8404 Diorama Studios

The return to Fallujah has had to move to the back burner, I was presented with an opportunity for a commission that my ego wouldn’t let me turn down. So, Fallujah is in waiting while the helicopter I was commissioned to build takes shape. Helos are the closest I am willing to come to the “dark side” (aircraft models), and they come in the right scale 1/35 so my figures all work and play nicely with everything else.

For this project we are using the Kitty Hawk MH-60L Blackhawk which is a vast improvement on the Academy Blackhawks both in terms of detail and in cost (easily double the price). While you have to add to the final price of the Academy the various photo etch sets you’ll want/need to add to address the kit’s short comings the Kitty Hawk kit includes photo etched parts in the box. The kit I procured does not include crew figures, although there are production batches that do at increased cost. Not to worry, there are a pair of aftermarket manufacturers who produce excellent aviator and crew chief/gunner figures with correct gear. Choosing between Live Resin’s and Reedoak’s offerings came down to the fact that I needed to depict the helo in flight and wanted the gunners in their windows at the ready. Live Resin to the rescue! Reedoak also offers several very useful accessories, helmet bags, flight helmets and the tool organizer which will find their way into this project.

Included in the kit are a large selection of armament options, M 134 Miniguns, GAU 21 Machine Guns, 7 and 20 shot rocket pods, and a 30mm chain gun; also in the box but not included in the instructions are the parts for the in flight refueling probe and auxiliary fuel tank (the instructions are readily available online). More about this to follow as soon as I have had a chance to go through the project references and specs since there are going to be things that happen in the 1:1 world that model companies simply don’t realize or take into consideration; we will be showing them as accurately as we can.