1/35 UH-1H Huey By lmagna

[mtaylor]

Looking good, Lou.   BTW, I'm not a wizz.  I just had fewer parts.    

 

I was wondering about those seats.  It would have seemed to me to be in the way for a medivac.   We just folded all the seats up for those missions for room and to give the miedic some space to work.   Oh... and door gunners didn't get to sit down near the gun on a -53 you lucky....er... guy.   We did have "service" (pilot's decision).... carried a case of beer or two and CO2 fire extinguisher to cool it down.  Usually tossed them out to the guys in forward area on resupply.   Medivac.... nothing for them to drink as they were probably headed into surgery PDQ.

[lmagna]

Dust off Hueys were a whole other matter. They were set up to carry wounded and you could stack them in like cordwood. They were usually set up with a bunk bed style of jump seat at the rear bulkhead. More importantly, they carried a medic instead of gunners. THOSE GUYS worked for their money! I was never on board when a pilot refused to go into a hot LZ but I have heard that some did, at least until the gunships straightened out Charlie and got him more interested in than shooting. I have NEVER heard of a Dust Off refusing to land and pick up! We were not set up as a medical evac chopper. Normally we had seats but we could fold them up if needed like you. When we were doing extractions, there were times that we had to get out of the chopper and help someone in by pulling, or pushing, and even occasionally lifting and just tossing them in. but if someone was badly hurt, they would normally head for, or be carried to the Dust Off chopper with the big red and white targets on them. All the troops knew that those choppers would get them to the docs faster and that they were better equipped to deal with injuries on the way.

 

Never got to carry booze for recreational use on board. We did try and keep a case of C-rats secured under a seat and of course we had canteens strategically stashed were they could be useful. We did occasionally make supply, or as we called them, "Store"runs, to the larger bases where they had a better selection of hard liquor to bring back for the others who didn't have their own personal helicopter. You have to remember that the "U" in UH-1 stands for "Utility"! You know, like the family pickup?

Edited March 13, 2020 by lmagna

[mtaylor]

We didn't drink until we were on the ground.  The beer was for the grunts and they appreciated it.  

 

Ah.. now I understand it.  We weren't a "dust-off" but if we were dropping stuff off and they had wounded, we'd get them out.  The first mech was our "medic"... he did a lot of good.  

[John Allen]

Lou,

 

You old rascal you have been sandbagging. Thought you were old and senile and made excuses about your abilities or I should say infirmities.

 

First class job on painting the figures Kudos.

[lmagna]

Thanks John

 

Methinks thou needs new glasses though.

 

What I see only looks OK to me. Now that I have the pictures that I can blow up it looks a little less than OK in fact. I really find that even the stuff I used to do with ease is a struggle now. I think I need some kind of light and magnification system that I don't have right now. luckily what you are seeing so far will mostly be buried within the fuselage when I get to that point.

[Canute]

Optivisor Lou, with glass lenses, for magnification. Bright LED light on a swing arm, with a sunlight rated lamp.

[src]

Well now, I guess this is what I get for not being around much, I have missed another cool build!!

Crew and interior look great Lou.

Sam

[lmagna]

1 hour ago, Canute said:

Optivisor Lou, with glass lenses, for magnification.

In the past I have tried the cheap versions, (Plastic lenses) of those Ken and was not all that happy with them. The more powerful lenses seemed to have a very narrow and close focal length. It seemed that I was having to work about six inches from my face and the depth of field was almost completely gone. I will possibly have to give the more expensive version a try. What would be nice would be to find an affordable pair of those binocular glasses like some surgeons and dentists use. they look like they could be the perfect answer.  

 

1 hour ago, src said:

I have missed another cool build!!

You really haven't missed all that much Sam. Mostly I have been spinning around, doing and redoing the same thing over and over, trying to learn a bunch of stuff that is  either new to me or an attempt at rejuvenating 20 year or older skills long unused and possibly out of date for today's models. But my hopes for this model are high and hopefully it will evolve into something worth sharing at some point. You want to see some REALLY fantastic stuff, look into the builds by Yves, CDW, RGL, Robert O,(Fright) and Seamorebutts. Now there are builds worth closely following, they have some astounding skills.

