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1/24 UH-1D Huey conversion Take Me Home Huey


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My newest project is a bit different, maybe not. I have had a 1/24 UH-1B Huey lying around for a few years(bought back when it was $34). I was looking online at forget what, just going further down the rabbit hole. I come across an art project made from an actual UH-1D  called Take Me Home Huey. https://takemehomehuey.org/ I'm not American, well I understand my original dad was, but he died before I was born and mum don't talk about it so I don't really know. I have some strange draw to the Vietnam war, I don't know what it is, maybe because I was born a little after the official end of it. Perhaps it's because I grew up hearing about it. Anyway I did want to try to make a D-model from this kit. Turns out it's a bit more than I had hoped. Also there is no conversions for it. I also had the idea to put this on a semi trailer as a fresh restoration or derelict. I also thought of making it a Canadian CH-118 Iroquois. It's a good kit for a 1969 design. This will have the trailer and the Freightliner.

I dug around online for whatever pictures of this one and side profile views. I found a couple of ok pictures and some rough when enlarged drawings and did my best to make them 1/24 for a pattern. I made the first mistake of cutting the fuselage in half through the door to lengthen it. Turns out, the door opening is longer and the rear of the fuselage up to the tailboom is moved back and reshaped. The belly is also deeper, the cowling is quite different from the tailpipe shroud forward. I decided to make a rib structure much like a wooden airplane or house walls and then sheet them. After I thought I could have glued on a block of wood and took a belt sander to it. I cut the tail boom off to make it easier to finish the rear joint area without damaging the tail. The floor was started but will be replaced with new sheet plastic. I don't know how yet to remake the texture on the floor. I'll let the first pictures speak for themselves.

I have a couple of ideas for reproducing the decals. The real one is a wrap. I've been in touch with the Huey group but I'm still waiting for certain pictures, namely the roof I need, because it's so tall, no one gets that shot but I need it. I'm not sure if it will be 100% accurate when done, but it'll be very close. It is a big model, about 20" just for the fuselage.

tmhh_wip_Jan_24_2018.jpg

tmhh_wip_Jan_27_2018.jpg

tmhh_wip_Jan_20_2018_1.jpg

 

Edited by busnproplinerfan
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Have some more ribbing done. The port side is done, now just to add strips to make up the skin. I made paper templates of the ribs so it'll be a lot faster on the starboard side. I added a channel made from square stock  and a tube cut open to make mountings for the skids. I'm not entirely sure if it's exact. I should have got a 1/48 version for reference. These small details won't be seen after it's done. It'll be mounted on the trailer.

tmmh_wip_Feb_1_2018.jpg

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7 minutes ago, matti64 said:

This looks good, logical, we'll be following  this build with intense interest.

 

6 minutes ago, HL-10 said:

My word!

That is quite a conversion!

Looking great, will be following with interest! :)

 

Thanks, I'm going a bit out on a limb for this one, maybe I'm just rusty. Figured I could combine a couple of genres into one. Helo, truck, trailer, major decal practice.

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I guess you'd call it planking. It's done on the port side, sounds like I'm talking boats. Did a lot of mud slinging after the picture was taken. Now the other side, I'm going to use more larger sheet plastic on the larger areas, running a bit low on strips. I replaced the round tube for the rear skid with the same square tube I used on the front mounting. I cut one side off the square to make it a channel.

ttmh_wip_Feb_3_2018.jpg

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A friend gave me his 1/24 Huey that he built when he was younger and it's a daunting prospect for restoration...but to see someone extending it into a D is amazing! More power to you and I'm very interested to follow along.

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On 2/4/2018 at 7:31 PM, k5054nz said:

A friend gave me his 1/24 Huey that he built when he was younger and it's a daunting prospect for restoration...but to see someone extending it into a D is amazing! More power to you and I'm very interested to follow along.

I'd like to see your restoration of the one you have. I used to do that with truck models when they were super expensive, before the reissues came out. The Huey has simple glass, so it's not hard to replace(if you need it), wonder if you can still order parts from revell. I'll have a few spare parts after this is done. The crew, engine, padded bulkhead, cockpit parts, maybe doors if you might need. I doubt I'll use the kit's doors, might be easier to make them completely new. I heard they rarely used door in 'Nam to save weight.

