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RAF-doorgunners with NVGs?


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I´m currently working on a RAF "Operation Granby" Chinook. Since I´m going to paint it in a night-camoflage scheme, my question is: Did the RAF doorgunners used NVGs during their operations?

HAJO

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I´m currently working on a RAF "Operation Granby" Chinook. Since I´m going to paint it in a night-camoflage scheme, my question is: Did the RAF doorgunners used NVGs during their operations?

HAJO

Those Chinooks were supporting special ops. I can vouch first hand that US Army UH-1 / UH-60 crewmembers (not just pilots) were using NVG's well before desert storm so I think it would pretty much be certain that their RAF peers would be as well. I know the US Army was a bit ahead of everyone else but for an aircraft assigned to night time special ops missions, I don't think there would be any question on this.

Regards,

John

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As far as what type, if they were using US equipment (which at the time probably would have been the case), they would have either had the older PVS-5's or the AVS-7's which had just come into service the year before. Plenty of images out there if you need info to scratchbuild them.

If you have any interest on the subject, there is a pretty comprehensive article here:

http://ftp.rta.nato.int/public//PubFullText/RTO/MP/RTO-MP-019///$MP-019-32.PDF

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I´m pretty sure I will simply glue two small pieces of heated sprue together and attach them to the helmets.

HAJO

That will work fine for the -7's. The earlier model was much clunkier and had a full face cover. Kinda like a small shoe box with two lenses sticking out.

Good luck on your project, hope to see some pictures!

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Added some tubes and stuff to the rear sections, modificated a Minigun and completed the torso of one of my two gunners.

IMG_3299.jpg

No progress during the next days, as I´m out of town on vacation....

HAJO

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  • 2 weeks later...

Some nice work there. A couple of things though, the RAF version that you are making is a Mk1 which had all the back end covered over so you would not see any of the pipework, and the cabin seats were coloured red. Keep up the good work, an Ex RAF Chinook engineer.

Edited by Jabba29
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Ok, the covers won´t be on my helo....

But the seat are already red, I´m just about to add the seat belts.

HAJO

Sorry just on first seeing the photos of the seat that you had built up they looked a different colour. I can now see that there were not painted.

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Some nice work there. A couple of things though, the RAF version that you are making is a Mk1 which had all the back end covered over so you would not see any of the pipework, and the cabin seats were coloured red. Keep up the good work, an Ex RAF Chinook engineer.

Hey, I am working on Gulf HC.1 too in 1/48, any pic of the covered back walls ? I was not aware they were covered ... also, did they use the Long Range fuel tanks ? (EFRS I and II) ?

Thanks.

Jakub

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  • 2 weeks later...

Some progress can be reported from the last days.

The seats have been installed, but I´m not completely satisfied with the result. Looks like I folded them wrong, the back of the seats are too short, resulting in beeing a little bit high....

IMG_3346.jpg

The Chinook will be on a supply-mission to a SAS-team in the field, that´s why it has some bags and stuff and ammo-boxes waiting to be thrown out by the sitting soldiers (there´s another one on the other side and i third one will be standing).

I also attached the minigun, a gunner and ammoboxes.

IMG_3347.jpg

The "business end" of the minigun with a cool looking gunner with NVGs.

HAJO

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Some nice work there. A couple of things though, the RAF version that you are making is a Mk1 which had all the back end covered over so you would not see any of the pipework, and the cabin seats were coloured red. Keep up the good work, an Ex RAF Chinook engineer.

Not true. The Mk1 only had the back end covered over for a short period when delivered, most was removed before 18 Sqn had formed.

Edited by TonyT
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Not true. The Mk1 only had the back end covered over for a short period when delivered, most was removed before 18 Sqn had formed.

When I worked on them in the early 90s the back end was covered over as we had to remove it every AF to look behind it at STN 482 for cracks.

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When I worked on them in the Early 80's when they were brand new and fresh off the boat, I was one of the Original OCU members that transferred off the Wessex Puma OCU onto the Chinooks when they arrived, they had all the rear soundproofing in, but we removed it all bar the APU and rear pylon roof panels , we had problems early on with the Hydraulic motors on the APU exploding because they had the wrong dash numbered items fitted. All I can think if you say all of the rear trim was in it, sidewalks etc was it was done as an attempt to keep the sand out..

240OCUInteriorChinook.jpg

240OCUBridgeofLochOichFL.jpg

Very first RAF Chinooks at Odiham, Flirty Gertie and Firey Fred

OCUChinooks3ODI.jpg

FG240OCU.jpg

The ferry tanks we used in the early days BTW were cylindrical ex Andover items.

Edited by TonyT
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I hope you can make out the photo-etched parts that I glued on yesterday. I first painted most of that areas black, since the parts are mostly panels and exhaust openings.

IMG_3364.jpg

And, as you can see, both halves of the helo are now glued together and it´s sitting on its own feet.

HAJO

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I hope you can make out the photo-etched parts that I glued on yesterday. I first painted most of that areas black, since the parts are mostly panels and exhaust openings.

IMG_3364.jpg

And, as you can see, both halves of the helo are now glued together and it´s sitting on its own feet.

HAJO

Some good work there, but the RAF CHinooks that operated in Op Granby did not have the cut out at the front of the rear pylon, that is Mk2 Chinooks that were delivered to the RAF from 1993 onwards. Have a look at the pictures that Tony has supplied and you will see what I mean.

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