Jump to content

"Miss Clawd IV" - Details and references


Recommended Posts

I´m currently working on a 1/72-scale "Miss Clawd IV" (Hugh Mills OH-6A).

 

I read in Squadron Signals "Gunslinger" that Mills painted a ""set of gold-crossed sabres" on the front canopy of his first aircraft. Any ideas if he continued that tradition on his later rides, including "Miss Clawd IV"?

 

 

HAJO

Link to post
Share on other sites

Re Miss Clawd IV If using the Italeri kit you need two decal sheets as much of the markings were on both sides such that one sheet isn't enough. A number of years ago I posted a photo of mine on a website that Mr Mills visited at the time and he liked it but told me that the skids (not the cross bars,  just the skids) were painted flat black. I corrected mine with a brush and some flat black paint. I also cut out all the doors on the kit, hung a M60 in the starboard rear doorway and put Mr Mill's personal M16 between the pilot seats (from an early Hasegawa Black hawk kit that included troops with weapons). For something really different Mr. Mills once talked of being scrambled when he was on the way to the shower such that he flew that  (short) mission in his bathing suit and flip flops but that would be a hard figure in 1/72.......Not sure of original question but most markings of that type in Vietnam were usually yellow, not gold and don;t recall such on Miss Clawd IV....

Edited by RCAFFAN
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks, I already have two decal sheets! 🙂

 

The current status of my Loach is more or less like this:

 

APIgqWL.jpg

 

5iddcZn.jpg

 

As for the swords: I haven´t seen any of them on all pics concerning Miss Clawd IV, but sure would have looked cool on her...

 

 

HAJO

Link to post
Share on other sites

Looks good so far.....Yes you really need several of the Italeri decal sheets all the time. You need two sheets worth of green pinstriping to do the Italian customs heli scheme properly too.....

Link to post
Share on other sites
On 8/14/2018 at 6:32 PM, RCAFFAN said:

Re Miss Clawd IV If using the Italeri kit you need two decal sheets as much of the markings were on both sides such that one sheet isn't enough. A number of years ago I posted a photo of mine on a website that Mr Mills visited at the time and he liked it but told me that the skids (not the cross bars,  just the skids) were painted flat black. I corrected mine with a brush and some flat black paint. I also cut out all the doors on the kit, hung a M60 in the starboard rear doorway and put Mr Mill's personal M16 between the pilot seats (from an early Hasegawa Black hawk kit that included troops with weapons). For something really different Mr. Mills once talked of being scrambled when he was on the way to the shower such that he flew that  (short) mission in his bathing suit and flip flops but that would be a hard figure in 1/72.......Not sure of original question but most markings of that type in Vietnam were usually yellow, not gold and don;t recall such on Miss Clawd IV....

 

Hugh must be getting old.  Most photos of 17340 "Miss Clawd  IV" in RVN show it with black skids AND skid legs.  It also had side exhausts late in the war.

 

John Hairell

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

No....hugh is not getting senile!  On 17340, Miss Clawd IV the struts and skids were all black.  340 never had sabers.  The sabers were an ill fated experiment in Apr/May 69 to jazz up my bird.  249 was the first with sabers and two days after it was painted I hit a tree and took out the art work with the bubble.  I have pics of that somewhere.  No Outcast with teeth (C/16 Cav 1971/72 had sabers, just teeth.

I did not fly a mission in a bathing suit!  That would be stupid.  I flew it in my skivvies.  OD green t shirt and boxers.  Took my Nomex and boots but never had a chance to put them on.

happy to correspond with modelers on helo issues.

Hugh Mills

John Harriel's younger brother

hmills16@aol.com

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Hugh and thanks for coming by this forum!!   Above it was mentioned that your ship ended up with those anti-strella side mounted exhausts.  Was wondering if you might have any pictures of her in that configuration?

