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1/72nd Scale CH-47A Chinook Helicopter.

Builder's Name:  Brad Hicks

Photography:  Brad Hicks

Model Photographed:  January 2009

Kit Manufacturers: Italeri ACH-47A, Italeri CH-47D, Hasegawa GMC CCKW-353 Dump Truck.

Modeler's Notes:

This diorama shows a CH-47A parked on the Bong Son Plain in Vietnam's central lowlands in 1967. The tail number is from a CH-47A that served in this area in '67, and is pieced together from a decal sheet of numbers.

When I built this (1999-2002), Italeri hadn't come out with the CH-47A model yet, so I kit bashed the two Italeri models, and added extensive detailing to the interior, including hand built cabin seats made from wire and tissue paper, scratch built gun, vacuformed canopy, and complete wiring and ductwork. Unfortunately, my camera can't get close enough to show all the detail, but every surface inside is to scale. I filled the panel lines and drew them in with pencil.

There was also no Vietnam era 2 1/2 ton truck available in 1/72 at that time (at least not that I could find) so I made major changes to the WWII Hasegawa kit, including scratch built a hood, grill, bumpers, windshield and canopy-- along with a hollowed out barrel, broom and shovel.

I used Testors enamels, and for weathering used artist water based paints and pastel chalks.
The barrels are resin cast copies, each individually hand painted and weathered.

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The CH-47A, first delivered for use in Vietnam on August 1962, is a tandem-rotor medium transport helicopter. The Chinook's primary mission is moving artillery, ammunition, personnel, and supplies on the battlefield. It also performs rescue, aeromedical, parachuting, aircraft recovery and special operations missions.

Early production CH-47A’s operated with the 11th Air Assault Division during 1963 and in October of that year the aircraft was formally designated as the Army’s standard medium transport helicopter. In June 1965 the 11th Air Assault Division was redesignated as the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) and readied for deployment to Viet Nam. Chinooks from the 11th Air Assault formed the nucleus of the 228th Assault Helicopter Battalion which began operations in Viet Nam in September, 1965. As of February 1966, 161 aircraft had been delivered to the Army.

Rotor Diameter: 59 ft 1 in.

Fuselage Length: 51 ft.

Height: 18 ft 8 in.

Empty Weight: 23,149 lb.

Engine: 2 Lycoming T-55-L-7 turboshaft, 2,650 hp each.

Max. Weight: 38,550lb.

Max. Speed: 144 mph.

Ceiling: 9,000 ft.

Range: 1,250 miles.

Crew: 2