MASHATU Huey

[John Howling Mouse]

This will be a civilian-operated "anti-poaching unit" for the Mashatu Game Farm in Botswana.  I'll provide a backstory explaining why they needed to resort to this sort of firepower and who financed the arms build-up.  This is my first helo build since I was a kid (the WUH  doesn't count!).

Some interior shots.  Not sure I've figured out this camera yet.  Resolution is way too high (flaws suddenly like flashing neon lights!)   









Progress as of today.  It's the Italeri kit with firepower courtesy of the old Monogram Huey.

[sotoolslinger]

COOL List of weaponry please

[ChernayaAkula]

Way cool!    Waiting impatiently for the background story!

Moritz
('95 till mid-'98 in Kenya)

[Sauragnmon]

*whistles the opening strains of Paint It Black and smiles*

Damn, that is going to be a sweet looking Huey project.  Looking forward to seeing the progress, and as the boys have asked before...

What 'cha puttin' on it?

[nev]

As cool as it looks, may I ask why this has jumped above the WUH inthe pecking order?  Hmmmm?  HMMMMMM?

[B777LR]

Cool! At times, the rangers in Selous Natl. Park almost fought an all out war against the poachers, going after them using AK47s. Resulted in many deaths on both sides...

Thomas
('97 till '03 in Tanzania)

[ysi_maniac]

 

BTW: What does WUH mean?

[Spey_Phantom]

it really looks great, and an interesting concept and backstory behind it 

BTW: What does WUH mean?

WUH = Worlds Ugliest Helicopter 

[BlackOps]

Barry, I sure hope you get lots of playtime, this is lookin' good and I know it's gonna be waaaaay cool! 

[John Howling Mouse]

What 'cha puttin' on it?

That's the thing: I was going to be content with using the MGs from the Monogram Huey until I started researching all the much more interesting/innovative weaponry Huey gunships have had since the Hog days in Viet Nam.  Now, I'm thinking the Monogram guns and mounts really don't look the part to begin with, plus they'd be too outdated for this helo which is in operation as a third-hand surplus unit in 2022.  I don't want it to be overdone with rockets and such as this is not a full-out assault helo for a national armed force, just a one-off for a private militia protecting the rights of the largest private game reserve (Mashatu is not currently the largest game reserve but it will be by 2022).  They wouldn't want to blitz the savannah with rocket fire but they want to knock out a poacher's truck when they see it.  So, guns it is, along with FLIR and big searchlights.

I think I will "improvise" in other words.  Something along these lines but with my own twisted signature on it:

[Sauragnmon]

In order to take down a truck, I'd suggest .50's at the least, for range and punch, at least on the door gun mounts.  But then that's me, and if I could, I'd find a way to have KPV's mounted on the door positions because I'd be tickled pink to be in that helicopter, holding the world's most powerful machinegun.

Still, looking forward to your end result, Barry.

[noxioux]

I would also say swap the miniguns out for a pair of .50 cal M2's in the doors.  That would be plenty of firepower, and probably a lot more economical than the miniguns, to boot.  Pair that up with a couple of zuni pods, and she'd be pretty well hung.

But the sky's the limit with the UH-1.  I think just about every weapon conceivable has been hung off one.  What would be great is a mixture of different weaponry from different sources, give it that sort of thrown-together look.  Just an idea.

It looks great though.  I think your camera is doing the job just fine!  I wish mine would do that well some days.

[Brian da Basher]

As cool as it looks, may I ask why this has jumped above the WUH in the pecking order?  Hmmmm?  HMMMMMM?

Indeed, Mr Howling Mouse. Your enormous fan base has waited a long time for a WUH update.

Still, amazing detail work like this will tide me over until the WUH emerges from the cavernous shadows of the Mouse Works.

Brian da Basher

[sotoolslinger]

Ef all the get rid of the minigun talk  Poachers run around in small,crap vehicles anyway . A .30 cal minigun will do them up a treat. It might not punch through an engine block but it will go through everything else about 3000 times a minute. Also think Barrett Light 50 mounted in the door(s) 

[John Howling Mouse]

As cool as it looks, may I ask why this has jumped above the WUH in the pecking order?  Hmmmm?  HMMMMMM?

Indeed, Mr Howling Mouse. Your enormous fan base has waited a long time for a WUH update.

Still, amazing detail work like this will tide me over until the WUH emerges from the cavernous shadows of the Mouse Works.

Brian da Basher

This, and the AH-10 Warthog Helo are practice for the WUH.