ChesshireCat Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 Gary, There were B's in service right up till the end of the war. In fact, HAL-3 used ex-Army UH-1Bs, Cs and even a few Ms (UH-1C with L13 engine) throughout their history. The first Cobras came to NETT (New Equipment Training Team) at Bien Hoa in 1967. Ray What I was trying to imply was that B models were in service daily in 1968 and even early 69. I-Corp seemed to be at the bottom of the food chain when it came to new equipment. gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
midnightprowler Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 (edited) These are the closest I have to being declared his bird, which he said in the book was 879. First pic is from Chickenhawk itself, also on his website. Second is from Chickenhawk, back in the world. On the photo you can barely see the 9 on the nose. In Chickenhawk, the caption on the photo says me sitting on the Huey I flew in Vietnam. Somewhere I have a color profile done for his bird. If I can find it I will post it. Both pics I think are after IDrang, as they have the outboard m60 mounts. Edited August 28, 2016 by midnightprowler Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 Note on pic above the soundproofing quilts have been removed from cabin walls. Regarding "Chickenhawk", I thought I read comments from other pilots that served with him that this book was more fiction than factual. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 These are the closest I have to being declared his bird, which he said in the book was 879. First pic is from Chickenhawk itself, also on his website. Second is from Chickenhawk, back in the world. On the photo you can barely see the 9 on the nose. In Chickenhawk, the caption on the photo says me sitting on the Huey I flew in Vietnam. Somewhere I have a color profile done for his bird. If I can find it I will post it. Both pics I think are after IDrang, as they have the outboard m60 mounts. You should be able to build this aircraft from the Kitty Hawk kit. Some interesting points to note about this Delta model is that even though this was late 65, I believe, as you mention she had the M23 gun system on her. There is no left side windshield wiper and, of course, she has nose mounted FM antennas. Also, no longline HF antenna down the tail. It looks like she has pretty generic 229th nose markings which shouldn't be too hard to find. So all you would need is the serial markings. I'm not sure I see the "9" on the nose you are referring to. Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
midnightprowler Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 Note on pic above the soundproofing quilts have been removed from cabin walls. Regarding "Chickenhawk", I thought I read comments from other pilots that served with him that this book was more fiction than factual. Not true. I was in contact with Lee Komich a few years ago, he said the rumors of Mason making it up are bs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
midnightprowler Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 (edited) You should be able to build this aircraft from the Kitty Hawk kit. Some interesting points to note about this Delta model is that even though this was late 65, I believe, as you mention she had the M23 gun system on her. There is no left side windshield wiper and, of course, she has nose mounted FM antennas. Also, no longline HF antenna down the tail. It looks like she has pretty generic 229th nose markings which shouldn't be too hard to find. So all you would need is the serial markings. I'm not sure I see the "9" on the nose you are referring to. Ray It is there, I can barely see it in the book, so it probably is harder in my pic. I believe both shots are on Mason's site. The Revell kit has the nose markings. I built Mason's bird using decals from Fireball model works. The bottom pic is dated May 66 in the book. I suspect the top one is same time frame. Edited August 28, 2016 by midnightprowler Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 It is there, I can barely see it in the book, so it probably is harder in my pic. I believe both shots are on Mason's site. The Revell kit has the nose markings. I built Mason's bird using decals from Fireball model works. The bottom pic is dated May 66 in the book. I suspect the top one is same time frame. Wow, I just found this online: http://www.memorialmuseum.org/displays/aircrafts/item/bell-uh-1-huey-helicopter . Seems that Mason's UH-1D is now on display at the Veteran's Memorial Museum in Huntsville, Alabama. I was there a few years ago and they had a D model, but it had a different serial number on the tail. I wonder if it wa sthis same bird with the wrong markings. In any case, I definitely have to get up there and see this one now. I'm curious about the accuracy of the restored markings. One thing that looks wrong is the square which should be blue for the 229th. I admit it looks white in the black and white image from Mason's website though. Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
midnightprowler Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 The square should be blue. It's possible I got the number wrong, but I'm pretty sure he said 879. I'll have to retread the book and find out, lol. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimm33 Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 Looks like a great restoration! Would the cable cutter over the cockpit be relevant to a Nam bird? Jim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
midnightprowler Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 Looks like a great restoration! Would the cable cutter over the cockpit be relevant to a Nam bird? Jim No, they didn't use those then. The square would look white in a bw photo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
