Bell UH-1D Huey by Esci

1/72 scale
Kit No. 8245
Decals: Three versions – U.S. Army, Royal Australian Air Force, Israeli Air Force
Comments: Complete cabin interior, engraved panel lines, two 7.62mm multi-barrel mini-guns, two 7-shot rocket pods, optional position cockpit doors, sliding main cabin doors

History

The Bell UH-1 “Huey,” officially the Iroquois, is easily the most recognized helicopter in the world. Entering service with the U.S. Army in 1959, it would become synonymous with the American military presence in Vietnam, and for many a symbol of the Vietnam War itself, culminating with the famous images of the final evacuation from the rooftop of the U.S. embassy in Saigon in April 1975. The UH-1 appeared in various versions including troop carrier (capable of delivering 8-14 troops to combat areas), medivac helicopter, and gunship, to name a few. While the Vietnam War was the catalyst initially generating mass production of the Huey, following its service in Southeast Asia, it became the mostly widely used helicopter in the world, serving in some 70 nations in both single and twin engine configurations, and in both civilian and military versions.

While it is known as the UH-1, the nickname “Huey” harks back to the craft’s original designation, HU-1 (for Helicopter, Utility). The prototype Bell XH-40 first flew on November 22, 1956. Initial deliveries of the HU-1A to the U.S. Army began in June 1959. The UH-1B became the major production version of the original short fuselage family of the Bell Iroquois, followed by the “stretched” UH-1D (first flight August 1961), and the mass produced UH-1H from 1967. Civilian versions also sold widely.

The need to arm Hueys in Vietnam resulted in field modifications involving the fitting of weapons pylons outboard of the cabin doors, along with flexibly mounted machine guns firing through the large, open side doors. The concept evolved into the UH-1C “Huey Dog” which was built from scratch to be armed and had features mitigating the performance penalties imposed on the modified UH-1B’s.

These included the fitting of broader chord rotors which provided increased speed, maneuverability and a higher service ceiling; a modified vertical fin; increased fuel capacity; a new engine cowling, and dual hydraulic systems for protection against ground fire. UH-1C deliveries began in September 1965.

The U.S. Marine Corps’ UH-1E was based on the UH-1B and intended as an armed support helicopter. Delivered from February 1964, it lacked the UH-1C’s major modifications but was normally heavily armed, and some aircraft were fitted with a chin turret housing two 7.62mm machine guns. Some of the U.S. Army’s UH-1C’s were modified as UH-1M nightfighters for use in Vietnam starting in 1967, featuring low light level television (LLTV) and searchlights to help aim the two six-barrel Miniguns usually fitted.

Construction

The kit begins with the cockpit assembly. The seats are fitted into a frame consisting of two halves.  Two small pins (little more than bumps really) protruding from the inside of the diagonal section both halves of the frame are best sanded off, as it is easier to cement the seats to the frame with these pins removed. This positions the seats in a true horizontal position, rather than tilted back slightly — and once this is done, it is easier to cement the dual control yokes into place, as they barely clear the seats.

The main instrument panel features a tab to help cement it into place on the central console, but if you use this tab the main panel will be off-center. I sanded it off. The kit features separate rudder pedals, collectives, and decals for the main instrument panel as well as the central console. Holes must be drilled into main cabin floor in order to cement in the cabin seats. Once the seats are installed, a rear bulkhead and cabin roof are cemented on.

Early on I prepped the clear plastic parts by dipping them in Future floor polish and letting them dry. Despite my best efforts to let the excess clear lacquer drain off, in some places it accumulated, and when dry produced a frosting effect. Luckily this only happened with two of the windows, and I remedied this by cutting them free of the sprue and bathing them in clear lacquer thinner, using a stiff paint brush to scrub them where necessary until they were fully transparent again. The Future process was then repeated.

The main rotor assembly consists of six parts. It assembles easily enough but is poorly engineered from the standpoint of ensuring that the main rotor can spin freely. The cabin assembly, particularly the outer edges of the roof, floor and rear bulkheads could use a small amount of sanding before the assembly is cemented into he fuselage, since the fuselage does not close up cleanly once the two halves are cemented together. I had to use a significant amount of putty, particularly for the under side of the fuselage, but once dried and sanded down, the gap and the join seam both vanished.

The major challenge with this kit is the fairly large number of cabin windows. Painting the exterior of the helicopter was also challenging because the windows for the main cabin doors, cockpit doors, and the small side windows just aft of the cockpit doors did not fit snugly into their apertures. In fact, without using cyanoacrylate glue, these windows would never have stayed put — they had a tendency to fall right through the openings without cyanoacrylate to fill the small gaps. The windows in the lower nose and cockpit roof fortunately had better engineering and fit flush against their openings. They could only be cemented from the outside, whereas the cabin windows could only be cemented from the inside. Given the poor fit of the windows, getting them cemented in without getting any glue on them was more challenging than usual! One of the cabin windows became crazed along its upper edge, and I partially concealed this by applying extra coats of clear lacquer (Future floor polish) on both the interior and exterior surfaces of the window.

Given the kit’s deficiencies in the fit department and its plethora of windows, I had to be a bit unorthodox in the sequence of construction. Since the cabin windows could only be cemented from the inside and did not fit securely enough into their openings for me to feel confident about using a masking film, I airbrushed the two fuselage halves prior to assembly, then cemented in the windows, then cemented the two fuselage halves together, touching them up with the airbrush along the join seam after puttying and sanding was complete.

Aside from the fuselage and windows, the last major fit issue was the stanchions onto which the mini-guns and rocket pods were cemented. They do not fit flush against the helicopter’s fuselage, and it was challenging finding sufficient contact points for the glue to take hold. In addition their conical shape was too thick for the rocket pods to slip over them as the instructions indicate, even after significant sanding. The result is that I used only the mini-guns.

Painting

The Huey’s cabin interior was airbrushed in Tamiya Neutral Gray. All exterior surfaces were airbrushed in Humbrol Matt U.S. Dark Green. The cockpit seats are Humbrol Matt Light Olive, and the webbed cabin seating is Humbrol Matt Scarlet. The rotor blades were done in Model Master acrylic Gun Metal with Humbrol Insignia Yellow tips.

Conclusion

While this kit had some fit issues with the windows in particular presenting an unwanted challenge, and the main rotor was in my opinion not engineered with a serious expectation that it would spin when completed, this kit built up relatively quickly into a fine representation of the Huey. Highly recommended.

Reference

Combat Aircraft Since 1945 by Stewart Wilson, Copyright 2000 by Aerospace Publications; Fyshwick, Australia.