Mashatu Game Reserve Huey DONE

[John Howling Mouse]

The BUILD thread is located here: http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,22516.msg324352.html#msg324352

I found an interesting new website on the internet---here's a screen print of the webpage:

[John Howling Mouse]

Here are some better images:









I love this backdrop: you can practically feel the jungle humidity before the thunderstorm.









An underside shot, taken back in January, I think!



NightOps:



The BUILD thread is located here: http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,22516.msg324352.html#msg324352

[John Howling Mouse]

For those of us "older" types, here is the text from the web article:

The Mashatu Game Reserve is a 75,000 acre wildlife sanctuary located within the greater Northern Tuli Game Reserve of Botswana, bordering South Africa.  A safe haven to various endangered species, Mashatu boasts some of the world's largest surviving populations of African Elephant, Lions, Giraffes, Eland, and Ostriches, among several others.

In recent years, as the populations of various endangered species have dwindled, their black market value has increased dramatically.  A status symbol of conspicuous consumption for the very wealthy, the possession of live wildlife has become the height of fashion in upper circles of the rich and famous.  Celebrities such as country music star Tanya Lee and adult film producer Aleksandr Putin have publicly defended their "right" to possess such animals even though the only way to obtain them is allegedly through illegal poaching.

For the past decade, Mashatu has been especially hard-hit as the ever-rising value of stolen exotic wildlife has driven elite mercenary teams into the growing wildlife poaching industry.  Heavily armed, well-trained, and equipped with the best equipment money can buy, it began to look as though there would be no stopping these high-tech animal thieves.

Enter one Terri Jones-Thayer,  former Revlon model, widow of famed Nautilus inventor, Arthur Jones, and, perhaps more importantly, an avid aviator and animal rights activist who just happens to be extremely wealthy and equally well-connected.  Once one of the world's youngest certified Boeing 707 pilots, Jones-Thayer now co-manages the Jumbolair Aviation Estates located near Ocala, Florida.

While married to the late Arthur Jones, the pair had developed their 350 acre Florida estate first into a private wildlife refuge housing numerous exotic species which would have otherwise perished, then into the 550 acre Jumbolair Aviation Estates from which, celebrity pilots such as John Travolta can operate their jumbo-jets from their mansions as easily as most people enter their automobile garage from their own homes.

It seemed, therefore, that funding airborne anti-poaching activities at a place such as Mashatu was a role Ms. Jones-Thayer was uniquely born to fill.  In 2015, she commenced what she called Operation Air-Shield and financed Mashatu's first armed aviation asset: an ex-Israeli Bell UH-1D helicopter.  Fully re-fitted with hardware financed by Jones-Thayer, some of the anti-poaching equipment includes: dual-IR/HS night sensors, a 3rd-generation FLIR system mated to a Lockheed Martin target sight system, a motorized forward searchlight, port cabin-mounted twin .50-cal machine guns and modified 20mm M197 3-barrelled Gatling gun sets mounted both port and starboard (fully articulated).

As the enormous reserve in Mashatu is considered privately held land, Botswana law permits the use of whatever defensive assets the landowner deems necessary and actions taken by the sponsored anti-poaching aircrews operating the helicopter have not met with any reprisals from the authorities.

"It's surprising how much of an impact a single helicopter can provide," Ms. Jones-Thayer remarked at a recent WWF gathering of fellow animal rights activists. "Provided," she added, "that it's the right helicopter."

[philp]

Another great build.

Glad I didn't take up poaching.

And this Ms Jones-Thayer sounds like a keeper.

[sotoolslinger]

That turned out awesome

[The Rat]

Watch out folks, this is his second post of a finished model this month. If he's started taking this seriously we're all going to look like chumps! 

Excellent build again Barry, and great presentation! 

[Ed S]

Another fine build, Barry.  I especially like the photo with the clouds in the background.  Very realistic.



Ed

[Sisko]

Nice Huey!!!

I always love your builds!

[kitnut617]

Brilliant Barry, very well done as usual

[ChernayaAkula]

That's just great!  Brilliant idea and backstory, brilliant build and brilliant pics! 

[Captain Canada]

That's a beauty, Baz ! I love old Hueys to bits.....and that one just looks wicked !

My only suggestion would be to pitch the doors. You can't close 'em anyway, and maybe you could carry a few more rounds ( of beer ) without them !

[nev]

The BUILD thread is located here: http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,22516.msg324352.html#msg324352

I found an interesting new website on the internet---here's a screen print of the webpage:

You clever, clever man!

Now, hows that WUH doing?

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Sheer brilliance, as usual, simple as that 

Ian
(All you need now is a WUH to fly 'shotgun'...... Well someone was going to say it, eh ? )

[NARSES2]

Superb 

[Weaver]

That looks fantastic - well done!