 

Regards,

 

John

Link to post
Share on other sites

The Easter invasion of 1972 introduced the SA-7 Grail (Strela 2)  to the theatre.  We were briefed on it at Can Tho in May of 1972.  Initially the toilet bowels for the Cobra and Huey were fielded and Scouts were given Very pistols with Green and White star clusters marked US Ord. 1943 and told to have the gunner shoot one at a Strela -2 if we saw one.  There were two concerns.  First the Strela's speed is Mach 1.4.  Secondly, when lounging around Muc Hoa one afternoon I picked up the pistol and loaded a star cluster.  The third one actually fired.  Stupid plan but a an interim plan none the less.  We just flew lower and closer to the bad guys.  SA-7's were not a factor for low flyers.

 

The SA-7 hit I Corps in April and the principal result was forcing most helos to nap of the earth (not then a "thing") and others like FACS above 5000 feet where they could be engaged by other Divisional and Regimental ADA.  During the BAt 21 op there was a huge goose eggs right in the middle of I Corps below the Z and a huge cease fire in place just to get Hambleton out.  It was a mess.

 

Short answer to your question...about May/June 1972.  The anti Strela kits for the OH-6 arrived about July/August in IV Corps.  The some of the last casualties our unit suffered was a CH-47 shot down by a SA-7 on 18 October 72 taking some troops to Saigon to DEROS.  Out last scout was Outcast crew chief/gunner Sp/4 John Satterfield shot down and killed 28 Dec 1972, days before the cease fire.

Link to post
Share on other sites
16 hours ago, hugh mills said:

No....hugh is not getting senile!  On 17340, Miss Clawd IV the struts and skids were all black.  340 never had sabers.  The sabers were an ill fated experiment in Apr/May 69 to jazz up my bird.  249 was the first with sabers and two days after it was painted I hit a tree and took out the art work with the bubble.  I have pics of that somewhere.  No Outcast with teeth (C/16 Cav 1971/72 had sabers, just teeth.

I did not fly a mission in a bathing suit!  That would be stupid.  I flew it in my skivvies.  OD green t shirt and boxers.  Took my Nomex and boots but never had a chance to put them on.

happy to correspond with modelers on helo issues.

Hugh Mills

John Harriel's younger brother

hmills16@aol.com

 

 

Hugh, it´s a pleasure and a great honor to have you answer the questions! I read your book several times, and my "Miss Clawd IV" is meant as a kind of tribute to you guys. Actually, she is part of a "Pink Team-build" I´m doing at this moment.

I have chosen AH-1G BuNo. 16369 "Squatter Swatter" to accompany "Miss Clawd IV", since several sources said that this Cobra was flown by your favorite "gun-pilot" Dean Sinor. I also found statements that you flew that aircraft.

Could you give us some details? My guess is that you and Dean propably both flew "Squatter Swatter", since only Crew Chiefs sticked to "their" bird.

 

By the way, I hope this Hugh L. Mills in 1/72-scale finds your approval...: 😉

 

PxMlmwL.jpg

 

 

HAJO

Edited by Hajo L.
Link to post
Share on other sites
13 hours ago, 11bee said:

Hi Hugh and thanks for coming by this forum!!   Above it was mentioned that your ship ended up with those anti-strella side mounted exhausts.  Was wondering if you might have any pictures of her in that configuration?

 

Regards,

 

John

 

Here's a photo I found several years ago:

 

https://vietnamwar.govt.nz/photo/hughes-helicopter-chi-lang-1972

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
21 hours ago, hugh mills said:

No....hugh is not getting senile!  On 17340, Miss Clawd IV the struts and skids were all black.  340 never had sabers.  The sabers were an ill fated experiment in Apr/May 69 to jazz up my bird.  249 was the first with sabers and two days after it was painted I hit a tree and took out the art work with the bubble.  I have pics of that somewhere.  No Outcast with teeth (C/16 Cav 1971/72 had sabers, just teeth.

I did not fly a mission in a bathing suit!  That would be stupid.  I flew it in my skivvies.  OD green t shirt and boxers.  Took my Nomex and boots but never had a chance to put them on.

happy to correspond with modelers on helo issues.

Hugh Mills

John Harriel's younger brother

hmills16@aol.com

 

 

Sheesh - can't even spell my name right....:-)

 

John HAIRELL

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...