Joe's 1/72 Italeri Bell UH-1H Iroquois

[flyjoe180]

My second entry for the GB. Italeri UH-1D kit, to be upgraded to -1H using spares, and RNZAF colours using Flying Kiwis decal sheet which came with the kit.

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[flyjoe180]

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[papa 695]

Nice one Joe, really glad you can join in

[Guest]

Nice choice Joe!

[flyjoe180]

I've made a start:

Interior is finished,glazing masked and fixed (minor touch ups to follow)
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The doors were donated by an Italeri AB412 kit, as the door windows on the UH-1 kit are an incorrect shape/size. I'll also be stealing the wire cutter parts from the AB412 kit.

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[papa 695]

Nice start Joe

[Steve Jones]

Great to see you have had a chance to get this one off and running. Look forward to seeing this one progress

[flyjoe180]

I have got the main fuselage and interior parts together.
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To make this a late NZ Huey I've so far added to the basic kit:
1. Replacement side doors and windows - from an Italeri AB412
2. Wire cutters - from an Italeri AB412
3. Scratch built the small air vents at the front of the cabin (these are prominent and shown on the box and instructions but Italeri provides no such parts) - from the noses of spare 'missiles'
4. The retractable landing light under the nose beside the lower cutter (masked off for painting) - a clear lens from the spares box
5. The roof-mounted square panel (I think this black panel might have something to do with a GPS aerial?) - made from scrap plastic card
6. The maintenance bar across the forward fuselage ahead of the engine cowl area - made from brass wire
7. The VHF blade aerial atop the engine cowl - spares box
8. Small blade aerial ahead of anti-collision light - spares box
9. The steps on each side of the fuselage (these seem to be unique to the Iroquois in NZ service) - from brass wire
10. A lower rear aerial - from the spares box, trimmed from a missile tail fin
11. HF aerial prongs on the port side (the original zig-zag HF aerial was replaced in the 90's by a straight wire on these prongs. I'll add the wire later) - brass wire inserts
12. Port fuselage strake (a later modification) - plastic card attached using CA glue

Primed up:
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[Steve Jones]

You have been busy Jo. All the changes and additions have certainly worked well.

[yak face]

Great work joe , cheers tony

[Mickc1440]

Nice looking chopper Joe, great work on it so far

[papa 695]

Looking great Joe

[flyjoe180]

Finally got time to paint this sucker
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Glossed up:
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And this morning decals on:
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Decals are okay, but not great. I will see how the tail boom black band settles down, if not good I'll strip it and paint the band. The Kiwi roundel is a little on the small side but not much I can do about that. Also missing one or two stencils. Just minor touch ups to go and the tail handles to go on. Nearly there!

[papa 695]

Looking good Joe

[Steve Jones]

Nice to see the wet stuff going on. Not long to go now:thumb2: