Loach Driver

Ray, just when I thought I had a handle on all these H-6 test ships, you come up with this! I have no info on it, unfortunately. Here is my guess on what might be going on, though. Looking at the serial number on the doghouse, it doesn't look like it is one of those early-production OH-6A's bailed back to Hughes in the late 60s for various tests. The style of TOW tube would probably be a good indicator of the possible date for this photo. Looking at the background, it could be parked up at one of the test ranges in California or Arizona frequently used by Hughes in the 70's and early 80's. H

GT, while you're in a generous mood, I have a few more questions that you might be able to answer. 1. Could you shed some light on the photo posted by Ray of the AH-6Cs with the M158s parked up at Hurlburt Field (It's in post #137, I can't link it into this post, for some reason). It looks like this photo features helicopters involved in some kind of fly-off competition between the OH-6A and the OH-58A in the selection process to choose a "Light Combat Helicopter" for TF158. Am I way off or is this how the OH-6A came to be chosen for service with your unit ahead of the OH-58A? 2. Also, were

I voted for the following in 1/72: 1. Agusta-Westland AW139. 2. MDHI MD520N NOTAR. 3. Sikorsky HH-52A Seaguard. I'd say No.1 is a possibility, No.2 and No.3 are probably none-runners but at least it is no harm to suggest them. LD.

GT, thanks for that very detailed information on the birth of the 160th SOAR. Once again, there is probably more accurate information in your last post than all the books recording the history of the 160th so far! Thanks as well for clearing up the full story on the development of the MH-6 Little Birds. It is fascinating to hear that you flew with three people on each bench on the MH-6E. I didn't think the 500D/MH-6E had enough power to lift that load. That must mean that the MH-6J was an incredible helicopter to fly and the newer MH-6M MELB must be a complete rocket ship! Thanks. LD.

I am trying to figure out the genesis of the MH (transport) version of the very first Little Birds and I have been reading "The Night Stalkers" by Michael Durant and Steven Hartov. In it they mention that Delta snipers were initially carried in the rear of the Little Birds (which I presume were unarmed OH-6As). The snipers were having difficulty shooting from the rear cabin and Ken Jacobs and Mike Hoffman came up with the early "People Planks" to allow the snipers to perch outside the helicopter and shoot. The book also mentions that the helicopters struggled to get off the ground when out-f

Hi Ray. Thanks yet again for delivering a fascinating photo of early Little Birds. The photo at Hurlburt looks like it features ships ready to participate in some kind of head-to-head fly-off between the Cayuse and Kiowa for selection as the "Light Combat Helicopter" for the 160th. The paint scheme looks like CARC Green with standard black markings. Am I right? A CARC Green JOH-6A would be really interesting to build. Thanks again, Ray and all the others who are contrubuting to this thread. LD.

I second that. The kit appears to be very basic in detail but the overall shape looks good. The dry-fitting of the main components looks good so hopefully she goes together easily for you. Thanks. LD.

Photo; Mark (F106A). This Mi-8 Hip is possibly one used by British Special Forces. The November 2006 issue of "Air Forces Monthly" has a photo of a similarly-painted Mil Mi-8. It carries the Afghan registartion YA-94233. Other Hips operated by the Afghan Government are painted in a similar pale blue colour scheme so maybe the U.K. is leasing these helicopters from the Afghan Government. Also in that issue is an article on private security firms and their aircraft. It includes a photo of a CIA Mil Mi-8, registered N25308. LD.

Hi Tim. I don't want to rain on your parade but the RAF search and rescue version of the Wessex was the HC.2 while the Royal Navy flew the HAS.3, which is the version you are building. The all-yellow helicopter in the colour side-view depicts a Wessex HAS.3 that was repainted in these colours after going to a museum. The RAF never flew the HAS.3 but if you do build the model in these colours, it will be a model of a museum exhibit only, unfortunately. Here is the helicopter that is in the Italeri kit (I think). http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Air/We...c973c33224fed48 Here is a standard

I did a little more digging. The first C.I.A. Mi-8 used in Afghanistan post-9/11 was purchased by the C.I.A. a number of years before the 9/11 attack. Prior to Operation Jawbreaker in September 2001, it was overhauled and had recieved some kind of avionics upgrade, probably adding western satcom gear. It appears it was painted in an overall green colour. To help it blend in with the Mi-8 helicopters operated by the Northern Alliance, it was painted with black camouflage over the green paint scheme. The serial "91101" was applied to the tailboom in black lettering. It had a radar under the no

