Hey everybody. This will be my first build log on this site. I should warn you ahead of time, I don't normally work at lighting speed like the rest of you guys, so it may be awhile between updates.

Basically, I've got a bunch of figure sets and a huey. What I'm thinking right now is a dio of an extraction or insertion of seals....thinking maybe like a parakeet op, but I want the helicopter to be hovering over the water, near the banks. I haven't really decided or figured anything out yet, but I'm going to go ahead and start building the kits. (two of the figure kits are already assembled)

I'm also thinking about doing some conversion work on the figs, which will be a first for me.

Also, just a note, I will probably not use all of these figures in one diorama, most likely I will make another small one as well.

Here's the sets I have purchased.













First, a couple practical and technical questions. Although I have painted figures and scenery before, this will be my first model set (the huey). So, I'm wondering about painting it. With all of the small details and stuff that will go into the interior,should I paint some of the parts before assembling the kit, or just paint it all afterwards?

Second question. I'm pretty sure that the "U.S. Rangers" set pictured above is a more modern set, not Vietnam. Are there specific parts or pieces of equipment that I should change or remove in order to make them pass for Seals?

Well, here we go.

Re: the figures, pretty much everything would be incorrect for aVietnam era Ranger. weapons: M-16A2's, SAW, LBE were not used in Vietnam.
You'd have to get M-16a1's, either an M-60 or in the case of a SEAL an M-60 or a Stoner (Both found in Dragon MG set).

Hey buddy.The Interior of the Heuy you should really paint it before putting the to halves of the Huey together ! it will make things so much easier !

Heavy hog was used for attack missions, if your wanting to do what you planed with helicopter hovering you will make it look unrealistic, the dragon Uh-1d is for transportation, you should of watched apocalypse now or something lolol

hmm.....didn't realize that about the UH-1C. Although It would be used for attack missions, what about special ops missions? I'd be interested to know if the Seals ever used heavier armed hueys for their parakeet ops....

they probly did, but if ur gonna do the dio with the huey hovering over water and navy seals in water, do not glue those big rocket weapons on the huey, because uh-1c has small cabin and can only fit 8 men (includes door gunners and pilots), so u can see it doesnt hold much men so thats why they introdued uh-1d. so I advise u do not attach those big rockets that is seen on box, and i think the heavy hog model you got has this big ammo thing in the cabin? not sure but if it does, do not put on and keep it clear.. so no guns, just seats will look realistic, btw add 2 small rocket launchers

this is wat i mean



(btw that isnt my model, i found this on net to give you a reference, altho the guy who did this did a pretty good job )

Secondly, I found adding the decals to my Academy 1/35 UH-1C HUEY GUNSHIP SPECIAL NOSE ART EDITION (i havent done heavy hog)

which is similar 2 urs, very diffcult cause the decals wouldnt stick... so :S good luck, thirdly I cut and glued the whole interior which i planed out, then i did a basic grey spray to get rid of glue marks, then I glued it 2 the outside skeleton and it looks good so far, except I need to finish rotors LOL'


sorry if i dont make sence, lol I couldnt be bothered to type it properly.. im not in school so thers no need LOLOL

Hello Matt, that Huey Hog would be used for covering and fire support on an extraction or insertion. There is a large ammo drum for the 40mm grenade launcher in the cabin that really limits the space available for troops, and the rocket launchers restrict entering and exiting the helicopter. The UH1C was originally designed as a troop transport, without all that armament. When the larger UH1D became available, the C's were converted to gunships. I know the US Navy's Seawolves used Huey gunships, but I don't think the Navy used the Huey as a transport. I believe they used the CH-46, I could be wrong, if anyone out there knows different. Al

If I was to remove the 40mm ammo drum, then should I also remove the gun turret on the front of the chopper? (sorry, don't know the technical name)

That's an affirmative, Matt Al

Just to make sure I've got this clear....if I were to leave the ammo can and turret on the chopper, the passenger capacity would be 8, 3-4 of which would be pilots and door gunner/s, correct. So, theoretically, the chopper would still have the capacity to carry 4 more men? So, what would be the capacity with the rockets, ammo can, and turret removed?

Sorry if I'm being redundant, I just want to cover all possibilities so I know what my realistic options are. Is it totally infeasible then that the chopper, with the 40mm launcher, would be used for insertion/extraction?

anyways.....I've started working on the huey. Must say, I'm rather disgusted with how fiddly some of the parts are, especially the chair/bench legs. Provided I don't destroy it, I'll post some pics later today when I've finished some more of it.

Thanks for the help so far guys.

I think it's unlikely the B/C Hueys were used for insertion at all... it would have been an incredible feat to remove most of the weaponry on these things just to squeeze half a squad of seals in...
I would check with Gino on AeroScale/Helicopters and I'll look out for examples in my Squadron books later. There was a great shot of a rescue mission (iirc) where there are several special forces guys at the bottom of a long rope ladder underneath a huey as it flew over the delta.
The other thing to note, is that the Navy Seahorses Hueys were initially lent from the Army, and alot of the weapons systems were adapted in the field to suit their (the Navy's)operational support needs: (ie support for the river patrols alongside Broncos) Again, will check the books
HTH

Rich

The UH1C was originally designed as a troop transport, without all that armament. When the larger UH1D became available, the C's were converted to gunships.

I'm pretty sure that the UH-1C was designed as a gunship. The UH-1Bs were in use as transports but when converted into gunships, they did not have enough power to lift the weight, leading to the UH-1C. There are several differences between a UH-1B and a UH-1 C but someone probably makes a conversion kit. I'd just buy a UH-1D kit and be done with it though.

OK scratch that last comment from me - I have a picture showing a UH-1B dropping special forces on ropes, captioned "The US Navy made excessive use of Hueys in the "Brown Water" war in the Mekong Delta, using armed UH-1Bs to interdict communist waterborne supply traffic, and unarmed variants as seen here to insert special forces teams deep into enemy-held territory"
This is from page 18 of Osprey's Bell UH-1 Huey "Slicks" 1962-75, Chris Bishop, ills. Mike Badrocke...

So, sorry if I'm being dense here, but where will that put me with the UH-1C that I have?

Take a look at Cobra Company, they do a nice resin backdate set to return the C model to a B. Leave off most of the weapons. String some special forces underneath, and bingo...

Backdate set

Fireball Modelworks do a whole load of great decals too...

Seawolves decals

Then I'd recommend this

Book

All I can say is that it would be very squishy with the ammo crate LOLOL