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tmhh_wip_Feb_8_2018.jpg

Most of the mudslinging done, just a bit of touch ups. The rest will be done when the two are glued together. This will be fun to paint when the time comes. i want to leave the glass out and the side doors off, figure that out later. I cut off the cowling so i could do a better job on the bodywork and I have to make a new one anyway. I should have weighed this thing, I'm sure it's more than twice it's original weight with all the filler.The bottom of the starboard side, I used some larger sheets of .040 sheet instead of so many strips on the flatter areas. I was getting low on strips and saved some bodywork to.

On a side note, I found out the chin bubbles (chin windows) are the same for all versions. I phoned a parts supplier in the U.S. There are some very small differences for the parts if you're making an airworthy one, but a model don't matter. Good because I didn't want to try vac forming new ones. I do want to make new skylight windows from clear green sheet and not paint the kit ones.

Edited by busnproplinerfan
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Checking in from soggy B.C., lots of work here, going from a 204 air frame to a 205 , doesn't look to be a big until one tries to convert the fuselage !!!  HUGE project and looking every bit the part..... my first helicopter ride was at CFB Cold Lake in the mid'70's Base Flight CH118 , never for get it , a flip out to Primrose Air Weapons range and an escort out by 2 CF 5's...... I digress, your build and conversion looks spot on and I will watch your progress with great interest......if there were more kits out there a suggestion would be to make a mold for a resin casting, you may make a few bucks !  This is really cool, you are doing a great job..... most interesting

 

Jeff

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17 hours ago, Biggu said:

Checking in from soggy B.C., lots of work here, going from a 204 air frame to a 205 , doesn't look to be a big until one tries to convert the fuselage !!!  HUGE project and looking every bit the part..... my first helicopter ride was at CFB Cold Lake in the mid'70's Base Flight CH118 , never for get it , a flip out to Primrose Air Weapons range and an escort out by 2 CF 5's...... I digress, your build and conversion looks spot on and I will watch your progress with great interest......if there were more kits out there a suggestion would be to make a mold for a resin casting, you may make a few bucks !  This is really cool, you are doing a great job..... most interesting

 

Jeff

Thanks. I know how to cast small stuff, but don't want to try anything this big. It's lost a bit of the surface details to as you can see, so adding that back is a huge job I might not get to crazy on. My next Huey will be 1/72.

Someday I'll get to the wet coast, for now I'm playing my vacations on the East side. you're a lucky bugger to get a ride in a '118. I wish I could get a ride in any of these. Still remember the chop on my chest when one flew over. There's one kept in Gimili which I see once every few years. Always wondered if they'd take me up for 15 minutes if I paid them, might blow my whole paycheck.

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Just a thought regarding trying to restore surface detail, Since it is such a lot of large flat expanses (relatively), I wonder if Aluminium foil, embossed from the inside for rivets  and applied panel by panel, might  work out.  Many helicopters seem to be a patchwork of overlapping panels, the Whirlwind certainly has that look,  it might  be   suitable for your Huey?

This walkaround certainly seems to suggest  that they have that look    http://www.b-domke.de/AviationImages/Huey.html#UH-1D_NAV

Edited by matti64
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My ride in the 118 was pure luck, I just happened to know the right guy and be in the right place............... it was my very first helicopter experience, and it was the closest thing to magic.... an ungainly thing on the ground but magic that it flies......I'm sure if you show genuine interest and show them your model, you may get a discount ride.... I love the 118 ( 205) and one of my all time faves is the 212 ............... I'm trying to do an attempt on the Kitty Hawk 1/48 kit as we speak....I'm going to try to do Conair Helicopters.............. but once again I digress...... I am loving what you are doing, it is looking every bit as a 205.......... are you just eye balling the dementions or do you have real measurements to work from?  Looking forward to the next update..... keep them coming... not a lot of helicopters out here..

 

Jeff

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About 6 yrs ago i was able to take a ride in a restored D. They did a 45 minute mock combat insertion flight with the doors off. I was allowed to ride in the port side gunners station. We took off and climbed to 6000 feet. Then flew to the mock LZ., did the spiral drop down to tree top height and flew home. It was well worth the price of admission. I wont ever forget how loud it was inside the cabin with the doors off. And being able to look straight down. Ive flown in multiple helicopters over the years but that was my favorite ride. 

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Don't you just love the blade slap sound in high density air?? On my ride I was tethered to a central post inside the machine with a huge safety strap and was able to stand on the skid  and lean out to search for a missing vehicle, so was able to look right under the machine at about 800 AGL.... THAT was VERY cool.....