Here is a link to an old thread on this topic. http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....03240&st=20 Here also is a list of some possible CIA Hips (info from another forum); N393RH, c/n 95716 also a Mi-8MTV-1. N52173 c/n 95840 (on the FAA register as a Mi-8, but because of it's c/n and building year 1992 it should be a Mi-8MTV) N8065R c/n 108M06, (Mi-17) N8066L c/n 108M13 (Mi-17) N80652 c/n 108M10 (Mi-17). http://www.airliners.net/photo/Mil-Mi-17/0967248/M/ I seem to recall reading somewhere that the U.S., U.K. and France all fly Mi-8/17s in the "Special Ops" role. I had a pho

I think the Hasegawa 1/72 Huey (not sure if it's a D or H version) has a quad M60 and rocket pod set. It's the only M60 set I know of in that scale. LD.

Matt, thanks for posting those photos. The images and the story behind each photo are fascinating. Have you ever considered publishing a small photo book of your photos? I'd buy it! If you can post a few more of these photos, please do. They will inspire quite a few models. LD.

FlatIron are gonna fly them till 2012; That is good news. I thought they would have been gone long before then. Maybe we can have a Huey Group Build in January 2012 to mark the retirement of these great ships! LD.

With all the great threads on Huey builds on-going here at the moment, I was just wondering; Is the Huey still in service with the Army National Guard or has the Blackhawk and Lakota replaced them entirely? According to this link, the Huey is no longer in service with the Army National Guard. http://www.trackpads.com/forum/army/918006...rs-service.html If that is the case, where was the grand send-off? Surely the Huey can't be let slide into retirement without having some kind of a proper ceremony to mark the service history of this remarkable helicopter. I would have thought the retirement

Imagine being handed the keys to a Huey and getting sent out into that field to find it. You'd be ready to crank it in about a week! LD.

I was having a look at the forum archives over on Helikitnews and came across a thread about a sand-coloured MD500. http://www.network54.com/Forum/163130/mess...+%28link%29.+.+. I had seen this photo before and thought it was a Boeing test-ship on a test flight near Mesa. According to the posts on this thread, it is in fact a C.I.A MD500 in Iraq. Looking at the photo, it is a peculiar ship and probably is a C.I.A. helicopter. Two things that stand out as being a little odd are that; 1. The pilot is flying solo and is seated in the left-hand seat. This is normal for civilian-production ver

The W-3 Anakonda and HC-102 kits came from Hannants in the UK while the SW-4 came from Aeroclub, also in the UK. The Broplan kit is probably the hardest one to track down. LD.

Here is a look at three 1/72 kits I got in 2009. They are a little out of the ordinary so if you want to try something other than a Huey, Blackhawk, Cobra or Loach, why not try one of these. First up is the PZL W-3RM Anakonda from AJ Model. This is a short run kit of this Polish SAR helicopter. There are five different versions of this kit and this one looks like the most interesting of the lot. The surface of the plastic is a little grainy and the definition of things like the doors are very soft. Any panel lines will have to be scribed. The clear parts look OK. The basics are there for the

Fujimi and Hasegawa had kits of the HH-60D in 1/72 and Revell had one in 1/48. The Italeri 1/72 MH-60K Blackhawk kit also seems to have most of the bits needed to build the version that flew in prototype form. Externally, the HH-60D prototype looks like a UH-60A with an inflight refueling probe, upswept EEES wings for the fuels tanks and standard (SH-60B) winch. It had no HIRSS and was in the "European One" paint scheme. Here is a link to a three-view of the proposed full-spec HH-60D but I don't think it ever flew in this configuration with the FLIR and radar, but I could be wrong. http://ww

Well done Ray. You can't beat the Hi-Viz schemes. LD.

Hi Anthony. I'm sending an email regarding the Jet Ranger. LD.

Pete, well done on an amazing Blackhawk. It would be hard to actually build it any better than this, from what I can see. Brilliant work. LD.

I knew you'd finish one before 2010, Ray. Looks very nice as well. A heavily-weather pre-retirement ANG AH-1F would look good beside this Cobra. LD.

Your Cobra is looking good so far, Ray. Here are a few photos of a pair of Italeri AH-1 kits I built about 13 years ago. I enclose these only as a guide to "How not to build models!" They are bad so you have been warned. It also shows what happens when you apply an old clear gloss coat for the decals and it yellows badly. Both are brush-painted. Ouch. I hope to build a new Whiskey at some point in the future. The Desert Storm schemes are brilliant. Apologies for the thread hijack. LD.