AH-1Z &UH-1Y

[Newf36]

On sale at Sprue Brothers as of today.

[Postman623]

On sale at Sprue Brothers as of today.

Aaaaannnd Purchased to add to the stash.

[helonewb]

In box quick review at http://www.helokit.com/?p=2975

[Par429]

Hey-

Looks pretty good, now I need to get one of these.

But looking at the weapons loading diagram, I wonder where they got the notion that the LAU-68 should be mounted on an AH-1W style canted inboard pylon? Incorrectly identified reference photos?

The Zulu just has straight pylons and everything mounts to them.

Phil

[otis252]

I'm so hoping for that in 35th scale!

Chuck

[Ernest]

tremendous model, I join the petition in 1/35 scale!

[doupnik]

Hey-

Looks pretty good, now I need to get one of these.

But looking at the weapons loading diagram, I wonder where they got the notion that the LAU-68 should be mounted on an AH-1W style canted inboard pylon? Incorrectly identified reference photos?

The Zulu just has straight pylons and everything mounts to them.

Phil

Nevermind. Big case of foot in mouth disease.

mason

Edited January 23, 2015 by doupnik

[Par429]

I have it from a former "warheads on foreheads" type who worked with Zulus, that there are two underwing harpoints on each wing. He was involved with this project and says they have it correct.

mason

Hey-

I work at NAVAIR Pax River and was the weapons separation engineer on the AH-1Z program. Yes, the Zulu has two underwing hardpoints on each wing. The AH-1W does also but inboard it has a canted pylon (angled outboard) which ejects the stores outboard away from the skid if it's required to jettison them. The Zulu does not use this canted pylon since the wings are larger and the inboard store station will clear the skid (mostly) if the store has to be jettisoned. It just has straight mounted pylons on the inboard hardpoints which eject the stores straight down. The loading diagram on the instructions appears to indicate that you can load a LAU-68 on a canted pylon inboard which is not correct. A LAU-68 would just be mounted to a wing pylon like it shows for the LAU-61.

I hope this makes sense.

Phil

[Chief Snake]

The load out illustration shows the canted pylon, the instruction sheet shows an assembly of a some kind of pylon and on the parts sprues you can see a weird pylon. They obviously meant for it to be there. Apparently they are unaware that the installation is improper. There does not appear to be a part or illustration for the correct installation. And I don't know much about this airframe at all.

So I went and looked at what's available and lo and behold there is NOT a canted pylon there. What is there is something like a VEE on it's side. And if you look carefully in the sprues, I see what looks like the exact thing. Now the instructions are not crystal clear and there is no way to check the part numbers in the instructions against the plastic parts but I'm led to believe the load out pictures are what is in correct. Once somebody here actually has one we might know what's what.

Chris M

Edited January 22, 2015 by Chief Snake

[doupnik]

Hey-

I work at NAVAIR Pax River and was the weapons separation engineer on the AH-1Z program. Yes, the Zulu has two underwing hardpoints on each wing. The AH-1W does also but inboard it has a canted pylon (angled outboard) which ejects the stores outboard away from the skid if it's required to jettison them. The Zulu does not use this canted pylon since the wings are larger and the inboard store station will clear the skid (mostly) if the store has to be jettisoned. It just has straight mounted pylons on the inboard hardpoints which eject the stores straight down. The loading diagram on the instructions appears to indicate that you can load a LAU-68 on a canted pylon inboard which is not correct. A LAU-68 would just be mounted to a wing pylon like it shows for the LAU-61.

I hope this makes sense.

Phil

Phil

Please excuse me, I did not mean to challenge you. I misunderstood the explanation I was given. You obviously have more hand on experience than I ever will.

mason

Edited January 23, 2015 by doupnik

[Par429]

Phil

Please excuse me, I did not mean to challenge you. I was led to believe that this was correct, I apologize if I am mistaken. You obviously have more hand on experience than I ever will.

mason

Mason-

No worries! Perhaps I worded my response too strongly. I'm just trying to be helpful.

It Just seems an odd error for them to make, but one which is easily corrected by the modeler by just not using that part.

Phil

[norbert]

Hi

received a kit, first feeling are good.

I was wondering from the CAD and other pictures how it is with rivet lines.

