‘Airborne Assault’ (1 Viewer)

[King & Country]

Andy,

Sounds like a nice Christmas present to myself. Can I send you a PM to make the arrangements?

Louis

Hi Louis,
Many thanks, I look forward to hearing from you.
All the best to yourself and your family,
Andy.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Andy,

I couldn't send you a PM (you have too many messages in your inbox), so I sent you an e-mail.

Regards,

Louis

 

[noli-poli]

Do yhou have a portside view of the UH24 Seahorse?

 

[Louis Badolato]

Do yhou have a portside view of the UH24 Seahorse?

If Andy doesn't have any, I will have my son take some when the UH24 Seahorse arrives.

 

[arnhem44mad]

Seems like a lot of old poses revisited: Knights, Civil war.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Hi Louis,
Many thanks, I look forward to hearing from you.
All the best to yourself and your family,
Andy.

Andy,

Are you making a set of crew to use with the Sikorsky, and if not, what present production Vietnam sets would you recommend displaying with the Seahorse? I could have me son get them for me for Christmas . . . {sm4}

Regards,

Louis

 

[noli-poli]

If Andy doesn't have any, I will have my son take some when the UH24 Seahorse arrives.

Thanks Louis

 

[Louis Badolato]

The magnificent beast arrived, and for now I have it displayed in front of my Streets of Hong Kong Walled Garden, which in 1995, Andy and Gordon incorporated into a Tet Offensive Street Scene Diorama. My son was not available to take proper photos, so here are a few of my poor efforts:

 

[villagehorse]

Really nice pickup Louis, very fitting you should have it. This must have flown breakneck speed to arrive so quickly. Robin.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Alec finished studying, we moved the Seahorse onto my K&C Vietnam Firebase diorama, and he took a few proper photos:

 

[Normandy1944]

Looks amazing! what a beautiful helicopter it is. my question is where does the door shooter come from? this is exactly one helicopter needed



Harry

 

[Louis Badolato]

Looks amazing! what a beautiful helicopter it is. my question is where does the door shooter come from? this is exactly one helicopter needed



Harry

Harry,

He is from the Air Cav set from the 1995 Vietnam release. He normally sits in the door of my classic K&C Huey from that 1990's release. Here is another photo of the door gunner in the Seahorse:

 

[Louis Badolato]

Harry,

Here is the text from the Modern Wars Volume of the K&C books about the first Vietnam Release (as you can see, my memory was off by two years, they were released in 1997, not 1995):

In March, 1997 K&C released a flyer with three more wood and papier mache dioramas, one of which, the Vietnam Firebase, was advertised as available for custom production, and a second of which, the Tet Offensive Street Scene, was also custom produced (with at least four having been made).

The Vietnam Firebase was the first complete diorama expressly made available for custom production and sale to the collecting public. Two otherwise identical versions were made, one in six parts, the other in two parts. Both depicted a complete firebase with helipad, Quonset hut, medical building, roofed lookout post, sandbag walls surrounded by punjie sticks (made from toothpicks) with a trail leading off from the front past two rice paddies. Approximately 25-30 were produced between 1996 and 2001. The firebase, originally listed as “price on request” was sold to the author for $750.

The Tet Offensive Street Scene was part custom diorama base, part modified Streets of Old Hong Kong Buildings. There was a bridge leading to a street flanked by burning and otherwise shot up and damaged Shop Houses leading to a stone based square created by combining a Hong Kong Temple Façade, Hong Kong Village Gateway and Hong Kong seven piece Chinese Garden, painting the Temple and Gateway dark red to match the garden, and then painting bullet holes all over these structures. To the author’s knowledge, at least 4 of these dioramas were made and sold, one of which was disassembled and sold off piecemeal. From the split up diorama the author was able to purchase the shot up temple façade, one of the “L” shaped wall sections from the garden, and one of the burning buildings, courtesy of Matt Murphy of the Hobby Bunker. The original price this diorama was sold for is unknown.

The March, 1997, release included set VN01, "The Patrol", a six figure set depicting the First Infantry Division, or "Big Red One". This set, like all of the Vietnam Figure sets, was a limited edition of 500, and came with a Limited Edition Certificate. The set included a standing officer speaking on a field telephone, held in his right hand, a standing communications tech, wearing headphones, with the field telephone strapped to his back, a standing infantryman with an M16 held facing upright in his right hand and a map held at waist level in his left hand, a standing infantryman with a grenade launcher in his right hand facing down and a water bottle in his left hand held near his mouth, a kneeling African American soldier with a 30 Cal. machine gun held at waist level, and a sitting soldier, leaning back on his right hand, holding an M16 in his left hand, with his right pants leg rolled up, his right boot off, and a bloody bandage on his foot. The source of the foot-wound, his right boot impaled by a bloody "punji stick" is also included. The first three figures and the fifth figure wear helmets, the fourth figure is bare headed and the sixth figure wears a soft bush hat. This set originally retailed for $150 dollars.

