Panda
Kit of the 1/35 Navy UH-1N Twin Huey with modifications
Intro
I
build this helo some time ago as a 1/72 scale model, but with the great Panda
kit on the market I restarted the project in a bigger scale (the last photo
shows also the “little Brother”)
This
special aircraft was in use with the UN-Troops at the Kuwaiti-Iraqi boarder as
part of the UNIKOM-mission. There where two helicopters of this type from the
Bangladesh Air Force for Casevac/Medevac, air recce, liason and transport.
In
the role as CASEVAC-Helos (CASualtyEVACuation) they had a crew of 5, including
pilot, copilot, flight mechanic, doctor and paramedic. The flight crew was from
Bangladesh, the medical team from Germany as part of GERMED, the German medical
contigent of this UN-mission.
The
Kit / Building
The
kit is the Panda Models UH-1N Twin Huey kit in 1/35. It looks mostly as an
upscaled Italeri kit, but that`s ok, the Italeri kit is ok and the result looks
like a Twin Huey – and quite impressive in this scale.
Click on
images below to see larger images
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As
I
wanted to do a Bell 212 in the “CASEVAC”-Configuration as in use with the
UN-Troops of UNIKOM I had to build
up the special equipment and interior by myself. For the different cabin layout,
the litters and equipment and the other differences (like the “steps”) and
antennas I used a mix of plastic rod, wire, putty and plastic sheet, as usual.
I
was very happy to see that the kit also includes the different types of engine
cowlings and the weather radar “nose” needed for this project so there where
not too much changes made to the cell.
The
crew started life as a Tank Crew set from Dragon and was modified to fit into
the helo and to look like pilots.
The
display base is made mainly with material from the model train section and at
the moment I am building the rest of the scene, a patient being loaded into the
helo, but it takes to find the figures.
Click on
images below to see larger images
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Painting
and Decaling
I
used my airbrush and Gunze colours, as usual. Some weathering was made with
pastel chalk, but not too much as the helos where in a very good condition.
As
I had no decals for this aircraft I used dry transfers for “UN” and the
numbers and handpainted some little details like the national insignia etc.
I
hope, you like it.
Thomas
Any
comments – just email me to: Thomas.neuss@t-online.de
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