¹⁄35

WSMR SAR Huey

The kit is the Panda (pre-Dragon rebox and PE) UH-1D/H in 1/35. The model represents an actual helo I flew on from White Sands Missile Range, NM a few months ago (I have attached a couple pics of them). It is painted in an Hi-Vis/Arctic scheme.

I have added the Cobra Company UH-1N center and upper consoles, intercom/radio control boxes on the ceiling, interior light unit, and B pillar supports. The instrument panel is from the 1/32 Revell UH-1D/H; it fits great once the angled base is removed. The pilot seats are from the kit with the side armor panels removed. The Flight Engineer seats are from Academy's UH-1C kits. The troop seats are a combo of the widened kit gunner seats, Revell 1/32 supports, thinned down kit seat upper backs, and a scratch built bench. I also replaced the gunners' seat legs and added cross supports. The seat belts are made from lead foil and wire for the buckles. I also scratched the inner door panels.

I added the particle separator filter and APR-39 antenna bulges from the Fireball Modelworks UH-1H/V Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) Update. The ASE set is also 1/32, but the particle separator was actually too small to accept the Panda cowling. I had to sand down the cowling quite a bit to make it fit. I modified a pair of side steps from the Monogram 1/32 Puma to fit it as well.

For the instrument panel, I used the Panda decal for it and cut out each instrument face as a separate decal. I then applied the separate decals to each instrument after painting. A dab of clear gloss for the glass on each and they are done.

I used wire cutters and supports from the Academy UH-60 kits. A pitot tube and tail rotor (with 1/8 inch cut off each blade) from the 1/32 Revell Huey, and a towel bar antenna left over from a 1/35 Seminar UH-1B kit. The grab handles and wire strike guards at the top edges of the canopy are made from thin wire. I also lightly sanded the entire fuselage to knock down the size of the rivets a bit too.

I made the decals using inkjet computer decal paper. I also used some decals off the Fireball Modelworks UH-1D/H sheet. I made markings for UH-1H 74-22367. It is the one below with 367 and the WSMR Army Air Division logo on the nose.