1/48 UH-1E USMC(R)

[82Whitey51]

I've wanted to build a UH-1E from a USMC Reserve unit that used to be stationed at NAS S. Weymouth MA., HML-771. I was going to modify the ol' Monogram "Huey Hog" kit, until I came across the lesser known "Huey Chopper" boxing, that includes the rescue hoist and housing on the roof. Aside from the roof part modification, the rest of the kit is pretty much the 'Hog kit, minus the weapons parts, but the floor retains the ammo boxes under the seat...that would have to go. I also picked up a Cobra Company/LSM UH-1C update set for the tail and elevators.

 

 

 

The instrument panel is pretty bland, so I removed and replaced with REHEAT instrument bezels:

 

 

 

I also removed the center console and used one from a discarded Italeri UH-1N. I also used the seats from the UH-1N as the kit seats (and the Cobra Company update set) have the armored plating seats:

 

 

 

 

Moving on to the engine assembly, I didn't like that they have you install the rotor head so early on, so I did some modification here. Glued a piece of plastic tube in place and made a sleeve for the shaft. Nice tight fit that will allow me to remove the rotors in the future, and keep everything out of the way while I get the fuselage together.

 

 

 

 

There's a wide open hole where the hoist housing is located, so I covered it with some "insulation" and scratch built a motor arm;

 

 

I'm on the fence about building aircraft "413" or "416" above. "413" has the "Sugarscoop" intakes while "416" has the screen type that come in the kit. I have an older Monogram "UH-1B" kit kicking around that has the Sugarscoop intake, so I've been farting around with possibly doing a bit of mod work here as well??

 

 

 

I'll wait and see, I kind of like the idea of building things that are a little different from the norm, and I think the "Sugarscoops" set the helo apart from the typical "Huey" we're used to seeing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CharlieUH-1H]

MAGNIFICENT! WORK!

Ill follow this!

[11bee]

Glad to see another SoWey build!    Looks good so far, where are you getting the decals from?   

[Drifterdon]

Awesome work so far!   I can't wait to see how this one turns out.

 

[82Whitey51]

1 hour ago, 11bee said:

Glad to see another SoWey build!    Looks good so far, where are you getting the decals from?   

 

I'm planning on just using some letter/numbers from some sheets I have to conjure up the "HML-771", BuNos, and Modex numbers. Should be easy enough. "416" has the "Minute Man" logo on the nose...I may try and cut out a mask for it. I believe that was a temporary marking for the bicentennial anyway, just like what VMA-322 did on their birds? I think it looks cool though.

 

I'm sure I saw these guys flying over the neighborhood and at airshows down there as a kid, but I probably just assumed they were "Army" choppers. I never heard of HML-771 until I came across the photo site's FB page. I still need to do a VMA-322 A-4E.

[midnightprowler]

Watching this.

[82Whitey51]

Quick update here...I cut and attached the tail last night. With the tail boom taped together, I cut long, and then flat filed my way back to find the right (or close to ...) spot. The CC instructions talk about having to shim the tail boom for a smooth fit, indeed you do. So don't glue it together first and then cut, or you'll have a wicked step to sand. Temp shims in place for now, and then I'll take it back to the fuselage. Not a bad fit but it will require some clean up.

 

 

I think I've decided to build a/c "416", that way I can just use the screened filter OOTB, I have another project in mind for the "Sugar Scoop" intake. That being said, I had to mess around with a little decal making today. I'll print this out on white decal paper, and trim around for a white border.

[Drifterdon]

How are you going to keep it off the tail skid?  If I recall, these Monogram Huey kits were notoriously tail heavy and tended to rock back on skid.

[82Whitey51]

4 minutes ago, Drifterdon said:

How are you going to keep it off the tail skid?  If I recall, these Monogram Huey kits were notoriously tail heavy and tended to rock back on skid.

 

Yup, they are...got some lead weights up under the center console and will put a few more in the nose before it get glued in place. With the added resin tail and elevators, definitely going to need it.

[Drifterdon]

Sounds like you got 'er all sorted.   Looking great so far.   I have one of these on the shelf of doom that is half converted into a USAF UH-1P.   Got to the engine exhaust housing area and stalled.

[82Whitey51]

Alright, between the Patriots win, and the Steelers loss this past weekend, I got some modeling time in. 

 

The biggest hurdle I got out of the way was getting the resin tail join smoothed out and fared in:

 

 

As the instructions mention, you'll need to spread and shim the tail boom and that worked out OK:

 

Next was getting the roof in place, and that took a little convincing, a little shimming/filling...and a lot of sanding. One thing I wish I'd have addressed was the giant opening in the roof for the engine intake/cowling. For some reason, I thought the opening looked into just the engine compartment, but no, you can see into the cabin. An oversight on my part of an awfully engineered part in an old kit. Whatever...it'll still look cool! I have another of these kits kicking around, I may try and make a part using it's roof piece, that I can come in from behind or below the opening and fit into place.

