I am currently starting a project using the UH-1D Heer. Would like to construct it as an Australian Army UH-1H. Some q's
1. Where can I source Decals and a painting scheme.
2. there is plenty of discussion on the net about upgrading the D to the H. The Heer model is listed as a 1H model but has 1D on the box. What upgrade kits would be required for this build.

Thanks

Hawkeye Models out of Australia has a couple decal sets for Aussie UH-1Hs, it depends on what era you are building it as.

The Dragon UH-1D Heer kit actually has all the parts in the box to build a D or H model. You just have to know what to use for each version though. For a straight H model, use the horizontal intakes on the engine cowling, right side tailboom panel w/o door, blade and towel rack antennas, pitot tube on the roof, and (depending on year) wire strike kit parts. You will also need to fix the main rotor blades. The kit has UH-1N blades, see below.

Here are two I have done.

Vietnam UH-1H MedEvac


More here.

White Sands UH-1H SAR (2008)


More here.

Both have some of the Cobra Company resin upgrade sets and/or scratch-built parts for the interiors, and Fireball Modelworks resin sets and decals, or for the WSMR bird, custom decals I made. The interior is the area that is most lacking. Click on the "More here" links to see what it took to make them. The cream-colored parts are the resin sets; white parts are sheet plastic.

Here is a run-down of things that need correcting/updating.

The interior is lacking and really could use the Cobra Company upgrade/detail sets. Most of the interior parts are oversized and chunky on details. On the outside, the rivets are too big and could use a light sanding to knock them down a bit as well. The rotor blade is wrong for a D or H model too. You can see how to fix them below, or Cobra Company has a rotor blade correction set.

The rotor blades in the D/H kit are the same as the N kit, but are incorrect for the D/H model. They are easy to fix though. In the below picture you see the kit blade in the middle (UH-1N or Bell 212 blade). The bottom blade shows the area in red that needs to be removed for a UH-1D/H (Bell 205) blade. The top is the corrected blade.




For aircraft used by Australia, it is best to either get a picture of a particular bird or an idea of a typical bird from the time period.

Good luck.

Hi Guys,

Gino, I just took a look at the Dragon HEER UH-1H in my stash and it has the correct narrow chord main rotor blades. I know the original donor Panda H kit had the extended chord blades but it looks like it is one thing Dragon fixed.

Any particular bird you are looking at doing, Allan? One of the gunships?

My personal favorite is the gloss green with white roof.

I hope this helps and good luck with the build, Allan. Please post some pics as you go.

Grubby.

It does look like Dragon fixed them, good deal.


The Dragon US UH-1D Vietnam kit I have (kit# 3538)still has the N blades. One less thing to fix.

The actual aircraft I would like to Replicate is A2-773, When it was under RAAF control it was one of the Bushrangers, in fact it was the first bushranger in the trials, But I would like to create a scene from its later days when it came to my home town of Charleville Western Queensland as part of the rescue of residents from there rooftops during the 1990 floods. I have seen one photo in a magazine showing this particular huey with one of its skids resting on the apex of a roof while people boarded the aircraft, just something a little different. I'm knew to this model building and suppose i haven't chosen the easiest of models to build but i would like to get it right so thanks all so far for the guidance.

You're in the right place, Allan, Gino here is the HueyMeister!

Wire strike kits did not start appearing on Army helo's until the 1980's