Najk Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Hey guys! I'm thinking about getting me an UH-1D for a Vietnam group build we're putting on at my local IPMS chapter, but after searching through eBay I see there are several manufacterors. Which one is the best? So far I've come up with: * Hasegawa * AMT * Italeri * Revell I'm also thinking about ordering Fireball Modelworks' decals for Huey Slicks in Vietnam, has anyone got any experience of these you can share? Thanks a lot! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
camophilip Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Hi, Not sure but I think AMT and Italeri are the same. I can't recommend the Revell kit. Not really accurate... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pbishop Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 All im going to say here is if your going 1/72, DO NOT GET THE HASEGAWA KIT! Im currently doing the UH1H from hasegawa and the only thing im going to end up using is the exterior. There are no controls, no roof inside, no pedals, and in general...... probably the worst kit I have ever bought in my life. My suggestion is the Italeri, they have half decent detailing inside (putting together their UH1N at the moment and I really enjoy the kit). It seems from the pics of other hueys from Italeri the detailing generally seems pretty good. Dont know about revell kits though, never tried the hueys from them. Hope this doesnt sound like a rant even though I feel like giving one. To make my UH1H im going to have to find an Italeri kit to complete/replace it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shark 64 Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Hang tight. Before buying anything or any kit. There is only one person on this forum that has the knowledged to answer that question(well at least in my book) its Ray AKA ROTORWASH...Ray, are you around???? Oliver Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrittMac Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Niklas, I do not know anything about the 1/72nd Huey kits, but you can order the Fireball decals with confidence. Joseph does good stuff. Oliver, I am sure Ray will pop in here soon enough. He always does hehe. Good luck with your decisions! Brandon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
petebuilt Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 If it were me, I'd probably go with the 1/72 Italeri. I think the cabin doors have an issue with the size of the windows, if I'm not mistaken (as does the ESCI). Fireball Modelworks has some nice replacement cabin doors, a new nose and various other items. http://www.fireballmodels.info/fmr-008.htm I think Whirlybits Accessories might have some stuff as well. As far as the Fireball decals, you can't go wrong there. I have had only excellent products from Fireball Modelworks. But, as has been mentioned don't do anything until you hear from Ray! Good luck, Pete Brown Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aaronw Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 I'll jump on the dogpile. Italeri does the best Hueys, although certain versions of the Hobbyboss Huey are supposed to be decent too, not sure if the D/H is one of them. Revell, Hasegawa and Fujimi are below the Italeri kits, AMT is almost definately a copy of someones kit but I don't know whos, so at best it is equal to the Italeri. You can't go wrong with Fireball, good decals and resin. The issue with the Italeri doors is the windows are asymetrical, Fireball offers corrected doors with equal sized windows. I'll second whirlybits too, not sure if they have anythinf for the UH-1D but good stuff if you see something you need. Cobra Company also has some good Huey stuff. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RCAFFAN Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 (edited) The best Huey D/H in 1/72 is still the original Esci kit and you sometimes find it around still but pretty rare. Fortunately, Italeri hold the Esci molds and so the fairly recently released Italeri kit is the Esci kit so go with that one. As AMT and Esci and Italeri have had ties in the past, I suspect the AMT you are finding is the Esci kit too but not positive on this. The Hasegawa is a very early Hasegawa kit and not up to their present standards so avoid it. Haven't seen the Revell one but heard bad things too but Revell repackage different kits at different times. If you can visually look at the small print on the Revell box and it says "Made in Italy" then they have repackaged the Ital/Esci kit but I don't think Revell have done this with the Esci D kit. The HobbyBoss kits are short body Hueys, not D/Hs (Italeri also do a B and a C kit so make sure you are getting their D kit).... As for Fireball order with confidence as Joseph is good to deal with and makes great stuff (and he visits here regularly too). The only noticeable problem with the Esci/Italeri kit is the windows on the sliding side doors (not the same size but not as noticeable in 1/72 as it is in 1/48) but you can put in the windows and scribe the bigger one to the smaller size of the other and paint over the unwanted clear area or get Fireball's rplacement doors which I believe are in his great detail set for Huey Ds...HTH Cheers Bruce Edited January 19, 2010 by RCAFFAN Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 (edited) I go off for a afternoon of hunting and come home to a Huey thread. don't get no better! Najk, There are only two moldings of the UH-1D/H in 72nd. Those are the Hasagawa and the Esci kit. Well, that's not entirely true, but the Aeroplast kits have zero redeeming value in my humble