Help a new guy choose a UH-60 kit...

[OhioRob]

I've been poking around various sites and forums, and am happy to have found all of you.

I haven't built anything for quite some time (except a few free-flight balsa/tissue kits, and three or four 1:144 scale jets with my kids), but I've recently been "posessed" by the desire to build a kit for my brother.

He completed his air assault training last summer and is a member of the Army National Guard (and Iraq veteran). I was talking to him last month and he mentioned how much he used to like sneaking in and "playing" with my models when he was a kid and I was away at college. (I think those kits are still in my old room: a small air force of 1:72 jets, a 1:48 space shuttle and F-16, and a big ol' B-29, ode to my Grandpa.)

Now, I want to surprise him with a model of a Blackhawk-- preferably with a line and an infantryman repelling to the ground below.

I think I would prefer 1:72 scale, due to its ease of display (on a convenient bookshelf or dresser top) and relative simplicity for someone of my meager (and rusty) skill. Based on what I've read so far in this forum, it sounds like finding figures for that scale may be a problem (?) I'd also be interested to hear what I may be in for in terms of creating a winch/repelling line for my kit.

I'm hoping some of you will have good suggestions to speed my way to success.

Thanks,

-Rob

[hatchet]

Welcome aboard Rob!

I'm not really sure which 1/72 Blackhawk is the best, but the Hasegawa kit(s) includes some soldiers and the flyboys.

HTH

[Andre]

I'm not really sure which 1/72 Blackhawk is the best, but the Hasegawa kit(s) includes some soldiers and the flyboys.

Agreed, go with the Hasegawa kit - it goes together well, looks good to me and has crew members, including door gunners.

For a complete-ish look at what's available Blackhawkwise in 1/72nd, click here.

Cheers,

Andre

Edited January 31, 2007 by Andre

[Hajo L.]

Well, I´d prefer the Italeri/Revell Blackhawks, but that´s just me... :)

They are good ( I think they are partly better than the Hasegawa-kit), but lack the crew.

If you want some nice molded soldiers, try to get your hands on a set of Preiser Modern GIs. They´re made of hard-plastic and therefor could be quite easily converted into rappelling soldiers.

Have look: http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review...&code=72519

HAJO

[richuk]

I'd go with the Italeri/Revell kit and preiser soldiers, but as the first thread said, the hasegawa kit contains crew and and four soldiers so I guess if you're only going to buy one kit, then get this one.

Rich

[Trigger]

I know the Italeri MH-60K does (so one could build a UH-60L from it), but does the Hasegawa kit come with the IR exhaust suppressors?

[OhioRob]

Thanks, everyone, for taking the time to read and think about a kit that will fit my wishes. That goes double for Hajo and Andre for linking me to some really helpful stuff. Thanks, again!

-Rob

[Albert Moore]

I know the Italeri MH-60K does (so one could build a UH-60L from it), but does the Hasegawa kit come with the IR exhaust suppressors?

Hey G,

No, the Hasegawa kit doesn't have the HIRSS exhausts. OOB, the Hasegawa kit is an early UH-60A w/ ESSS pylons.

Cheers,

Alby

[Hajo L.]

As far as the crew goes: I found it extremely difficult to equip my MH-60 by Italeri with pilots. I ended up cutting their legs so short that they remindem me more of gorillaz than of human beings... So regarding that point the Hasegawa-kit would be better.

HAJO