Also included in the March, 1997 release was set VN02, "The Vietnamese". This set consisted of a "Mama san" holding a tray of bananas on her left shoulder and a bag in her right hand at waist level, wearing a "coolie" hat, a white shirt with a pattern painted on it, a light blue patterned scarf, black pants and sandals; a "Papa San" squatting, with a cigarette in his left hand and his right hand resting on his right thigh, wearing a "coolie" hat, black long sleeve shirt and black pants, with two trays of fish and mollusks to lie in front of him (no doubt for sale to the G.I.'s), and a young Vietnamese boy, wearing a grey tank top, blue short pants, with a "coolie" hat slung over his back, playing a flute on the back of a water buffalo, black with brown horns, displayed from the chest up as if partially submerged in a rice paddy. This set, also a limited edition of 500, retailed for $108.

Also released in March, 1997, was set VN03, "The Air Cav", depicting troopers of the First Cavalry Division (with the distinctive "Chess Knight" shoulder patch). Obviously inspired by the movie "Apocalypse Now", the five figure set included a standing Colonel wearing an old style Cavalry Hat, holding an M16 upright in his right hand and a map in his left hand (which bears a striking resemblance to Robert Duval), a trooper kneeling on his left knee, with his right arm resting on his right knee, holding a grenade launcher in his left hand facing upright, looking upwards, wearing a helmet, a seated door gunner, wearing a helicopter crewman's helmet, holding a .50 Caliber "Ma Deuce" Machinegun, a seated trooper wearing a helmet with an M16 angled upright, and an African American Trooper wearing a helmet with an M16 held resting on his knees. This set, limited to 500, retailed for $128.

Also released in March 1997, set VN06, "The Marines Set A" consisted of four marines fighting during the 1968 Tet Offensive. The set included a Marine "Gunney" kneeling next to a field radio holding binoculars to his eyes with his left hand and a carbine in his right hand, wearing a helmet, a standing marine, wearing a helmet, carring a .30 Caliber Machinegun at waist level, looking off to his right, a standing marine wearing a helmet, holding an M16, and an African American marine, in the act of throwing a grenade with his right hand, holding an M16 in his left hand. This set, also a limited edition of 500, retailed for $102.

The March 1997 Vietnam release also included set VN07, "The Marines Set B", four more marines fighting during the Tet offensive. All four marines in this set wore helmets, the first advancing at a crouch with his left hand securing his helmet to his head, holding an M16 in his right hand, the second squats, holding an M16 to his right shoulder, the third, an African American Marine, crouches as if sheltering next to a building or armored vehicle, holding an M16 at chest height, and the fourth stands, firing a grenade launcher upwards at a 45 degree angle. This set, limited to 500, also retailed for $102.

The final set of the March, 1997 Vietnam release was VN08, "The Vietcong", consisting of three kneeling "Charlie", two wearing pith helmets and one wearing a bush hat, along with a prone female sniper wearing black pajamas and a pith helmet. The first kneeling figure, wearing black "pajamas", a pith helmet and sandals, with an AK47 slung over his left shoulder, prepares to fire a makeshift RPG over his right shoulder. The second kneeling charlie wears a pith helmet, a khaki shirt, black pants and sandals, firing an AK47. The third kneeling figure, identically attired except for a bush hat, fires a Russian light machinegun with a round clip. This set, also limited to 500, retailed for $102.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Here is the text about the original M113 and Huey and other mohagony helicoptors from the 1997 release:

Both the wood & metal and resin & metal versions of the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier were designated VN5, and retailed for $384. Both had a swiveling and elevating 50 caliber machine gun as a main gun mounted in a shield over the commander’s hatch in the front center of the vehicle, twin 30 caliber machine guns mounted on the back near the rear hatches and an antenna and cavalry guidon or State National Guard Unit flag. Both were done in weathered and mud-spattered olive green paint, with either U.S. Army or Marine markings, and individual slogans or names like “Born to Kill”, “Tricky Dickie” or “Kong Killer” painted on the side. The wood and metal version, however, was far superior to the resin and metal version in virtually every way. As an initial matter, it was closer to true 1:30 scale, to match the figures, while the resin version, at 1:32 scale was visibly too small. Further, the wood version had hollowed out commander’s and rear hatches with hinged covers that opened and closed, features conspicuously absent from the resin and metal version. Finally, the wood and metal version had several excellent details added on, like “cable” made of real wire rolled up and attached to the side, while the resin version merely had some plastic backpacks glued on to the side. Approximately 30 of each of the wood and resin versions were produced.