opinion. The Has kit has been reboxed by Revell and ACE. The Esci kit was reboxed by Italeri. the Italeri UH-1N kit has no relationship to the UH-1D/H kit. Why Italeri didn't use the UH-1N kit as the base for a D/H is beyond me as this is the case for their 48th UH-1N and UH-1D/H. As far as accuracy goes, this is my two cents you can take it as you will. Best rotors are the Esci rotors. Best cabin doors are the Hasagawa doors. Best interior is probably the Esci interior. Best overall body shape is the Hasegawa kit. The Esci kit comes with an engine, but in order to make it fit the engine cowling is way too wide. also, the screens on the engine cowling are way too small in the Esci kit and the tailboom is too fat and has the wrong profile at the fuselage join.. As far as the best nose and cockpit doors, well they both suck in this department. Suphakin over at Scale-Rotors has come up with the best solution to this issue that I have found and I am currently attempting to duplicate it. He uses the front of an Italeri short bodied Huey (You can use the B,C, F, or 204B kit) to replace that of the Hasegawa kit. Check this thread for his method: Has front end job Sorry there isn't a quick and easy answer to your question. If I were going to build one with minimal cutting and splicing but most accuracy, I think I would use the Has fuselage with the Esci interior and rotors. If you decide to try the method in the thread I linked to above, go ahead and use all the Italeri bits you can for the interior and you will have a pretty darn good UH-1D/H Huey. best of luck with whichever you choose and be sure to post pics. Needless to say all the Fireball recommendations above are seconded by myself. Joseph's stuff rocks! Ray Edited January 19, 2010 by rotorwash Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andre Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Best overall body shape is the Hasegawa kit. The nose contours of the Esci/Italeri look better to my eye than those of the Hasegawa kit, which, again to me, looks a tad too rounded / bulged. Just my €0.02... Cheers, Andre Quote Link to post Share on other sites
richuk Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 The Revell is kit is more 1/76 scale than 1/72. I have the gunship version and the German SAR. The only things useful are the decals and bits and pieces from the interiors. The SAR kit has stretchers and better seats than the Italeri kit and the gunship has the M60 quads but the detailing isn't really that sharp. Rich Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MiG Mongoose Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Just another vote for Italeri, have found it to be a nice kit, plus it comes in many variations How about Hobby Boss? If they make a D variant, that would probably be the best bet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Just another vote for Italeri, have found it to be a nice kit, plus it comes in many variationsHow about Hobby Boss? If they make a D variant, that would probably be the best bet. The "many variations" are of the Italeri short bodied Huey. there is only one UH-1D/H made by Italeri in 1/72 and it's the old AMT/ESCI kit. Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Najk Posted January 20, 2010 Author Share Posted January 20, 2010 Thanks a bunch for all the answers on this one! :blink: Realizing now, after Ray's amazing explanation, that the best way to go is probably kit-bashing the Esci/Italeri with a Hasegawa, with addition of either an Italeri replacement nose, or the Fireball resin set. I thought at first it was kind of a "quickie", but it's all but that! :P Oh well, isn't this what modelling is all about!? I'll for sure head down that road, now I just gotta get (gotta find'em first...) the kits, the resin set, and those Fireball decals as well.... Pics will come, in due time, you can count on it....! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pbishop Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Suphakin over at Scale-Rotors has come up with the best solution to this issue that I have found and I am currently attempting to duplicate it. He uses the front of an Italeri short bodied Huey (You can use the B,C, F, or 204B kit) to replace that of the Hasegawa kit. Check this thread for his method: Has front end job Ray, I just want to say thank you for that information. I just finished up doing the same thing on my Hase kit with the italeri nose and doors. I must say that it went really well. Now that I am less discouraged about the way the kit was going, I have been able to make great progress. Thank you for sharing that find, greatly appreciated. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Ray,I just want to say thank you for that information. I just finished up doing the same thing on my Hase kit with the italeri nose and doors. I must say that it went really well. Now that I am less discouraged about the way the kit was going, I have been able to make great progress. Thank you for sharing that find, greatly appreciated. Your welcome and I'm glad it helped. Scale-Rotors is a great resource. I'd love to see how yours came out. Please post some pics of your build. Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pbishop Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Ill get some pics up, no problem. Just have to wait for the camera to come back from the Dominican Republic on thursday. Lucky camera and girlfriend are probably laying in the sun right now drinking a bloody ceasar while I am stuck here in the freezing cold. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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