 

But thanks for your interest in my humble efforts as well.

Edited March 13, 2020 by lmagna

[Landlubber Mike]

Lou - I went with an Optivisor with glass lenses and the clip on LED attachment.  My wife rolls her eyes, the kids think the whole set up is cool (especially when the lights are on), but I couldn't see working on tiny PE without it.

 

Focal length is very important.  I ended up getting two different visors so I didn't have to swap out lenses.  The first set of lenses had too close of a focal length for my liking so I only use it occasionally.  It's almost like you need a higher table (like one of those watchmaker tables) or you'll have neck and back issues.

[lmagna]

18 minutes ago, Landlubber Mike said:

or you'll have neck and back issues.

Well I qualify on at least one account! 

 

What magnification levels are you using for the lenses? Do you already wear glasses, and if so, do you wear them at the same time?

 

Your description of your kids reaction made me think that what I should do is get a endoscope like the type that plugs into your smart phone or tablet and use that set up like 3D goggles! 

[Landlubber Mike]

I got the 1.75x 14” focal length (3 diopter) and 2.5x 8” focal length (5 diopter).  I generally go with the first one.

 

I do wear glasses - I’m nearsighted.  I was always fine close up but last couple of years my eyes have gotten worse from age (am mid 40s now).  The optivisor helps!

[lmagna]

1.75 and 2.5 would be about the same as some mildly strong reading glasses. I think the focal distance would be about the same as well.

[CDW]

Just now, Landlubber Mike said:

Lou - I went with an Optivisor with glass lenses and the clip on LED attachment.  My wife rolls her eyes, the kids think the whole set up is cool (especially when the lights are on), but I couldn't see working on tiny PE without it.

About 45 years ago, here's my wife watching me build a model. It's the 1:24 Airfix Stuka, I believe.

Back in those days, I didn't need no stinking Optivisor, but today, I couldn't get along without it. It's a game changer. 

 

 

[Old Collingwood]

Yep  hits us all  - I didn't know how bad my eyesight was going  till  writing on comp screens started going blurry  and out doors I struggled to make out details at distance so well, all other distances are ok though.

 

OC.

[Canute]

Yep, I was Hawkeye until about age 43 or so. Then I flunked a flight physical. Bifocals and stuff ever since.

[Edwardkenway]

1 hour ago, Canute said:

Yep, I was Hawkeye until about age 43 or so. Then I flunked a flight physical. Bifocals and stuff ever since.

Yep mid forties seems to be when yours eyes go, I realized I needed reading glasses when my arms were too short to hold the book far enough away for me to see the writing 🤓

 

Edited March 14, 2020 by Edwardkenway

[Edwardkenway]

2 hours ago, lmagna said:

1.75 and 2.5 would be about the same as some mildly strong reading glasses. I think the focal distance would be about the same as well.

I use 2.75 readers for modelling work although for rigging knots I go up to 3.00

[Javlin]

33 minutes ago, Edwardkenway said:

I use 2.75 readers for modelling work although for rigging knots I go up to 3.00

I must be lucky 1.0 for me but I have no hearing @59 yrs

[Old Collingwood]

2 minutes ago, Javlin said:

I must be lucky 1.0 for me but I have no hearing @59 yrs

Sorry to hear about your hearing  - did it  go over time or always had it?    I am 75% death in my right ear   same as my late farther.

 

OC.

[lmagna]

I will definitely be getting something. The normal reading part of of my bifocals is something like 1.25 if I remember correctly So I would think I would need something a little stronger than that. I need to look into some kind of direct lighting system as well as I think my dining room lighting is more for ambiance at a meal than precision model painting! It can be bright enough if I turn the dimmer all the way up but it is all angles and shadows and has a strong yellow cast from all of the candle style lights. It is a 16 or 18 candle and crystal chandelier.

 

I have seen that picture of you and your bride before Craig and I still think you married up, WAY up.

 

It is also strange that it seems like so many of us here have hearing loss problems. Sorry to learn about your loss Javlin and OC. I have lost 100% of my hearing in my right ear. It is great for when my wife snores sometimes but a pain in the butt almost all other times. 