midnightprowler Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 If you look at the top pic I posted, it is clearly 879 in the serial number. Mason did talk about flying other. Birds tho. Maybe the one Ray posted is one of them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 If you look at the top pic I posted, it is clearly 879 in the serial number. Mason did talk about flying other. Birds tho. Maybe the one Ray posted is one of them. All I have to go on is the info on the website. I certainly wouldn't take it as Gospel. However, if there was a record of Mason ever flying it, you can bet just about any museum would make sure it was noted. And yes, besides the WSP being non-Vieynam era, the APR 39 blisters on the nose and the NVG position lights (tiny white lights in cabin and unde rthe cockpit) were also not on Vietnam Hueys. Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
midnightprowler Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 The serial in the other Mason pic is not as clear, and looks as if it may be different, perhaps that one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rafael Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Those are some photos from Brazilian armed hueys. I could fly them before we received the Blackhawks on 2011. Those machines were ex-US Army deployed to German and were transfered to 5th/8th Aviation Group (Pantera) at BrAF. Blackhawks are damn great machines, but there was nothing like flying with the arm resting over the window like in a car. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Floyd S. Werner, Jr. Posted August 30, 2016 Author Share Posted August 30, 2016 Someone (read Ray) show me these mounts for the HF antenna and the lead ins. Up close and personal like. Floyd Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Someone (read Ray) show me these mounts for the HF antenna and the lead ins. Up close and personal like. Floyd Floyd, Unfortunately, great shots of the HF longline system are hard to come by. These are about as close up as i have found thus far. From USAAM archives. Ray This is a UH-1C but still pretty much the same system. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Note on pic above the soundproofing quilts have been removed from cabin walls. Regarding "Chickenhawk", I thought I read comments from other pilots that served with him that this book was more fiction than factual. It was certainly long, I remember that much Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Floyd S. Werner, Jr. Posted August 30, 2016 Author Share Posted August 30, 2016 Floyd, Unfortunately, great shots of the HF longline system are hard to come by. These are about as close up as i have found thus far. From USAAM archives. Ray This is a UH-1C but still pretty much the same system. Still need to know how it goes into the fuselage and on the extreme part of the tail. This is a good start. Is there anything in the -10? Floyd Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Still need to know how it goes into the fuselage and on the extreme part of the tail. This is a good start. Is there anything in the -10? Floyd I know I have seen something, I thought in the -23 or -35 manuals but for the life of me I can't seem to locate it. I'll keep looking. Definitely nothing detailed in the -10 that I can find. Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Guys, it's been a few months, any update you can share with us. Â Waiting not so patiently..... Â Â Quote Link to post Share on other sites
salvador001 Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Yes, me too, please give us an update. Â Rod. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 (edited) Kitty Hawk just posted a slew of new CAD renders on their website.   Looking really good.  Obviously some parts that won't be included on the Vietnam version (WSP kit for one) but things look really nice.  I still wonder how they plan on replicating the mesh screen on the engine cowling.  I hope they have some fine PE for this.  Also hope they don't skimp and neglect to offer a full set of PE seatbelts for the troop seats.  Speaking of which, those troop seats look awesome.  Nice scale thicknesses to the fabric and frames.  That was one of the longest parts of updating the crappy Dragon kit.  http://www.kittyhawkmodel.com/copy-of-kh50003  Bring on the late 80's version, that's the one I'm waiting for!! Edited November 12, 2016 by 11bee Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Nice!!! Can't wait for it to be released. If they can do that good of a job on a Huey, can you imagine what they could do with a Blackhawk? Wishful thinking or possible reality???  Tim     Quote Link to post Share on other sites
salvador001 Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 (edited) Wow, she looks awesome, far better than the Dragon trash. But i hope those CADs will not be the final result, you need to fix some issues, specially the main rotor system (it looks a bit strange, with parts not positioned as it should be in the real thing), skids cross tubes looks a little thick, towel bar antenna on tail boom?, etc... My favourite will be the modern H/V model with the toilet bowl, but the NAM version will be great too!  I cant wait to see the final result.  Rod. Edited November 12, 2016 by salvador001 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
huey_crew_chief Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Looks pretty great. Â Is that a vent screen on the forward part of the main generator cover (just forward of the rotor mast? Â That does not belong there though. Â Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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