 

I also got the front windshield and nose glued into place. Fit here wasn't half bad, but I'll have to fill a small gap along the windshield side edges:

 

 

 

 

I scratch built the hoist support with a piece of rod and tube:

 

 

For the overhead windows,  I used Tamiya clear green, painted on the inside:

 

 

Here she sits, with the rotors temp installed and awaiting further work. Next will be the elevators, and the tail rotor head:

 

 

Edited January 16, 2018 by 82Whitey51
added content

[82Whitey51]

Found another photo of the bird I'll be doing:

 

[john53]

Nice work and an interesting subject. Looking at a Huey Dustoff myself. Question,

was this a short body Huey? A 204. Still trying to figure helicopters out. Thanks---John

[82Whitey51]

2 hours ago, john53 said:

Nice work and an interesting subject. Looking at a Huey Dustoff myself. Question,

was this a short body Huey? A 204. Still trying to figure helicopters out. Thanks---John

I think it's a "short body"??  I'm no Huey expert either, but the word I got on this kit (or the "Huey Hog" kit to be more accurate...), is that it is somewhat of a mix of UH-1B and UH-1C characteristics.

[Drifterdon]

Looking awesome!   I wish I could find a copy of this kit with the AF markings.   I keep checking the bay and no joy.  Can't wait to see the finished build.

[RCAFFAN]

2 hours ago, 82Whitey51 said:

I think it's a "short body"??  I'm no Huey expert either, but the word I got on this kit (or the "Huey Hog" kit to be more accurate...), is that it is somewhat of a mix of UH-1B and UH-1C characteristics.

A,B,and C (and derivatives) are short bodies while the the D/H are the longer bodies, if nothing else the extra folding door forward of the sliding side doors indicate a "long" body Huey (of course those doors can be removed but the bigger opening is still pretty obvious)...

Edited January 16, 2018 by RCAFFAN

[Swashplate]

Looking great. Can’t wait to see the finished bird.

[82Whitey51]

OK, I guess I'm just not the "good enough" or "leave well enough alone" type...that damn opening was nagging at me all week so I had to fix it!

I used the roof part from another Huey kit to get it all shaped out, then had to use a thin piece of plastic to make it with, so that it would have the flexibility to slide on into place.

 

 

 

[Hooker169]

Looks great, Whitey! Keep those N.E. projects coming

[Cubs2jets]

Whitey,

 

Any progress update?

 

Did you decide to go with the inlet particle separator or the bell mouth?

 

C2j

[82Whitey51]

12 hours ago, Cubs2jets said:

Whitey,

 

Any progress update?

 

Did you decide to go with the inlet particle separator or the bell mouth?

 

C2j

 

Yes sir...I apologize, been slacking on keeping things posted. I went with the particle separator intake, mainly because I wanted to do aircraft 416 with the "Minute Man"  motif on the nose.

 

Here she is ready for paint. I kept any "preshading" to a minimum, and under a coat of USMC Green is likely not going to show much regardless. As the photos show, these helos were kept rather pristine (as heloes go...), and appear to be a semi gloss finish, which is exactly how the Model Master Acryl went down. I typically don't shoot MM Acryl, so I didn't have any of the MM thinner on hand. I used Mr. Color Leveling thinner and it shot very nice. I've heard good and bad about MM Acryl but the only negative thing I can say is that it only required a little extra effort cleaning my airbrush, 91% alcohol tended to make it a bit gummy in there, so I used the leveling thinner as a cleaning agent too.

 

 

 

I painted the yellow warning area with Chrome Yellow (Gunze Mr. Color), prior to the green. Let it dry a day or two, masked and shot the green;

 

 

I shot a light coat of Testors Gloss lacquer over the green prior to decaling;

 

 

...and on to decals. I'm using Micro Scale letters and numbers to create the tail codes, BuNo, etc. Each cut individually! Good thing I don't mind decaling. I got a modeling buddy sending me a sheet from the Hobyboss UH-1C to provide all the white stenciling.

 

[Cubs2jets]

WOW !!

 

That is coming together really nice!

 

PM inbound...

 

Cubs2jets

[11bee]

Looking great!   I forget, were you going to try to replicate the Weymouth "minuteman" logo on the nose or do without?

Edited February 6, 2018 by 11bee

[HeavyArty]

Very nice.  Great job so far.

Edited February 6, 2018 by HeavyArty

[82Whitey51]

1 hour ago, 11bee said:

Looking great!   I forget, were you going to try to replicate the Weymouth "minuteman" logo on the nose or do without?

 

Yup, made some on the computer at work here that I printed out. Not 100%, but it'll do. I need to trim it from white decal paper in order to have the white border around it.