Edited March 14, 2020 by lmagna

[Old Collingwood]

12 minutes ago, lmagna said:

I will definitely be getting something. The normal reading part of of my bifocals is something like 1.25 if I remember correctly So I would think I would need something a little stronger than that. I need to look into some kind of direct lighting system as well as I think my dining room lighting is more for ambiance at a meal than precision model painting! It can be bright enough if I turn the dimmer all the way up but it is all angles and shadows and has a strong yellow cast from all of the candle style lights. It is a 16 or 18 candle and crystal chandelier.

 

I have seen that picture of you and your bride before Craig and I still think you married up, WAY up.

 

It is also strange that it seems like so many of us here have hearing loss problems. Sorry to learn about your loss Javlin and OC. I have lost 100% of my hearing in my right ear. It is great for when my wife snores sometimes but a pain in the butt almost all other times. 

Its great for me for when its noisy outside when I want to sleep  - I just sleep on my good ear  - I love listening to music (my own creations and others)  thats a pain as I have to balance the sound by moving the balance over to my right.

 

OC.

[mtaylor]

Lou,

Part of the problem is that you have "modeler's vision".  We build, we inspect, we go "oh crap".   To everyone else, even up close and in person, they see the goodness that has been done.  Doesn't matter if it's wood, plastic models, we all have it.

[Old Collingwood]

6 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

Lou,

Part of the problem is that you have "modeler's vision".  We build, we inspect, we go "oh crap".   To everyone else, even up close and in person, they see the goodness that has been done.  Doesn't matter if it's wood, plastic models, we all have it.

Very true  - then we show pics with high resolution camera tech   and we think it looks crap   - we all experience it.

 

OC.

[lmagna]

34 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

"modeler's vision".

I don't know if it is "Modelers vision" or just not blind enough when I see my work in the pictures. The pictures of many other people here whom I see as an inspiration don't look that bad, in fact they look perfect even in the closeup pictures! I will get this done and it will be presentable. But it is also clear that it will never be that caliber of work. That's OK I can live with it so long as I tried to do the best I can to emulate their quality and craftsmanship. Not all of us can be Rembrandt's!

[mtaylor]

Lou,

Doing the best we can is the best we can do.  And really, we are our own worst critics.

[Old Collingwood]

I think the problem is  - turning a kit into a scale replica of the real thing requires several different skill sets  -  the build of the  item and  dexterity  requires one set, then understanding  what makes it more life like is another  then painting the thing  in a natural  way is  something different on top.

Getting them all together is the hard bit   and guess takes lots and lots of  goes to get it right.

 

Oh  and Luck.

 

OC.

[Canute]

As some wise man said, we are our own worst critics for models.

 

I think a lot of us who flew lost high end hearing from the turbine whine we endured. My low end hearing is OK, but at mid range it goes down at about a 45 degree angle. Hi squeaky voices are almost unheard by me.

[Edwardkenway]

49 minutes ago, Canute said:

Hi squeaky voices are almost unheard by me.

That could be considered a benefit as well 

[lmagna]

In addition to total loss of hearing in my right ear, I have damaged hearing in my left or good ear as well. The loss is mostly at the high end but I have no idea if it is from turbines, gunfire, other loud noises throughout my life, or all of the above. I do know it is getting slowly worse. It is getting to the point that my wife yells at me ALL the time.............................. Well I suppose that may not have anything to do with hearing.

 

I also agree with Edward, not being able to hear people with squeaky voices has to be a plus! 

[src]

Lou, I have the same problem with hearing. Its kind of nice when I dont want to hear what Better Half is saying....... It does suck when we are out and in a restaurant though, she has to yell at me err, raise her voice for me to hear her.😁

For your magnifier, I have been using one of these at home for my build:

https://www.riogrande.com/Product/Megaview-Pro-LED-with-Three-Lenses/115719

Pricier than the Optivisr yes, I do like it better though. I have an Optivisor at work, I dont like the way it creates a tunnel vision with the sides; I like seeing what is coming at me from the side. Optivisor is what they buy so unless/until I choose to buy another one I will be an Optivisor user at work.

Sam