Hughes UH-1D

[Andy341]

ZHi, as a departure from doing Royal Air Force stuff I am building the Kitty Hawk UH-1D.  I am building this excellent kit as a B Company helicopter of the 229 AHB, one specifically flown by Robert Mason, author of Chickenhawk.  The book covers his tour of duty as a Huey pilot during 1965 - highly recommend book if you are into the Vietnam War period.

 

I need help with the three digit number on the nose.  I know the number (879), but is it yellow or is it white?  I am able to do either as I have purchased both the stencils and unit markings from Werner's Wings.

 

I think I am correct in saying that the digits on the tail boom are in black.  If anyone can confirm this I would appreciate it.

 

Kind regards

 

Andy

[whiskey]

White on the nose

Black on the tail

[k5054nz]

One tiny thing - the UH-1 was and is designed and built by Bell, not Hughes.

[Andy341]

Hi Whiskey, many thanks for clearing that up.

 

k5054nz, what a gaff to make on my part, of course it was Bell and not Hughes.  I will put this down to tiredness causing confusion with the Huey tag.

 

Here's another conundrum, at the time of the battle at LZ X ray in the Ia Drang Valley, did the Hueys involved have the M60s on bungees or on the fixed mount?  Robert Mason indicates in Chickenhawk that the mounts were fitted prior to the Ia Drang Valley, however other sources indicate that bungees were employed.  Anyone any ideas?

 

Regards, Andy