Loach Driver

Rob, thank you for sharing those photos. This has made my week! -4433 is a machine I'd love to build in 1/72. 👍 LD.

I can't wait! Really looking forward to these new pics. Take care. LD.

Those slides sound fascinating! Please do post up anything related to the testing of helicopters. Especially if you have any new OH-6/500 photos! Best wishes. LD.

Great to see you back here, EDWMatt! If you have any fresh pics from flight testing to share, please do! 👍 LD.

Go for it! If it is as good as your first one, it'll be another superb model. I am tempted to try one of the JAWS A-10s too in 1/72 scale. 👍 LD.

The camo scheme is pretty much flawless and the overall build is stunning. LD.

I reckon that is a 530F in the background. It certainly looks like a pointy-nosed 500. And that possibly points to the boys from Flight Concepts Division. LD.

I might have a suitable reference. Working on getting permission to share the info I have with KursadA. LD.

There was this kit but I have doubts about the actual canopy included in the box. I think it has the standard rounded windscreen. https://www.modelasker.com/en_US/product/heller-1-48-maket-1-50-oh-6-oh-58-kiowa#gallery LD.

Would it ever have flown with the heat shield removed? If so, leave it off. LD.

I forgot to mention the Lockheed XH-51 in 1/72. Looks like it's going a hundred miles an hour just sitting on the ramp! It's almost as sexy as a Hughes 500! LD.

Perhaps it is a scheme for inclusion on a future Caracal decal sheet! LD.

This should be good to see back again. LD.

That looks good! The weathering is just right. Blade drooping takes a lot of practice to get right. Overall, though, it's one to be proud of. LD.

Wow! Another great find! Looks like it is close to its final early-service configuration. It has the nose landing light on the Pave Low nose fairing instead of up on the nose near the lower windshield. It's hard to tell but it looks like the paint scheme is the overall black scheme over-painted with a pale sand or pale stone colour. I think it might just be a two-colour paint scheme. It also looks like there is a gun mounted on the rear ramp. Given the comments of the pilot in the video, this footage dates from 1979 possibly. Another cool Pave Low paint scheme. 👍 Edit: At 4;50 into

Thanks for those additional photos. The configurations for Pave Low (I) and Pave Low III are known, but does anyone have any info on what configuration 14433 flew in for the Pave Low II test and what avionics were the focus of that portion of the Pave Low development? It still wore its SEA paint scheme for the initial Pave Low (Terrain Following Radar) test and was all black by the time of its Pave Low III (Initial Entry into Service Configuration) test program. 👍 I found these images in a youtube video dedicated to the Pave Low. The LLTV screen is visible

Thanks for those additional photos! I noticed the discrepancy in the Wolfpak decal sheet. I was looking for the "Black Knight" decal on the sheet but couldn't find it. Now I know why. The aircraft data block is actually quite prominent too. The Black Night is an interesting member of the Pave Low family and one that would make an interesting model. It seems to have some kind of square fairing under the belly in place of the usual round fairing found on the HH-53B/C. Maybe Caracal Decals will include the Black Knight on their 1/72 scale sheet. Here are a few more early Pave Lows (wi

Thanks for the info and tip-off re other photos. The early Pave Lows are interesting, in particular 14433, the Black Knight. LD.

I found these photos of early Pave Low IIIs on the web. All seem to be converted from HH-53Cs and still retain the C model tanks. I'd guess that these photos depict the Pave Low around the time they participated in the training exercises in support of Op. Honey Badger. If anyone has any further photos of early Pave Lows with the C model tanks, I'd love to see them. Also does anyone have a list of the first ten or so airframes converted into Pave Low configuration. Thanks.

Academy have recently released the old Fujimi H-53 kit as a CH-53D from Op Frequent Wind. You get more than just an early CH-53D kit in the box, though! The versions that can be built from the Academy boxing that I received are the following (decals for most of these versions will have to be sourced elsewhere); CH-53A. The kit has the early engine intake arrangement without the EAPS air filters. The CH-53A can be built from the box with the earlier engine arrangement as can the German CH-53G. CH-53D. The USMC version can also be built from the box as you get the clear nose

I second that!

https://www.airliners.net/photo/USA-Air-Force/Sikorsky-HH-3E-Jolly-Green-Giant-S-61R/410994/L?qsp=eJx1jbEOgkAQRP9laxoC0XCdNJZa%2BAObvVEvQbjsbQEh/LvckdjZTd6bzKwk02iY7bFEkKMEVnlTRZGVP4ncShxUlJ/Wcwpy1Or63DXVz1wxQv84cm3bZZAmtX7ZLzwbLiKIBk8Hv6mHZoUk5fuVh/YAvZdMzWnnPqQ4cNmAcRho275R5D8R They called this version the Pave Pig. It was the HH-3 with some upgrades like FLIR and dual Disco Lights and I'd guess other defensive aids. It received these mods for service in the first Gulf War and served as a CSAR asset. I think they were only deployed at the very start of the war and were withdrawn

The HH-3E is certainly proving popular. It is sadly overlooked, at least as far as a modern tooling is concerned. The old 1/72 Revell kit could be kit-bashed with a modern Sea King kit to produce a decent model. The Whirlybirds resin kit needs a high level of skill, from what I have seen. The Pave Pig from OP Desert Storm would be a nice subject to build. LD.

1/35th scale OH-58A Kiowa is a good call. One of the OH-58A+ RAID Kiowas on tall skids would be great! I forgot to mention the AW139 in 1/72 scale! In 1/144 scale, I'd love to see the following; 1. An HH-52A Seaguard! 2. A CH-53E. Might as well throw in an MH-53E Sea Dragon too. 3. CH-53A-D series. Revell have a fine kit but it is really only available as a CH-53A. If their HH-53C kit was rereleased it would fill the gap. 4. CH-46 series. Lots of great scheme for this stalwart. 5. UH/MH/HH-60 series of Blackhawks. The Dragon kit is very r

Where do we start? My choices would be the following: 1. Alouette III in 1/32 scale (preferably by Revell Germany) 2. 1/72 HH-3E 3. 1/35 Huey UH-1D/H 4. A new 1/32 Hughes 500C/D series (again by Revell Germany) 5. 1/72 Bell 407 6. 1/72 Kaman HOK-1/HUK-1 7. A new 1/72 Gazelle kit 8. A new 1/72 Westland Scout/Wasp series in injection moulded plastic 9. 1/72 MD600N 10. 1/72 MD900/902 in plastic None of these might ever see the light of day but it's always fun to speculate. LD.