Heli-Kit News #200, 20-Feb-05

Kits

1. The Revell 1:72 EC145 #4422 has now been pushed back further, to April 2005. Decals will cover the blue demonstration aircraft and another in service with the German Police.

Meantime, their rebox #4477 of the Zvezda Mi-8T 'Hip' has now been released, with markings for three options; East German Army (NVA), Luftwaffe, and Soviet Air Force.

2. Fujimi's re-issue (31107) of their 1:48 AH-1S Cobra comes with decals for a JGSDF Cobra from Akeno Air Base in markings that commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Japanese Self Defence Force.


3. Followers of the Heli-Kit News Discussion Group will know that 'someone' has been working on an all-new 1:72 kit of the Bristol Sycamore. Their identity can now be revealed as Czech Master Resin, so you can be sure it will be detailed and accurate. It will be their model #1146, with parts for the Sycamore HR.14 and Mk.52 in RAF, RAAF, Belgian, German and Swiss markings.

4. Italeri's 2005 catalogue includes no new kits, just the following 1:72 re-issues, the Sea Horse being especially welcome.

• 1028 - 'OH-6A Cayuse' (discontinued 2003, already released in Jan 2005)
• 1035 - 'HH-53C Jolly Green Giant' (i.e. a Super-Jolly, disc. 2002 and also already released)
• 1054 - 'ACH-47A Gunship Chinook' (disc. 2002, due Feb-05)
• 1066 - 'UH-34J Sea Horse' (disc. 2001, due Oct-05)
• 1185 - 'OH-58D Combat Scout / Kiowa' (disc. 2003, due Sep-05)
• 1248 - 'Merlin HMA.1' (due Mar-05) this looks like it derives from Revell's HM.1 re-box of the original Italeri HAS.1, the painting in the 2005 catalogue showing torpedoes and other modifications.

5. Heller's 2005 catalogue has nothing new, but all the usual suspects are still present:

1:72 80332 SA330 Puma 80225 SA316/319 Alouette III 80284 Gazelle SA342M 80286 SA316 Alouette III Gendarmerie 80289 Alouette III Securite Civile 80334 Sea King 80365 AS532 Cougar 80366 Cougar AS532U2 80367 Super Puma AS332M1 80368 Super Puma Exocet 80368 Mi-24 Hind A/D

1:48 80479 SE313 Alouette II 80485 Ecureuil Bombardier d'Eau 80482 OH-58A Kiowa 80413 UH-1N Special Forces

1:35 80489 SA312G Super Frelon

Decals

6. The first of the two new AH-1G decal sets from Fireball Modelworks is now shipping. 'AH-1G HueyCobra Part 1: US Army in Vietnam' is available in both 1:32 and 1:72, with 1:48 to follow soon.

The set includes markings and color profiles for four complete subjects, as well as generic stencils and various other markings to spice up your snake (or other US Army Vietnam era helicopter). The package includes a set of ingenious masks to help with painting the backgrounds for the shark's teeth decals. This picture shows the 1:32 scale decal sheets:


This short but accurate critique was posted on the HKN Discussion Group:

Three words .... BUY A SET!

If you have even a passing interest in the Cobra, you need this set. Awesome packaging and placement sheets. The instructions are first rate and easy to read. The decals look great too. Crisp and in very good register. Lots of stencils and extra unit badges and things like Cav sabres and "UNITED STATES ARMY" markings. There's enough extra stuff here to do several different types of helos from Vietnam.

A long overdue set of markings....Thanks Joseph!

The four options are:

• 66-15272, 334th AHC 'Playboys', Bien Hoa, late 1967.
• 68-17054, C/2/20 ARA, III Corps, early 1971, 'Sound of Silence'
• 68-15012, F/4 Cav, Phu Bai, late 1972, 'Cindy Ann', black sharkmouth
• 68-15068, C/1/9 Cav., Phuoc Vinh, Aug 1970 - Mar 1971, '#1 Du Me Mi', red sharkmouth

These are the 1:72 decals:



Thanks to George Filyagin, Joseph Osborn (Fireball Modelworks), and Mike Phillips

If you buy something as a result of reading about it in Heli-Kit News, please remember to tell them that you saw it here. This will encourage the flow of more news in the future, and maybe we'll even get the occasional review sample!

Archive

Home