The wood and metal HU1H Huey was a “slick” (i.e. ungunned) version produced in both U.S. Army & Marines markings, in both 1:32 and (rarely) 1:48 scale. The chopper had a hollowed out interior with seating inside (sadly, slightly too small for the 1:30 scale Vietnam figures). Both doors were separate metal pieces, permanently affixed in either the open or partially-closed position. The tail rotor and main rotor blade were separately mounted. The cockpit was, however, solid, and the windows were painted on, like those on the early warbirds. Less than 100 of these choppers, which retailed for $335, were made.

In addition to the Huey “Slick” depicted, K&C made an extremely limited number (less than five of each) of several other Vietnam Era military helicopters, including a HU1H Huey Medivac Chopper, a Bell Jet Ranger Kiowa (U.S. Army markings), and a Hughes Cayeuse (U.S. Army markings), which were listed as “price on request”. None of the authors have seen even a photograph of any of these choppers, which appear in the 1998 Dealers’ price list.

 

[Horus]

Great photos of the Chopper Louis that your son Alec took, looks like it's just hovering there !:salute::

Steve

 

[Normandy1944]

Harry,

He is from the Air Cav set from the 1995 Vietnam release. He normally sits in the door of my classic K&C Huey from that 1990's release. Here is another photo of the door gunner in the Seahorse:

Thanks Louis



Harry

 

[Louis Badolato]

Here is the text about the original M113 and Huey and other mohagony helicoptors from the 1997 release:

Both the wood & metal and resin & metal versions of the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier were designated VN5, and retailed for $384. Both had a swiveling and elevating 50 caliber machine gun as a main gun mounted in a shield over the commander’s hatch in the front center of the vehicle, twin 30 caliber machine guns mounted on the back near the rear hatches and an antenna and cavalry guidon or State National Guard Unit flag. Both were done in weathered and mud-spattered olive green paint, with either U.S. Army or Marine markings, and individual slogans or names like “Born to Kill”, “Tricky Dickie” or “Kong Killer” painted on the side. The wood and metal version, however, was far superior to the resin and metal version in virtually every way. As an initial matter, it was closer to true 1:30 scale, to match the figures, while the resin version, at 1:32 scale was visibly too small. Further, the wood version had hollowed out commander’s and rear hatches with hinged covers that opened and closed, features conspicuously absent from the resin and metal version. Finally, the wood and metal version had several excellent details added on, like “cable” made of real wire rolled up and attached to the side, while the resin version merely had some plastic backpacks glued on to the side. Approximately 30 of each of the wood and resin versions were produced.

The wood and metal HU1H Huey was a “slick” (i.e. ungunned) version produced in both U.S. Army & Marines markings, in both 1:32 and (rarely) 1:48 scale. The chopper had a hollowed out interior with seating inside (sadly, slightly too small for the 1:30 scale Vietnam figures). Both doors were separate metal pieces, permanently affixed in either the open or partially-closed position. The tail rotor and main rotor blade were separately mounted. The cockpit was, however, solid, and the windows were painted on, like those on the early warbirds. Less than 100 of these choppers, which retailed for $335, were made.

In addition to the Huey “Slick” depicted, K&C made an extremely limited number (less than five of each) of several other Vietnam Era military helicopters, including a HU1H Huey Medivac Chopper, a Bell Jet Ranger Kiowa (U.S. Army markings), and a Hughes Cayeuse (U.S. Army markings), which were listed as “price on request”. None of the authors have seen even a photograph of any of these choppers, which appear in the 1998 Dealers’ price list.

Here is a photo John (Obee) had previously posted of the Tet Offensive Street Scene Diorama, with one of the K&C Bell Jet Ranger Kiowas on it (along with M113's and a Duster):

 

[panda1gen]

Harry,

He is from the Air Cav set from the 1995 Vietnam release. He normally sits in the door of my classic K&C Huey from that 1990's release. Here is another photo of the door gunner in the Seahorse:

 

[Obee]

Another shot of the old Huey ...



John