen them advertised as a UH-1 crew as well. The soldiers look from about ODS era (late '80s to early '90s):
Same CMK set as a Vietnam era UH-1D/H crew, which they are more suited for due to their “Chicken Plate” body armor.
GIBs
Vietnam UH Door Gunners. Announced new release. I haven’t seen them on the market yet. They look promising, sort of. The M60 gunner would be fitting for a UH-1B/C or an OH-6A as a free M60 door gunner. The other figure is a grunt with an M16A1 wearing an M1 helmet, not a door gunner at all.
Seated Vietnam Pilots. Announced new relese. Again, I haven’t seen them on the market yet. They too look promising.
US Helicopter Pilot’s Vietnam, Standing
While these aren’t pilots they’ll go well with Vietnam Hueys:
Seated Cav troopers by CMK
Legend US Cavalry Heliborne Set by Legend. Some have found these figures and their gear to be a little undersized.
Verlinden made/makes a standing US Cobra pilot as well. Pretty good figure w/ flight suit and survival vest.
Coree (sometimes under the Dynasty or Legend names as well) has a set of 2 resin figures called UH-60 Helicopter Crew: 1 helmeted male w/ M4 carbine; 1 female wearing cavalry hat. It is kinda hokey, female is in image of Barbie, she doesn’t look too realistic. Male is wearing nomex ABDUs (Aviator BDUs) though.
Kirin from China, which is the resin side of Dragon, also had a couple sets, but both are long OOP. One was a set of Cobra pilots from ODS. The second was a set of crew chiefs loading ordinance.
ADV/Azimut has a set of Helo pilots listed as US Helicopter Crew for Huey, Cobra, Apache. They come with both SPH-4 and the ITAS Apache helmet. The set includes one seated adn one standing pilot. They look pretty nice.
Also, some kits come with good crews.
Academy/MRC
UH-1C kits, you get a pretty good 4-man crew from Vietnam era.
OH-58D kits come with a good modern 2-man crew, probably the best modern ones out there. They also come with molded on seat belts as well. Very nice.
Bell-47s come with good Korean war era pilot as well.
(Notice the Academy/MRC trend? Hmm?)
DML/Dragon
OH-6A comes with two guys form the DML Vietnam helo crew set too. The pilot with “WAR” on his helmet (Hugh Mills, actual pilot of Miss Claude IV) and the seated gunner.
LAPD MD-500 comes with a pilot and sniper in the back as well.
Sentinel/SAR
UH-1B/C models also come with a descent 4-man Vietnam era crew as well. Not as nice as the DML or Academy ones, but still very usable.
That about covers it. Not much out there, definitely an area that needs more attention.
HeavyArty,
I have the first CMK crew you listed. However, I thought that the colors used in Modern UH-60 crew in OIF would be Buff with a Black vest… does that sound right?
Sounds about right. The flight suits being worn in CENTCOM AO (Iraq/Afghanistan) are a sand color. The vests on the CMK figures are not really modern, actually the same as in the Dragon set, Vietnam era Chickenplate Armor vests. To make them more modern looking, sand off the bulge on the front. Either black or camo (woodland or desert) is good for the new Airsafe vest that is currently worn.
And that visor on the helmet should be dark, correct?
The raised area on the front top of the helmet is a cover over the raised visor. It is the same color as the rest of the helmet. This is the type of helmet used by Army, Navy, and USMC helo crew, AF crews use a different type that has an exposed visor that can be dark tinted or clear. I am not an expert on the helmets, but have been told that the type on all the above figures is an older version. The newer version is shaped a little differently. I believe the Nemrod sets have the newer version. They still look about the same to me. I wouldn’t worry about changing them.
Thanks to all, especially HArty. I think I’ll start with the Nemrod crew and go from there! Dudley
the latest news is dragon kit #3311 has been re-issued and should be on store shelves very soon. I have had a bear of a time finding this kit. I did buy the CMK crew and am very impressed with the detail. I was not so fond of the price. You could modify the dragon kit to look like a modern UH60 crew with ease. Arty is correct on all acounts for the uniforms. Our aircrews/pilots all wear the OD green flighsuits with the woodland airsafe vests.
I have made (or will make) all pilot kits (Dragon, CMK and Nemrod) and I must say that CMK are the worst, then Dragon and Nemrod are the best regarding detail.
Gino is right about the helmets (but not only [;)]): Dragon and CMK figures have the SPH-4 Helmet while Nemrod’s have SPH-4NV (basically the same as above only with a NVG mount). As far as I have seen actually Army and Air Force helicopter crews use the HGU-56 witch is different from the SPH-4.
