"Bell UH-1C finished" Topic

I finished the 1/50 models of the Bell UH-1C Huey and the flight stands . The only thing missing are the door gunners ( big hint Paul Hicks!!) Here are some pictures:

And a picture with some US Marines in a LZ:

More at: link

Great work on those.

Terrific. If Paul Hicks fails to rise to the challenge the "Assault Group" does what seems a nice set of crew in 28mm;

link

No idea how they would match up with Empress size-wise, but up there in the Huey probably not too important

+1 !!!!

These are fabulous! Very nice!

Thanks gents! I am sure Paul will stand up to the challenge ;)

Sweet.

Great Work!

Ditto Legion 4.

They look great!

A strong hint there….we might just see an expansion in the talented work of Paul Hicks?

Now to Wiki to work out how you tell a UH-1C from a D. Bit like every German tank is a tiger, I assume every Huey is a 1D.

Really look forward to seeing these with door gunners blazing away

Well the UH-1C doors have one window pane … the D has two … That is the thing that is easily noticeable.

When I was in the 101, '80-'83 we pretty much had the H version, IIRC.

Worked with USAF Hueys in Panama in the early '80s. They had the N model with twin engines. And they were Gunships not Lift Ships … were in their 3 color camo. All the US Army birds were the familiar OD …

link

Pics – link

Yep, now you mention it…barn door obvious. Never knew that!

Great pics

Talked to a comrade at a Military Officers Assoc. lunch/meeting at nearby Airbase today. He was a CPT in the Army and flew Hueys in Vietnam. They started with the A models thru Cs, etc. Liked the H version the best. Could carry more …

There must have been something right in the design to allow it to keep going so long. Bit like the 747, who would have imagined that, in 2020 we would still be flying in them, however progressively advanced?

Interested to read in the links provided that the UH gunship was often preferred to the Cobra. Better side visibility, door gunners for lateral fire and a carrying capacity if needed. Another illusion shattered. I thought the Cobra was the ultimate weapon…..fascinating. I love how discussions evolve on this Board

An issue with Cobra AH-1s was they did not draw fire. Hence the pairing of them in so called Pink Teams with a Loach that would fly low as bait while the Cobra stayed out of sight somehow.

UH-1 gunships might be mistaken for Slicks or Medevac helicopters and draw fire, thereby giving them something to shoot up.

Do you know, on balance, if I ever was dumb enough to climb into a flying machine that has almost zero ability to fly or glide when unpowered, I would rather it was not deliberately trying to draw ground fire! Really interesting, thanks…

The AH1s were much thinner that the UH1s to present a smaller target and allowed a big load of ordinance.

That being said, some US ARMY UH1s remained as gunships, e.g. Aerial Rocket Artillery[ARA] units. Not sure when they were withdrawn during Vietnam.

And yes the Pink Team was a standard technique for chopper ops. Even as a Rifle PL in the 101 in '80-'81. On an FTX I waved down a LOACH from a Pink Tm, an OH58. As I couldn't get them on the radio.

I talked to the 58's Crew, And did a quick air mission brief. Asking them to support my attack on a wooded hill at our 12. Showed them on the map. They pulled pitch and the Pink Tm lead our assault. "Guns blazing" !

The "enemy" OPFOR, a unit from a sister Bn were surprised and no doubt "we won" the "Battle". Securing the hill and capturing a number of "EPWs".

The OPFOR, from a Co. of the 503d, was commanded by a friend of mine. So it was an "enjoyable" victory. And did give me "Trash Talking Rights".

One of the other members of my Mil Ofc Assoc Chapter I had the pleasure to talk to at one of our meetings. Said he didn't like flying in the AH1. He felt it was to confining. He liked the UH1 Gunship, that was some times called a "Gunslinger". For obvious reasons.

When I was an ROTC Cadet as Benning in '76 or '77. We got to ride in some UH1 "Slicks". I remember the Pilot giving us a briefing. And he drew is hand across the fuselage and told us the lift ships were referred as "Slicks". As they didn't have any weapon racks extending from the sides packing ordinance, etc.,.

Was my first of many UH1 flights. Had to quickly get used to the doors being wide open with us strapped inside.

When the Birds were flying Contour or even NEO. We'd be flying right at tree top level. Again always with doors wide open. That was pretty much SOP. For obvious reasons.

When we came to a field, the Birds would fly low over the ground. And you were looking at trees instead of the open airspace. Then once the field was crossed they'd pop-up over the trees again. Kind of like a roller coaster ride.