I'm blazing along through the Panda UH1D, adding the DML pilots and both flex mount door guns ( I found 2 sets of DML Helo crew in the closet, gotta love being a pack-rat!) I can use both flex mounts and STILL have a set of Loach pilots , and a bungee toting door gunner.

I think I know the answer to #1, and it means more work, but here goes.

#1 Did Huey pilots and co ever go without wearing seatbelts (harnesses) on a regular basis?

Reason I ask is seats have belts molded in and pilots are NOT molded w belts.. I'm guessing I'm carving one away and building the other, huh...
yeah, thought so..

#2 Flex mount door guns with the canvas brass catcher covers.. those were brass catchers and not bottomless deflectors, right?

Reason I ask is DML molds the cover as a thick open-bottomed box.. it's simpler to just add a bottom, but if they were brass deflectors, and the brass was supposed to fall out the bottom...well that would be harder to do than just blanking off the bottom.

Thanks,
Mike

BTW, So far the Panda kit goes together pretty quickly, even if the detail is a bit thick.

I would say bottomless deflecters. It would have to hold a trmendous amount of brass wouldn't it. And when its full, the guy isn't going to empty it in the heat of battle.

The seatbelts? I would think that some flew without them. As more of a comfort thing. In Veitnam many jet pilots flew with their seatbelts off or very loose. Which is to blame for a number of post ejection injuries.

~Chip

I used the DML helo crew with mine. I did have to modify the back and sides of the figures some what to get them to set back flush in the seats. This was due to the armored sides of the seats. I did sand off the seat belts in the seats and did not replace them on the pilots. Fun kit to build. Mav

Hmmm, I'd never heard of Vietnam-era jet pilots routinely wearing belts loose or off. After a year of working in Navy aviation physiology training in the late 1980's, I can tell you that there is a long, long tradition of pilots cinching that torso harness and those seat straps muy tight because pilots have seen the equivalent of the driver's ed "Speed Kills" films.

Most ejection seats have features like the inertia reel system on many WW II-era seats that allow one to lean forward and then have the straps tighten as they lean back into the seat. Part of the ejection sequence on most modern bang seats also includes pulling the straps and torso harness tight into the seat to keep the occupant from flailing around too much upon ejection.

Besides, most pilots know that being strapped in tight makes it a lot easier to be aligned with the HUD and a lot easier to keep from being slammed around in high positive or negative G's or side forces.

Actually, a big source of post ejection injuries has always come from pilots and aircrew having to eject in a rapidly-deteriorating situation and not aligning their backs properly when the ejection sequence starts and pulls the harness tight into the seat. That happened to Randy Cunningham in May '72.

I've got a feeling that helo pilots also have appreciated tight belts and shoulder straps for similar reasons, except for the forces of a crash instead of ejection. Given the hopping around that door gunners and crew chiefs had to do in flight in Hueys, I suspect you're going to see less focus on wearing seat belts.

HTH

Modelcitizen62, I hate to burst your bubble dude but they are talking about the UH-1 Huey and not jets.Nonetheless though nice post,pretty good info some of us could use for jet models.

Mike, Im pretty sure that those are bottomless deflectors because after a heavy fire fight most Hueys had shell casings from the gunners all over the floor of the a/c.

No bubble burst - Chip mentioned Vietnam era jet pilots above as well. Just covering all the bases.

Have a good one

Can someone tell me how good is the Panda UH-1N Twin Huey, someone tell me it is just direct copy from italeri kits from 48th scale to 35 scale!! Thanks.

There is not alot of information we know about the new N model but here is the topic discussed about it.I for one plan on buying a few of each version.

Panda UH-1N