1/35 Dragon MH-6 

Misson Enhanced Littlebird

by Klaus A. Pagano

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The Mission Enhanced Littlebird (MELB) has the same features as the AH-6 with the exception that instead of the the armament systems lightweight planks are installed to carry personnel. The MELB is called "Six-Pack" by troops because it can carry up to six people but usually it carries only four.

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The only model I found in my hobby shop was a Dragon MD-500, so I had to scratchbuild many details: instrument panel, antennae, plume dectectors and most of all the lightweight planks to carry the personnel. I know there is a kit by Cobra Company to convert the MD-500 into a MELB, but the planksystem they have is not like the one I saw on pictures I found on the internet, so I decided to scratch build my own. The lights on the tailfin are also scratchbuilt.

 I used some parts of Eduard's photo etched kit for the Cayuse.

I painted the helicopter overall black (Vallejo acrylic colors) and drybrushed it with Humbrol charcoal gray. The only decals I applied are the serial number on the tail fin and the writing "No Fear" on the nose. Since I couldn't find these decals to buy I made them myself and printed them on decal paper.

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The crew-figures are from CMK. I modified the helmet, to make it look like the actual helmet (HGU-56) used by the 160th SOAR. The position of the figures had to be modified to fit this helicopter, since they were meant to go with Academy's Blackhawk. The Delta Operatives legs are scratchbuilt, the torsos and the heads are modified Dragon Model's "Delta Force".

Klaus

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Photos and text © by Klaus A. Pagano