I don't know much about aircraft, but I do like helicopters. I only do 1/35 and I love the look of the Balckhawk. Someday, I would like to model one, and I have not really decided on which one, but I usually like the everyday generic sort of equipment, so I would probably look to do a dio of a troop carrier version. I can see doing a dio of troops loading up or disembarking; something like that.

Sooooo, I remember reading a long time ago when the 1/35 Blackhawks started coming out that the prominent rivets were not molded. Is this still true of the current models. I would think that hundreds (if not thousands) of rivets were actually there, having them NOT there would be disappointing. I know when I picture the Huey I can see all those rivets in my mind's eye.

Besides the rivets, are there any other shortcomings or positives to the Blackhawk models?

Robert,
The only 1/35 Blackhawk model is by MRC/Academy. It is a great kit. The only area needing added attention is the cockpit. The collective levers are devoid of any buttons/knobs, the cyclic handles are undersized and also devoid of buttons/knobs. The seats are molded without seatbelts and the overhead control levers for the engines are missing, the portion they connect to is present, just no levers. Also, the model is slightly mislabeled. It says UH-60A/L, however, you can only build a late "A" model, sort of, out of the box. The "A" model with HIRRS (Hover Infra Red Suppression System, IR supressing exhaust) are missing the covers that go on the front intakes. To make a true "L" model, the front sponsons need to be about 10 scale inches wider to acoount for a roll stabilizer bar added on "L" models and the inlet covers as well.

The good news is that Cobra Company makes all the parts to do these, along with some other sets to upgrade the other MRC/Academy UH-60 kits, the USAF MH-60G and 160 SOAR MH-60L DAP (Direct Action Penetrator gunship).

Check out my UH-60L and MH-60L DAP builds here. I think I will be bringing mine to SCAHMS as well, so you can see them there too.

Here is the link to Cobra Company for the parts to correct/upgrade them as well.

If you don't want to buy the Cobra Company sets, you can spend a few more bucks and buy the MRC/Academy AH-60L DAP (should actually be MH-60L DAP) kit which has all the sprues from their UH-60A/L model and MH-60G model to be able to build a mostly correct MH-60L by having the square tail plane and engine inlet covers, along with lots of other left over parts. You would still have to extend the sponsons though with some laminated sheet plastic.

If you want to go full detail, Eduard Photo Etch does an interior and an exterior detail set that I hear is pretty complete, I haven't used them though.

I highly recommend the kits. I have two more in the stash to be built as a current USAF CSAR HH-60G bird and another to be backdated to an early "A" model with CC's "A" model exhaust set for a bird from Grenada, 1983. As you can tell, I love helos as well.

Good luck and let me know if you need any more advice on the UH-60 build.

Yes, Gino I have seen your helos and they look nice. I will be interested to see them at the show. So, they are missing the rivets?

Bob

Robert, not sure what rivets are supposed to be missing. They look good to me. I think the "issue" may be that instead of raised rivets, the rivets are all recessed dots. They still look great to me.

Italeri also re-boxed the academy kit so you might be able to find it cheaper

Actually, for some strange reason, the Italeri kit is more expensive and the decals are undersized.

Academy about $45, Italeri about $52 (both at Great Models Webstore). Go figure.

Gino, if I remember, I will bring one or two reference books I have on the Blackhawk. Maybe you can educate me on the model vs the real thing with the book handy.

Looking forward to seeing you there and the rest of the Armorama crowd.

Bob