G'day people,

I want to do one of the UH-1B's involved in the Long Tan battle (A2-1020 and A2-1022). I have had a look at the Point Cook Huey (A2-1020), which claims to represent the chopper as she was. Are there any inconsistencies I should know about?

I am primarily interested in colours, specifically;

What colour were the tail rotor blades painted, black with red-white red tips as per the museum example?

What colour were the main rotor blades painted, OD upper and lower with yellow tips?

Also were the horzontal stabilisers just olive drab (OD) or didthese have red or yellow tips, edges etc.

It looks like OD tape has been applied over the avionics access panel on the nose, possibly to prevent moisture ingress, is that correct?

I assume that no roof mounted winch was fitted at the time of the battle?

Finally, I know that the two choppers were no fitted with armored seats, did they have any door guns at all?

cheers,

Pappy

G'day Pappy,

I'm by no means an expert in this area but have done a fair bit of online research (mainly the AWM website collection database) on RAAF UH-1s for my own 1:35 UH-1B build. I am ex 5SQN UH-1B/H Framie also. In answer to your questions I offer the following, based on a few assumptions and the quoted AWM pics to back them up:

T/R blades - definately the black/white/red scheme on the Bravos at that time.

M/R blades - I would go with OD uppers, black lowers and yellow tips, possibly with the two white stripes shown on 1019 in P01597.006 (although this is a 1967 pic)

Synch elevators all over OD. The red colours didn't come till much later on the Hotels (as confirmed by Klaus Wendt)

2" instant airframe tape around the nose hatch to keep moisture out, the avionics really suffered in the tropics.

Rescue hoist - VN/66/0043/04 shows no hoist and M60Bs on Sagami mounts, VN/66/0042/06 shows Blue Collins and no winch. He was one of the crewmen on 1020 on 18/19AUG66 as confirmed on this website http://www.battleoflongtan.com/LongTanFactSheet.pdf

Armoured seats and guns - the above mentioned pics confirm both armoured seats and M60Bs on Sagami mounts. Also, P05078.006 and MAL/66/0037/10 confirm armoured seat fitment in June 1966. There is some confusion about the seats and guns. They were certainly absent in the very early days of 9SQN operations and part of the 'don't go into unsecured pads' policy which caused a lot of angst between RAAF and Army. Some uninformed literature quotes this as part of the reluctance to commit the aircraft on the night. Clearly, from the photographs listed above, this was not the case.

Some other general hints for your Long Tan model:

Scoop style intake ('C' style barrier screens fitted in 1967),
HF longwire aerial along the tailboom (HF radios removed in 1967),
UHF-DF antenna on the belly (the squarish thing!),
No Marker Beacon antenna on the belly (the long thin one under the nose on most kits),
No VOR antennas (the 'coathangers' either side of the tailboom at the base of the fin, keep the mounting points though...),
Perforated wind deflectors forward of the cargo doors.
There's a retractable landing light (similar to the undernose searchlight) to the left of the cargo hook.

Do a collections search for RAAF Iroquois on the AWM site, it's a goldmine but some of the captions are a bit off the mark in some pics.

Hope this helps a bit,

Rod

Enough info there for an AMI Article!

Only thing I can add is that in "The Battle of Long Tan" there's a psed pic of FLTLT Cliff Dohle in front of a UH1B. Tape around the radio hatch is quite pale, no wind baffles in front of the cargo doors.

Oh, and the M60s are the standard infantry gun complete with hand guards and bipods.

G'day Rod and David,

Many, many thanks for that, an excellent response, I can now commit some modelling.

cheers,

Pappy

If you need any detail photos let me know.

Mine will be in 1/72, I have the Pavla detail sets and some M60s put away.

G'day David,

Thanks for the offer. If you have any clear pics of the "Sagami" mounts that would be great.

I plan on doing my build in the gentleman's scale (1/72), perhaps I may venture up to 1/48. I have a pair of Aeroclub M-60's, complete with the bi-pod legs, but I don't know what Pavla kits you refer to? What are you planning to use for decals?

I have a set of Hawkeye's Vietnam Huey decals which are nice, but I don't have a/c serials for 1020 and 1022,

cheers,

Pappy

I have just started my two UH-1D projects, one of which will be a Vietnam era Bushranger and the other the later Green/Tan scheme Huey.

The Bushranger I'm doing with a new (old) AMT kit with corrected doors and all the other good bits, the other (another AMT kit) I'm rebuilding at the same time and using scratch building to get up to standards with left overs etc.

My only issue is I don't have a rotor tower or blades as I have given them away and now need replacements. Can anyone assist in spare parts from a wrecked 1/48 UH-1D/H? If you can I'd be truelly greatful if you can email me off forum.



Regards

Andrew Doppel
Assistant Moderator AMI

G'day Andrew,

No problem at all, but my build will be in 1/72 scale,

cheers,

Pappy

G'day Pappy.

Best person and can point you in the direction for one of these machines is Ralph. He built a 48th version of one of these things for a door gunner who was involved in Long Tan. He had access to some pretty good info. PM me if you need contact details.

A few pics of the completed model.

http://s89.photobucket.com/albums/k218/MickDrover/RR_UH-1B/

Mick

G'day Mick!

I remember Ralph's effort, it was okay (TIC!!), if he has any good clear pics of the Sagami M-60 mount that would be great. I can't see how it is attached to the helicopter. Ralph's kit suggests the mount is below the cabin, I thought it was inside, but it makes sense they mount externally as there are pics of UH-1B's fitted with Sagami mounts with the doors closed,

cheers,

Pappy

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dont forget the plywood sheeting that covered the floor!
Regards
Bruce

G'day Bruce!

Cheers mate, that really helps a lot, I don't suppose you have any more from the front or rear that show exactlt where it joins the fuselage?

cheers,

Pappy

a short drive from you if you want to fill a spare day. It is in the Vietnam hall and you can get quite close to it
Regards
Bruce

Apologies I deliberately photographed it to illustrate the museum lighting... nice diorama, I thought... I'm sure I took more using the flash (I'll hunt back through the drive to see if I can find them)



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Regards

Andrew Doppel
Assistant Moderator AMI

Very nice work Andrew,is that the "Bushranger" prototype you are doing?

If you search in Reader's Models for 'Ned Kelly' you'll find my build details Pappy.

Cheers and...

Regards

Andrew Doppel
Assistant Moderator AMI

Rod,

You are all different kinds of awesome!

Thanks very much for posting those pics,

cheers,

Pappy

Scanner is about to die but they should still help.