Here you can see differences btween the various types
Ok, I’m about to order the Nemrod Hawk Crew. Is there any manufacturer that makes heads with the proper HGU helmets? I’m going to use the two seated figs for my KW and at least one of the others for my Apache (I’ve already got two IHADSS helmets waiting for them).
Thanks again guys!
Wasup guys? Did Helicopter subject move here? ))))))
Avus thanks for the Helmets link - the best reference on them I ever seen! Great stuff!
I wanna make a little conversion to DML Vietnam helmets so that they whould look closer to modern but I have a question: Since when HGU-56 came out and replaced SPH-4 mods? I mean was it before 91’-93’?
Thanks
Andy
P/s Avus on your helmet link the first (most modern) one looks like Star Wars Imperial Pilot’s helmet ))))) Allmost Darth Vader’s!!!
Check over on the helicopter forum regarding new modern helicopter crew figures being contemplated by a figure sculptor.
Hi there,
I’ve just got hold of a set by Tamiya " US armoured troops" 35117, which I’m going to use for a VietNam Huey but I guess with different paint and heads they might do for your model. They consist of two APC drivers and three soldiers sitting which could be used either in the heli or with legs hanging out the sides. The drivers could be converted to either pilots or maybe door gunners.
Good luck, Rich
The Navy and Marines are flying the HGU helmet. The old SPH’s started being phased out in the late 90’s for helo crews. The new HGU’s are light and comfortable and great for SAR and CASEVAC but I don’t like looking like a fixed wing bubba.
The one thing that kills me is trying to model the square ear cups on the new Army helmets. I am the Navy Liaison instructor at the Army Flight Medic Course and even with a helmet in my hand I have trouble molding or scratch building that shape.
If you use the heads off of the 1/35 APC driver and commander you can get a pretty good USN/USMC HGU helmet. I just add some metal foil to the top to simulate the leather visor protector and a boom mike. Works great.
If you want to do a crew in theater cover the whole helmet with metal foil to simulate the cloth helmet cover (to hide the white scotchlite tape) and paint it OD or desert cammie.
Just a little help on the Army flight gear colors. If you are modeling the AIRSAVE vest paint it green. I am not saying that there aren’t any black ones out there but I haven’t seen them. Only our medics wore black vests so that they would be a little easier to identify them in an emergency.
The biggest difference between the SPH-4 helmet and the HGU-56 is the boxier appearance of the -56. It is also wider than the SPH-4. The HGU-56 also has visor tracks that come down the sides of the front opening. They are painted with the same shade of green as the aircraft but, as it is a different paint and not exposed to the weather, it doesn’t fade as much as the CARC on the aircraft.
Now a question for you Navy Marine guys out there. I have heard that the DoD was going to a common rotary wing helmet (the HGU-56) but I have only seen Army and AF crews wearing them. FMFDoc’s comments make it sound like there are Navy/Marine crews wearing the -56. Are these guys switching over now?
Mac
Has anyone seen this kit. ADV/Azimut listed at Great Models #AZP35582: US Helo Crew 2 figures for Huey, Cobra or Apache? They had a photo but hard to tell what it is like.
Found this on great Planes site tonight, two 1/35th Vietnam helo crew
the desert camo in use today is the same as the desert camo that was used in Desert Storm minus the “Chocolate Chips” (thats what my dad called the black and white specs integrated into the scheme when he served in Desert Shield/Storm.)
BTW I have the DML Vietnam Helictor crew and am going to use them with Revels 1/32 scal AH-1G Huey Cobra but with one difference I also am taking one crew member from the Academy 1/35 scale UH-1 Huey and switching it with one of the DML figures. (I know this sounds confusing) The copilot figure from the DML set wouldn’t fit into the Cobra with his arm sticking out from the side. But the Academy copilot would fit inside and his hand will fit around the tripod sight in the center of the cockpit tub which would be a bonus[:)]
I have the figures almost done since I decided to build up all of them. Oh and also BTW the standing crew figure that is holding the pedestal mounted M60 would work well with Academy’s UH60 as a door gunner but it would be better when you buy 2 sets and the sitting figure holding the M60 would work as a Winch operator.
No, they are totally different patterns.
The ODS era Chocolate Chip pattern was 6 colors; dark brown, light brown, sand, khaki, and white dots w/ black outlines or shadows.
ODS era Chocolate Chip Desert Camo:
Modern 3-tone DCUs are sand, khaki, and have dark brown shadow lines.
Modern 3-Tone Desert Camo:
Good luck with your pilot figures.
Wow! You are a brave soul to make something useful out of the Tamiya Armored Soldiers. Those guys in the set are very distended and have some of the worst molding lines. It may help to kitbash some Dragon pieces from some of their figure sets depicting cold war era Soldiers. The arms and legs can be easily modified to match the greens that were retired in the mid 80’s. If only Tamiya would fix these guys up for a rerelease.