UH-34 in the Padi

[rtfoe]

Hi Ya'll,
I thought I'd keep Fernando company with his Wessex build. This though is completely different...firstly it's in a different scale and is set in a diorama. This one...

[ATTACH]315032[/ATTACH]

It all started when I acquired an Italeri kit of the UH-34 and on opening the box I found the details very crisp, clean and calling out to be built. At this time i was into doing something Vietnam after watching a few documentaries on the conflict. Although the Huey was the iconic symbol everyone saw of the heliborne warfare in Vietnam, I was more intrigued by the earlier variants used in the conflict such as the flying Banana and the UH-34. In the early stages of the war the ARVN or Army of the Republic of Vietnam were flown into combat with their American advisors or officers with Marine UH-34's and Huey Gunships as cover. One such mission was on a hamlet call An Bac surrounded by rice padis....hhmmm I thought I could do that so off I went...

[ATTACH]315028[/ATTACH]

I started by painting some of the interior parts whist still on the sprue as most would be hidden from view I did basic shades. I would have wanted the canvas seats to be red but these were to be Khaki or Drab.

[ATTACH]315029[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315030[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315031[/ATTACH]

I hope there are those who are interested in Vietnam era subjects and helicopters and rice padi fields. Just to let you know that it is a completed build so will post more later when I can figure out the sequence of images and re-write the blog that was erased from the previous forum that shall not be named ...

Cheers,
Richard

[BigGreg]

I KNOW it's not the correct model in the film... but when i see that Heli... well Full metal jacket scene comes...and also the GET SOME part.....[ATTACH]315033[/ATTACH][ATTACH]315034[/ATTACH]

[papa 695]

That's a great diorama Richard, I will follow along with how you built it. I really like the ripples and blowing grass.

[rtfoe]

Quick response there...

Greg...I was sure you'd spot the Marines marking...will check on the movies you remembered that may have the UH-34.
Ian, thanks Bro...this dio really had some planning to do with all that hovering. The ripples were the fun part not so the blown padi.

Cheers,
Richard

[rtfoe]

The interior was easily put together...no fit issues. Later I added padding when I suddenly had the urge to extra detail it. At the time I didn't know I had been affected by the Simon syndrome for scratch building...

[ATTACH]315058[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315059[/ATTACH]

The kit comes with closed cockpit windows and that just didn't do in the tropics. You had to have them open for cool ventilation so cutting them out and replacing with pla strips was the way to go.

[ATTACH]315060[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315061[/ATTACH]

Followed the rule...measure twice and cut ...measure twice and cut...:smiling6:

[ATTACH]315062[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315063[/ATTACH]

The existing cut out window frames were used as templates and guides. Supports held the fram in place while the glue set. Alignment was very critical and so often the clear canopy was placed over for fit check.

[ATTACH]315064[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315065[/ATTACH][ATTACH]315066[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315067[/ATTACH]

I sliced off the outer main frame and left the inner frame to hold the clear window part. There was a lot of sanding to thin it before gluing the parts together. Now with this I could slide the window back along the new frame.

[ATTACH]315068[/ATTACH]

The kit is perfectly good just putting it together but I had to muck about...:rolling: hope you're still with me on this.

Cheers,
Richard

[rtfoe]

Hi Ya'll,

These next set of pictures will make you think that I was out of my mind and truly so. The kit molded mesh is fantastic but I had steel mesh lying around that was crying to be used more so that a silhuette of an engine seen through the mesh was just forming in my beserked brain.

[ATTACH]315120[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315121[/ATTACH]

Before cutting away the molded mesh I traced the frame which actually could have been done even after cutting. The mesh had to be cut closely to the edge so that it could be glued flush. Besides I wasn't going to waste overcutting the mesh as I had only a small piece.

[ATTACH]315122[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315125[/ATTACH]

I thinned out the back using a grinding chuck. I got it thin as humanly possible...the last bit edges were shaved with a blade. Same thing was done for the tail vents.

[ATTACH]315126[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315127[/ATTACH]

The mesh was then attached with cyano/super glue...slowly teasing it into the edges carefully making sure none creap onto the exposed mesh. I used the end of a paint brush to nudge the mesh into place.

[ATTACH]315128[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315129[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315130[/ATTACH]

Now the engine is another story...

Cheers,
Richard

[stillp]

That mesh looks really good.

Pete

[Guest]

This is going to be a piece of work.
Impressive thus far

[BigGreg]

WOW... the mesh is something... where did you find it?

[Jim R]

Hi Richard.
I remember seeing this as a completed dio but I don't remember the build itself so I'll enjoy following along. Excellent start. You are definitely morphing into a Simon T. The mesh is excellent and very neatly done. The open windows are a real improvement.
Jim

[papa 695]

Fantastic work with the mesh, makes it look that so much better.

[rtfoe]

Thank you gentlemen,

Peter, luck was with me that the scale of it was right.
Dave, some kits are worth going all the way.
Greg, would you believe it i found it on the roadside. Probably fallen from a service truck for an aircon or condenser unit of some kind.
Jim, Simon T I may not become...he is from another world. :smiling2: The kit just cried out to be cut up. Glad you can see it from the beginning.
Ian, it was a crazy moment of sudden indulgence but glad it turned out alright.

Cheers,
Richard

[BigGreg]

Thank you gentlemen,

Peter, luck was with me that the scale of it was right.
Dave, some kits are worth going all the way.
Greg, would you believe it i found it on the roadside. Probably fallen from a service truck for an aircon or condenser unit of some kind.
Jim, Simon T I may not become...he is from another world. :smiling2: The kit just cried out to be cut up. Glad you can see it from the beginning.
Ian, it was a crazy moment of sudden indulgence but glad it turned out alright.

Cheers,
Richard

AHAHAHAHAH OMG.... I thought I WAS THE ONLY ONE to grab stuff from the ground to re-use it in dioramas...... THANK YOU RICHARD.... feel much better now :smiling5::smiling5::smiling5::smiling5::tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy:

[rtfoe]

AHAHAHAHAH OMG.... I thought I WAS THE ONLY ONE to grab stuff from the ground to re-use it in dioramas...... THANK YOU RICHARD.... feel much better now :smiling5::smiling5::smiling5::smiling5::tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy:

Greg, :tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy: We diorama guys just think alike. I have a collection of dirt and dried foliage ready for my dioramas.

Cheers,
Richard

[rtfoe]

Hi Ya'll,

Now obviously I had opened pandoras box. With the mesh an engine will definitely be needed. The kit doesn't supply it so some gizmology, firewalls and compartments were fashioned from spares and plastic sheets. The drive shaft ran right under the cockpit floor through the crew compartment up the top connecting to gears rotor shaft. So sifting through references on interiors assisted with this.

[ATTACH]315183[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315184[/ATTACH]

Some holes were plugged, quilted padding was made with putty. The engine parts came from some tank cooling fans...

[ATTACH]315185[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315186[/ATTACH][ATTACH]315187[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315188[/ATTACH]

The exhausts were treated by thinning and adding three sided bracings and painted rust. The dashboard recieved wash and drybrushing to bring out the dials.

[ATTACH]315189[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315190[/ATTACH]

The quilt padding and engine were painted and weathered. Pre-coloured wire enhanced the plumbing...

[ATTACH]315191[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315192[/ATTACH][ATTACH]315193[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315194[/ATTACH]

Everything was attached and checked that it was enough to be seen through the mesh. I realised often a well detailed dashboard is sometimes overlooked in a dio so I didn't bother to do more than was needed.

[ATTACH]315195[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]315196[/ATTACH]

So far so good...

Cheers,
Richard