M*A*S*H Bell H-13 Helicopter
A little off topic, but I decided to take a little break and build something different. I had fully intended to build this straight out the box as a quick weekend project, but things went off the rails real quick. The kit is the Revell M*A*S*H 4077th 1:35 Bell H-13H. It turns out this model of the H-13 is a little newer than the ones used as medical transport in the TV show and the movie. (For what it's worth, model in the kit was used in the movie, without litters, as the helicopter shuttling back and forth from HQ. It brought in Maj. Hoolihan, took out Lt. Dish and showed up again when Hawkeye and Trapper were summoned to Tokyo). To get the right look, I modified the shape of the door openings, added the shield between the engine and the litters, put the correct fuel tank on and totally rebuilt the rear cage that makes up the frame. Finally, I added patients to the litters and ordered the correct decals from Heli Scale Quality
Built in February of 2026
Click on images to enlarge
Dirtying up the canopy in a way that looks realistic rather than smudged with gluey fingers was a challenge. Still not sure whether I pulled it off
Modifications to the kit on display here, the door openings where differently shaped and had to be cut down to match this version of the aircraft. Also, the kit did not come the shield between the engine and littler
They kit came with empty litters, I felt like the mission of this bird should be depicted. I went with the grittier look of 1970 movie rather than the tidiness of the TV series. (Before anyone faults me on the tactlessness of adding bloody, injured soldiers, please be aware that I am a US Army Veteran)
The kit had two fuel tanks mounted on either side. I drew up the correct, center mounted tank with Fusion360 and printed it
The biggest modification was the engine and tail cage. the bars were nearly three thicker than scale. I rebuilt the entire thing out of copper rod with a soldering iron