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16 hours ago, matti64 said:

Just a thought regarding trying to restore surface detail, Since it is such a lot of large flat expanses (relatively), I wonder if Aluminium foil, embossed from the inside for rivets  and applied panel by panel, might  work out.  Many helicopters seem to be a patchwork of overlapping panels, the Whirlwind certainly has that look,  it might  be   suitable for your Huey?

This walkaround certainly seems to suggest  that they have that look    http://www.b-domke.de/AviationImages/Huey.html#UH-1D_NAV

Thanks, these pictures should help. I like the idea of foil, I have some 3d rivets which I might use. The surface will be covered in a complete wrap, so it'll hide a lot to.

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11 hours ago, Biggu said:

My ride in the 118 was pure luck, I just happened to know the right guy and be in the right place............... it was my very first helicopter experience, and it was the closest thing to magic.... an ungainly thing on the ground but magic that it flies......I'm sure if you show genuine interest and show them your model, you may get a discount ride.... I love the 118 ( 205) and one of my all time faves is the 212 ............... I'm trying to do an attempt on the Kitty Hawk 1/48 kit as we speak....I'm going to try to do Conair Helicopters.............. but once again I digress...... I am loving what you are doing, it is looking every bit as a 205.......... are you just eye balling the dementions or do you have real measurements to work from?  Looking forward to the next update..... keep them coming... not a lot of helicopters out here..

 

Jeff

Might be an idea to get a ride, might get stuck building one for them...I'll make it 1/48 instead. The measurements, I'm eyeballing them. I should have, could've got a 1/48 one and measured that way but didn't want to buy another model, seems strange. I'm scared if I measure it now, I'd see how far off everything is. Only helos that do fly here is an EC-120(police) and BK-117 (STARS ambulance)

Edited by busnproplinerfan
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11 hours ago, Biggu said:

Would this site be of any use to you with your project?  Looks to be some good information and a few good photos as well....   Jeff

 

http://www.popasmoke.com

Neat site, I know I can use the pictures for this and future helos I want to do. thanks

10 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

About 6 yrs ago i was able to take a ride in a restored D. They did a 45 minute mock combat insertion flight with the doors off. I was allowed to ride in the port side gunners station. We took off and climbed to 6000 feet. Then flew to the mock LZ., did the spiral drop down to tree top height and flew home. It was well worth the price of admission. I wont ever forget how loud it was inside the cabin with the doors off. And being able to look straight down. Ive flown in multiple helicopters over the years but that was my favorite ride. 

That would be a fun ride I'm sure. Nice thing is you can enjoy it and not be scared of being shot at.

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14 minutes ago, woody37 said:

Wow, this is a big conversion, great start and something to learn from :)

 

Thanks, big is right, it's coming along, guessing a bit. Cutting a few wrong cuts but that's what glue and putty are for. Realized I better fit the glass before doing the interior work, make sure everything will fit without working around parts. Needs some trimming, especially the chin bubbles.

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On ‎8‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 9:58 PM, busnproplinerfan said:

I'd like to see your restoration of the one you have. I used to do that with truck models when they were super expensive, before the reissues came out. The Huey has simple glass, so it's not hard to replace(if you need it), wonder if you can still order parts from revell.

It's waiting for me to get the courage to even start planning! It'll be a civil 204 based fairly local to me, a company that has four or so and uses them for firefighting and charter lift work. I'm confident Revell can help me with missing bits as they've been helpful with my (Monogram) Huey Hog that I bought 2nd-hand. The biggest hassle is the skids: my friend explained they just failed over time, something I've read on a couple of forums. Perhaps I need to look at making some from brass, or perhaps invest in a set from Heli-Scale-Quality...

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7 hours ago, k5054nz said:

It's waiting for me to get the courage to even start planning! It'll be a civil 204 based fairly local to me, a company that has four or so and uses them for firefighting and charter lift work. I'm confident Revell can help me with missing bits as they've been helpful with my (Monogram) Huey Hog that I bought 2nd-hand. The biggest hassle is the skids: my friend explained they just failed over time, something I've read on a couple of forums. Perhaps I need to look at making some from brass, or perhaps invest in a set from Heli-Scale-Quality...

With model companies all moving outside n.America I wasn't sure if you could still order parts. I BS'd my way to getting a 58 Chevy body and two B-29 clear sheets years ago. I didn't thnk the skids would fail over time. But it s a heavy model. I found one online that was made into an RC and the skids were replaced understandably. I forget with what, just search 1/24 huey rc. Depending how much you would display it, maybe just put something under it when not in view.

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