My First Chopper! - Hasegawa UH-1H Iroquois 1:72

[reini]

My First Chopper! - Hasegawa UH-1H Iroquois 1:72

 

Never built a chopper before - time to change that! I acquired a second hand Hasegawa UH and noticed this GB, thought it would be perfect place to do some helicopter modelling for the fist time.

 

 

This is the kit.

 

 

 

Contents of the box - some of the parts had been cut off...

 

 

... and there was some paint - but I think we can safely assure it's still under the 25% rule  

 

 

 

Details are looking bit rough-ish.

 

 

Decals seem past their prime - let's see if we can whiten them up with the help of the sun.

 

 

 

Small metal rods were included within the box - I can't find any mention about them in the instructions? Are they perhaps something that the previous owner has added to the box or are they original contents of the box?

 

 

 

They kinda look that they could be used for the antennas for the Japanese version.

 

 

 

Speaking of versions- the japanese one is looking pretty cool with the interesting camo job. But then again, the US one is looking quite sharp too with the white sides. What do you reckon - which one should I build?

[busnproplinerfan]

I have that kit and don't have metal wires, must have been added. Antennas maybe?

[Foxbat]

I built the Japanese one but had to make a few compromises (it was years later before I started using acrylics and inks that could have tinted those green windows), so that gets my vote. As a brush painter, I live in horror of straight demarcation lines between colours, wiggly camo is so much more forgiving

 

Andy

[Jinxman]

JGSDF for me. 😀

[reini]

 

Cleaning up the interior parts. I noticed that the seats were missing from the kit.

 

 

 

So I went thru my bits box and found couple seats, I added some plasticard to make them look little less like WW2 fighter seats.

 

 

 

 

Interior painted. I painted all black first and went over with Vallejo 71.051 Neutral Gray. Just little bit of shading with grey Tamiya Panel Liner but I kept everything quite simple.

 

 

 

Tinted the glass with Citadel Waystone Green. Not the best paint for the job but it did the trick I think. But one thing that paint is good for is signal lights, just paint them silver first and Waystone Green/Spiritstone Red over it and it's really simple way of getting decent looking lights.

 

 

 

Closing everything up and gluing the windows. I'll need to do some sanding for the fuselage seam (pretty much all around) but I will mask the windows first.

 

 

[desert falcon]

You are progressing fast here reini, looking good so far!

[JOCKNEY]

Great work @reini anyone would think you had been building Choppers for years !

Best of luck with the build

 

cheers Pat

[reini]

 

Seams puttied over & sanded and clear parts masked.

 

 

 

Antennas and all kinds of lumps and bumbs glued on.

 

 

 

There was some cleaning up that had to be done with all the parts... I guess the kit is showing it's age.

 

 

 

All the parts ready for painting & assembly.

 

 

 

Dry fitting all the parts - starting to look like a Huey I guess  

[reini]

 

 

These rails on the tail boom looked quite thick - so I made thinner ones out of metal rod.

 

 

 

Also the front of the landing skid was solid, but in reality it's open - so I cut it out a little bit to look more like a real thing.

 

 

 

Ready for primer...

 

 

 

... primer done! Next, I can start with the camo. Yes, I'm doing the  JGSDF version   

[AdrianMF]

Looks good. You seem to have taken to helicopters without too much upset!

 

I didn’t realise the Citadel washes were translucent - it’s been a while since I last browsed their range. I still have a couple of pots of Ceramite White and Boltgun Metal  - wonderful stuff.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[reini]

On 20/08/2020 at 00:26, AdrianMF said:

Looks good. You seem to have taken to helicopters without too much upset!

 

I didn’t realise the Citadel washes were translucent - it’s been a while since I last browsed their range. I still have a couple of pots of Ceramite White and Boltgun Metal  - wonderful stuff.

 

Regards,

Adrian

Yeah, Citadel is real good for brush painting.

 

Citadel Waystone Green and Spiritstone Red are actually part of the 'Technical' paint range - they are more like paints than washes, but just shiny and translucent. They are meant for painting gemstones and such for the fantasy figurines - but I use them all the time to paint navigation lights - silver first and then thin layer of the appropriate color. Creates nice shiny bit translucent glass like effect.

 

 

 

Black is done and masked, ready for the brown. I wanted to try more of the Tamiya Lacquer range, of which I've had couple positive tests already done.

 

 

 

Brown is done, let it dry and mask it off and I can do the final color - green. Painted also the rotor blade tips white in preparation for the yellow.

 

[reini]

Brown has been masked, ready for green.

 

Green done...

 

... and the masking tape has come off  

 

I really like these Tamiya Lacquer paints, this is my first proper use of them and they work beautifully.

 

Clear coat done and decals next!

 

[stevej60]

Great work Reini that paintwork look sharp.

[Andwil]

Beautiful paint job Reini.

 

AW

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Boy, you don't muck around Rreini. Nice work and great job on the camo. 

[reini]

Thanks!

 

 

Decals are done. They were bit yellow to begin with but after some sun treatment they were pretty much fine.

 

 

 

 

I started adding some details, such as the smaller rod thingies under the rotor blade. Used the metal parts that were inside the box (but apparently not part of the kit).

 

 

 

 

I also added antennas. First I thought of using cat's whiskers. Yes, the idea did cross my mind. They are quite springy and I think would make an excellent antenna. But then I thought that the cat might have something to say about that - might not want give away her whiskers just like that. They do drop them every now and then - but I wasn't gonna wait for that. So I used my hair instead. Yes, those antenna are my hair - painted black. Talk about giving a personal touch to your models  

 

Some weathering and final touches next  

[reini]

 

Went with pretty light weathering on this one. A filter all around, pretty subtle. Then Tamiya Panel Liner for the recesses.

 

 

 

Painted the exhaust using Tamiya stuff.

 

 

 

Glued the rotors in place and we're done!  Clear parts are bit messy but pretty happy otherwise.

 

 

[helios16v]

That turned out pretty swell.

[reini]

1 hour ago, helios16v said:

That turned out pretty swell.

Thanks! It got me interested in doing more helicopters for sure

[Whirly]

You did a Great job On a very interesting but underrepresented scheme!