They are finely done without any exageration.

clear parts are protected in a separate box.

Thank you KH, and all here that participated in this project, nice result.

Norbert

[usmcski6502]

Phil

Please excuse me, I did not mean to challenge you. I was led to believe that this was correct, I apologize if I am mistaken. You obviously have more hand on experience than I ever will.

mason

Phil/Mason,

The original CAD drawings had the correct inner weapons stations, but for some reason KH chose to do the canted version. The starboard side gun bay should also have an ammo can, not the avionics as shown. Seems like an odd mistake, as there is no lack of photos available on the web depicting the correct configurations. No worries, I'll just steal the canted racks for my W or T!

Semper,

Ski

[norbert]

Hi

What are the best places to find pictures on the maintenance crew and a good walkaround with inner details ? particulary these 2 bays and engines ?

Norbert

[Floyd S. Werner, Jr.]

Phil/Mason,

The original CAD drawings had the correct inner weapons stations, but for some reason KH chose to do the canted version. The starboard side gun bay should also have an ammo can, not the avionics as shown. Seems like an odd mistake, as there is no lack of photos available on the web depicting the correct configurations. No worries, I'll just steal the canted racks for my W or T!

Semper,

Ski

I was holding off until I had one in my hands to comment, but since mine hasn't arrived and you guys started to discuss the kit I wanted to contribute. I had a big hand, along with some others on this post, in the development of the kit. Any issues are all my fault. I am the helicopter consultant guy for Kitty Hawk. I had no input into the Sea Sprite but from now on blame me.

Again it is my fault, I missed the canted pylon. I think we were looking at an early preproduction machine for that. No excuse I should have picked it up. I missed it when we checked the CAD drawings.. It isn't a big deal to remove the canted portion of the pylon. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is there is is no ammo box. Again I don't have the kit yet so they may have added it last minute. We pointed it out but I think it may have been too late. If you close up the ammo bay then there is no issue.

Other than those two minor things, which depending on how you build it won't affect the build, I'd say it is pretty perfect. Now if I can get them to do it in 1/35th scale.

Patrick Najmulski, Mason Doupnik, Randy Smith, and Aaron Rhodes were all helpful in getting the model correct. They really did the hard work and were instrumental in making this model near perfect. I'd like to publicly thank them for their help.

Floyd

Edited January 24, 2015 by Floyd S. Werner, Jr.

[otis252]

Oh please let there be a 1/35th scale kit!

Chuck

[HeavyArty]

Floyd, any word on the UH-1Y yet? And please, please keep pushing for 1/35 for both.

[strikeeagle801]

It was a great experience to be a part of this! I was happy to help. Josh Kaiser helped with the reference photos for the decals as well.

Aaron

[Par429]

I was holding off until I had one in my hands to comment, but since mine hasn't arrived and you guys started to discuss the kit I wanted to contribute. I had a big hand, along with some others on this post, in the development of the kit. Any issues are all my fault. I am the helicopter consultant guy for Kitty Hawk. I had no input into the Sea Sprite but from now on blame me.

Again it is my fault, I missed the canted pylon. I think we were looking at an early preproduction machine for that. No excuse I should have picked it up. I missed it when we checked the CAD drawings.. It isn't a big deal to remove the canted portion of the pylon. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is there is is no ammo box. Again I don't have the kit yet so they may have added it last minute. We pointed it out but I think it may have been too late. If you close up the ammo bay then there is no issue.

Other than those two minor things, which depending on how you build it won't affect the build, I'd say it is pretty perfect. Now if I can get them to do it in 1/35th scale.

Patrick Najmulski, Mason Doupnik, Randy Smith, and Aaron Rhodes were all helpful in getting the model correct. They really did the hard work and were instrumental in making this model near perfect. I'd like to publicly thank them for their help.

Floyd

Floyd (and all others who contributed to this kit)-

A big thanks to you guys! I have ordered one and am very happy that such a kit is available. I'm not a rivet-counter generally and no kit is perfect, I get that. The canted pylon just kind of jumped out at me since I spent several years woking closely with this aircraft while it was at Pax River doing weapons system testing. No big deal, it seems an easy fix.

Thanks again,

Phil

[Floyd S. Werner, Jr.]

