It was a common practice to add a C-Rations can (or beer can apparently) to the feed side of an M60 MG when using belted ammo. The belt had a tendency to kink and jam the gun if it fell to a 90 degree angle due to the links. The can prevented the belt from falling and kinking.
This was not needed when using the feed chute though as part of the M23 door gun system.
Thanks Glenn… Thanks Heavy… All you guys rock… It’s great to have reference… Especially as I was just being born at the time of this war… And I’m a limey too… Found some good Huey walk around on the net… The best 2 I found were from Australia… Nice pics of all the main detail… But it’s the little things you can’t see that matters… I can’t keep asking the father in law as this build is a surprise for him and I think he’s getting wise as I have just started model building again recently… And with my 5 yr old daughter who can’t keep her mouth shut I have to do this late in the evening…lol
Ok latest images… Cabin divider detailed… Cabin roof has had equipment pods deepened so I can do switches etc. Yeah I know not needed but I’m mad like that… Hopefully I’m going to lay down some primer and base colour over the weekend ( light ghost grey or Light grey is it?) Then get some more detailing done… Cargo seats, fine details etc…
Ok cabins painted…(Not bad for my first attempt at airbrush I think). Crew seats painted( still need belts … Scratch build) …pilot/co needs finishing… Blast shield needs to be proper colour and seat belts need to go on ( scratch building those)… Details on instruments will be done this week( got some oil based sharpie fine tip pens coming in mail tomorrow… Red ,white, black, blue, gold, silver)
Is it better to weather the interior before the crew seats go in… And does anyone have tips on weathering ( new to this) … I don’t want to over do it… But interior looks too clean at the moment…
As usual any critiques and advise will be helpful…
Wiring done yesterday… Model car garage HT wires I had lying around… I hope it looks ok.
Looking good. The cabling came out really nice. I usually weather the interior w/the seats in, but before closing it in the fuselage. I give it an overall wash of a light/medium brown color for some dust and dirt. I also use some gunmetal on high traffic areas of the floor to show where the paint has been rubbed down from boots and dirt. Lastly, a sparing amount of aluminum or silver for really worn areas.
Thanks HeavyArty… I appreciate that… Would that be a very dilute wash then wipe off access… Then dry brush the gun metal and aluminium… I gather that’s for the floor and walls… Any suggestions for the seats… Oh also what colour for the interior walls of the body ( main fuselage) grey, black…( just so I know before gluing the two halves together). I’ve seen both but I’m not sure on this…
I add the wash to everything; floors, walls, seats, etc. Go a little lighter on the fabric parts and heavier on the floors. On a Vietnam Huey, the insides of the cockpit and cabin (fuselage) walls should be the same grey that you used on the floor.
The black cockpits and cabins were a later feature not seen until the early '80 to make them compatible for NVGs (Night Vision Goggles). The grey was too light and would interfere with the goggles by reflecting too much light, effectively washing them out.
Thanks HeavyArty… You’re an absolute star… Finishing details tonight and tomorrow… I’ll install the rear cabin seats as well then it’s onto the weathering later this week… Updates will be forthcoming…
Just a quick question… What colours are used on a 67/68 era UH-1D slick cockpit panels and instruments… I’m confused… I have seen grey panels with black instruments ( like in the Huey Slick osprey book) and black panels with black instruments … Which is correct?? Thanks
Vietnam-era IPs were grey with individual black instruments. The all black IP is part of the blacked-out NVG-compatible cockpit that was not used until the early '80s.
Cheers HeavyArty… I’ll have to buy you a beer if I ever get over to Virginia… Lol
Cabin finished… Just need to weather it… ( getting a bit nervous about that… I don’t want to mess up the whole thing…) Before pics… I’ll post after pics over the next few days…
Looking good so far. The seat color looks great, as do the seat belts.
One issue though. I have never seen two-place rear facing seats. The most common setup was no rear-facing seat at all.
The next most common was two single seats facing either rear or out, and sometimes forward, like below. The ones you have are way too wide.
Lastly was a full bench seat with headrests facing rear, like below.
Yeah I thought I was clutching at straws on that one… I used the cmk kit and it being 1:35 the rear facing bench fitted better than the forward facing… Then the original forward facing just didn’t look right as a one piece bench ( not wide enough looked wrong) so I just decided to split it… Do you think I should just remove them… ??
I would either do that, or cut them down to be the single seats.
The middle seat should have the curved support bar under it as well. There are six of them, equally spaced across it.
Cheers Gino… I’ll remove them…
Just before I do here is my attempt at weathering… Lol I cheated with the cockpit forward instruments… They are printed… Lol
As usual, you are right on, HeavyArty. Just to add:
The two single seats in row one were facing rear in medivac or when the crewchief/gunner was in the gunner’s position. This allowed for easy entry/exit for pacs when the CE was not right there to help. Plus pilots did not like non crews to face forward over their shoulders.
The rear facing in row 1 (four seater) is an option in current Huey II. The pictured shoulder straps and padded polls almost looks like a Bell 412.
I’ll also agree GREAT JOB!! BEDLAM
Is that better…
