KIOWA

Earlier this year DMG was asked to construct a model of the KIOWA Light Observation Helicopter. The model was ordered in addition to an ARH-1 TIGER model that had been ordered, so the KIOWA was also constructed in 1:48 scale. Both were presents for a KIOWA pilot who is now training for the TIGER Helicopter.

The KIOWA is a modified ITALERI Kit purchased from Great Models Webstore in the USA (great for finding hard to get kits – www.greatmodels.com ). The kit was built basically from the box with the addition of boarding steps, cable cutters on the top and bottom of the fuselage and some new communications aerials around the aircraft. To make the model a little more robust the rotor head of the main rotor was rebuilt in brass so that the rotor could be removed and replaced when moving the model around.

The model was painted in the standard tan, olive green and black colour scheme and decals for the aircraft were printed on a laser printer. A second model was constructed along with the first for a friend of our client who also flew the KIOWA and liked the idea of a model for his office.

In the coming years the KIOWA will become a less frequent sight in our skies as the TIGER ARH-1 takes over the duties of reconnaissance with the Australian Army Aviation Regiment. It has also meant the retirement for the venerable UH-1 IROQUOIS with its wonderfully distinctive thudding sounds of arrival.