Hi all!

Bought this old kit cheap, but are not so fond of the German scheme.

http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=RV4577

Can I build a Jolly Green Giant helicopter from Vietnam using this kit as a base?

What do I need to do to backdate the kit, If It´s possible?
Where can I find decals for a ´Nam JGG?



Cheers!

Stefan E

This is not the most common Viet nam era Jolly green, that was the H-3

This is an H-53 which was used in Viet Nam for special mission and rescue "equipped with armor plating, self-sealing fuel tanks, three 7.62 miniguns and an external rescue hoist."


See h-53 and H-3 for more info.

If the pics on the Hannats' site are correct, it looks like a reissue of the old Revell USAF HH-53C Super Jolly Green Giant kit with German Heer decals. If that is the case, it only needs USAF decals to make it a Vietnam-era USAF bird. MicroScale makes/made a set of USAF decals for it; there is a set up on eBay right now. I don't know of any others. You may have to piece them together or make them yourself. The USAF did use some without the extra armor, gear, and weapons added as AJ pointed out in the Vietnam era, however, most in SE Asia had all the parts mentioned above added.

Cutting Edge Modelworks has a CH-53D and an MH-53J cockpit set for it. They also used to make an MH-53J weapons set, but it looks to be OOP. It is no longer listed on their site.

Cobra Company makes an MH-53J upgrade set , an MH-53J/M interior set, and an MH-53 Weapons set as well if you decide to go that route. The weapons set has all the weapons needed for a USAF HH-53C in Vietnam.

Revell also had a CH-53GS/G German version that had different rotor blades, sponsons, and a few other differences from the US helo. If it is a reissue of that one, quite a bit of work would be needed to convert it back to a USAF HH-53C model.

Good luck.

Hi Gino and AJ!

I have done some research and now I know that the H-3 was the "standard" JGG (based on the Sea King type), and the HH-53 was the Super Jolly Green Giant.

I knew the CH-53 was a big helicopter, but I had no idea, this eggbeater is HUGE!

I have found some pics in a "Wings of Fame" book of a ´Nam HH-53 in the SEA three-tone cammo over light grey, this Is the version I want to do.

Gino, do you know how I can determine which version of the kits I have?

In the box there were one clear, two very large sprues, two fuselage halves and a small sprue with additional parts for the "G".
There´s several parts "not for use", tanks, pylons, old intakes and some smaller details.
There´s also a Jeep with a 105mm Howitzer on the sprues.

Seems to me that all parts I need already Is in the box (reissue of the original kit?), now I need to get a scan of the original instructions.

Could anyone who have these instructions Please scan them for me?

I believe I can scrabble together what I need of decals from my spares box.

Thanks for your help!

Cheers!

Stefan E

I scanned a copy of the 1982 MPC instructions. I don't know if that's an old Airfix kit, but they may help. PM me your e-mail and I'll get them out to you.

Sorry, I don't have the instructions. I built one about 20 years ago. I don't even have the model anymore. To tell the kits apart, the G version came with new, angled blades at the root ends. On the original USAF C model kit, the blade root ends are squared off.

Hope that helps.

Hi Gino and Al!

Al, I got the scans!
Many Thanks!

Gino;
My kit do have the squared off "roots" on the rotorblades, that was exactly what I needed to know!
Seems this is the original USAF kit after all, now I only have to find some new decals!

Thanks again to both of You!

Cheers!

Stefan E

This may be of some help also:

Hi Grant!

That´s exactly what I was searching for, Perfect!

Could You Please send this pic in a mail to me?
Then I can save and print It out when I need.

Thanks very much for Your kind help!

Cheers!

Stefan E