Floyd, any word on the UH-1Y yet? And please, please keep pushing for 1/35 for both.

Not sure when but not too much longer. We still haven't looked it over real well but you'll be happy with that too.

I'm trying to get them to do a Vietnam UH-1D/H and a post war UH-1H. On my list to make happen is an AH-1F in 1/35th for purely personal reasons. AH-1G in 1/48 and 1/35th. AH-64A and D in 1/35th and a couple of other Vietnam aircraft. I'll also try for the Mi-8/17 family of helicopters. Again it isn't my money. Successful sales and feedback from one kit usually generates interest to do more and by various manufacturers. Remember helicopters, even Hueys, are not 109s, 190s or P-51s, the cash cows of the model market. Sales beget more options. If I had $15,000 of my own money we'd have one of them at least. LOL

Floyd

[doupnik]

Not sure when but not too much longer. We still haven't looked it over real well but you'll be happy with that too.

I'm trying to get them to do a Vietnam UH-1D/H and a post war UH-1H. On my list to make happen is an AH-1F in 1/35th for purely personal reasons. AH-1G in 1/48 and 1/35th. AH-64A and D in 1/35th and a couple of other Vietnam aircraft. I'll also try for the Mi-8/17 family of helicopters. Again it isn't my money. Successful sales and feedback from one kit usually generates interest to do more and by various manufacturers. Remember helicopters, even Hueys, are not 109s, 190s or P-51s, the cash cows of the model market. Sales beget more options. If I had $15,000 of my own money we'd have one of them at least. LOL

Floyd

You want a 35th AH-64?!?

Is this a trick?

mason

[Floyd S. Werner, Jr.]

I never said I wanted one. Never

Floyd

[Floyd S. Werner, Jr.]

I just got my AH-1Z in the mail. While I was involved in the development of the kit, I hadn't actually seen the kit until now. We do the quality control off of the CAD drawings. All I can say is HOT DAMN this is gorgeous. I'm loving this kit, everything about it. I know it is self serving but it is really cool. Can't wait for the UH-1Y now. We are working on other helicopter, so we are not resting on our laurels. Buy it and buy it again. The more helicopter kits we sell the more likely they will be motivated to do more.

I'll say it again, damn this is a nice kit. Thanks Kitty Hawk. Great job.

Floyd

[11bee]

Not sure when but not too much longer. We still haven't looked it over real well but you'll be happy with that too.

I'm trying to get them to do a Vietnam UH-1D/H and a post war UH-1H. On my list to make happen is an AH-1F in 1/35th for purely personal reasons. AH-1G in 1/48 and 1/35th. AH-64A and D in 1/35th and a couple of other Vietnam aircraft. I'll also try for the Mi-8/17 family of helicopters. Again it isn't my money. Successful sales and feedback from one kit usually generates interest to do more and by various manufacturers. Remember helicopters, even Hueys, are not 109s, 190s or P-51s, the cash cows of the model market. Sales beget more options. If I had $15,000 of my own money we'd have one of them at least. LOL

Floyd

Glad to see they are reaching out to experts to help with the kits. I wish more companies did this.

Good luck selling them on a 1/35 Huey and G model Cobra. I have to admit that I just can't figure out how model companies select their subjects. I would have thought that a new tool UH-1D/H would sell much better than a UH-1Y. The earlier Huey was operated by dozens of nations, hundreds of marking options, etc. Should be wide international support for this subject, while the UH-1Y is only operated by the Marines, in relatively small numbers as well. I just can't see the Yankee having much appeal world-wide.

Just my $0.02!

[Sarathi S.]

I just got my AH-1Z in the mail. While I was involved in the development of the kit, I hadn't actually seen the kit until now. We do the quality control off of the CAD drawings. All I can say is HOT DAMN this is gorgeous. I'm loving this kit, everything about it. I know it is self serving but it is really cool. Can't wait for the UH-1Y now. We are working on other helicopter, so we are not resting on our laurels. Buy it and buy it again. The more helicopter kits we sell the more likely they will be motivated to do more.

I'll say it again, damn this is a nice kit. Thanks Kitty Hawk. Great job.

Floyd

You should give them a gentle nudge to do the Vipers in 1/72. :)