Is There a Desire for Special Operations Models?
 

I hope this finds you all in good health,

I wanted to ask the communities opinion on Special Operations models. To me this seems like a largely untapped market that few producers have any desire to touch, why is this? Is there a lack of desire for special operations model like the AH/MH-1, MH/HH-60s, MH-47, CV/MV-22s... I could go on...?

I believe it would be a success with collectors, but most of, if not all of you, have far more experience than I do in this business.

Obviously I am very bias, half of my posts on here are about USSOCOM models. So, am I an outlier, or is there any real potential for more special ops aircraft? Why or why not?

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

I would love if someone like corgi or fov made things like the mh-60, hh-60, mh-6/ah-6, mh-53, mv/cv-22, ac-130u, and the mh-47(although fov already announced a mh-47g)

Eric

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

I've been hoping for a CSAR 1:200 series of aircraft. I think if they made an HH-60, then they could easily convert a few existing C-130 moulds into an HC-130J with minimal effort.

The AC-130's are very popular too.

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

I have a special connection to the MC-130J, so would love to see a model of this in 1/72. The MC-130J is distinguishable by its 4 underwing pods, among other features.

Due to the variety of missions it flies, it's arguably one of the most interesting aircraft in the USAF today. however, as a model, it's unfortunately a bit boring, so it will probably never happen other than perhaps in some tiny scale..

https://i.ibb.co/S30CfKS/MC-130-J-Co...ull-medium.png


As far as the models mentioned - without looking into specifics, most modern special ops aircraft have all sorts of bumps and antennas that add cost, incompatibility, and QA issues to massmarket models. Plus. most of them, like the MC130J, have subtle schemes. Regardless of whether you or I like them, this makes them unlikely choices for diecast.

That said, the MH-53 Pave Low on display at the RAF Cosford museum is in person about as spectacular a helicopter as I've ever seen. however, again, it will translate poorly to diecast.

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

I have a great respect for the MC Hercs they carry everything and anything the sof guys need, all while fueling the Hellos. I have always been fascinated by the Combat Talon II, the predecessor to the current Js they have over there at Mildenhall.

I have some rather strange connections to those ugly planes as well. I tired really hard to get a ride on one, but I was just a bit too late. One of my best mentors was a Talon II driver, I by dumb luck met the AFSOC pilot that extradited Noriega in the 80s, and I used to fly with other Talon pilots in a Twin Otter rather frequently. They feel naked going above 1000 agl. Trust me, in the Texas summer when its 40 degrees and the air is nothing by thermals, you do not want a Talon driver upfront.

I would love to see any kind of MC herc new or old. Inflight 200 seems to have all the tooling, they made the KC-130J a while back, and I believe there is very little difference between the MC and the KC externally. I guess it is just that boring incognito paint that is keeping one from my collection. Shame.

Having lived around the dark Hercs, it is almost creepy to look across the ramp at Hurlburt Field to see an airport covered in dark grey creatures of the night, those dark birds and their drivers deserve so much respect.

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

Yes SpecOps would be good. A proper Black Hawk aswell as the later Huey 'heli' Versions would be awesome!!

The MH47 will be released by FoV. I believe it’s the last of their Chinook series so it will be a while yet before we see it. Hopefully next year sometime.

Corgi released 3 X MH60L from OP GOTHIC SERPENT (Black Hawk Down) which we’re pretty good but did not fly off the shelves (which I thought odd).

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

They may not have cleared the shelves then, but they are worth 200% of their original value now, people go wild for those things. I have seen two sell for nearly $200 in the last two weeks. I was lucky to get Super 62, it is probably my favorite model now.

I am dying for Corgi to do an HH-60 Pavehawk.

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

Do you think corgi 1/72 blackhawk or a fov 1/48 blackhawk would be better because both look good to me

Eric

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

I would love any of the special ops C-130 variants, like the AC-130H/U, MC-130H/P, HC-130P, EC-130H/J, YJ-130, HC-130P.

I'm was pretty surprised that the LC-130 and WC-130 were released previously, but also very happy that I got the chance to get those. They're not really spec ops variants, but still glad to have them in my collection.

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

I would qualify the LC-130 from VXE-6 AntarcticDevronSix as a special ops bird. Pictured ... taking off the Antarctic ice assisted by JATO bottles...

Next pic the model VXE-6 LC-130 1/144 is by Corgi...

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Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

If carrying scientists, fuel, and dry cargo around for decades constitutes SF then I would have to agree with you, but I believe you are in the minority on that one.

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

Yes, perhaps I’m in the minority....perhaps being a young brash sailor on his first tour to Antarctica as a member of VXE-6 under the umbrella of Operation Deep Freeze was at the time Special to me....

BB

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

Okay, you got me. That is pretty awesome.

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

The Corgi MH-60L's they did from Blackhawk Down were the 160th SOAR. They are amazing models and were basically ignored by the community.

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

And yet now, all three are impossible to find on ebay. I'm lucky to have super 62 although I would have preferred a mh-60k/m or at least super 68

Eric

Antarctica in a JATO equipped C-130? Sign me up! What an experience. Probably the closest thing you can do toward feeling like you are on another planet. The challenges and tolerances of working in such an environment must be fierce. Makes ice road trucking sound boring. . . not that there is anything wrong with that profession.

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

Here’s an AC-130J .....

US Special Operations Command is upgrading its gunships

https://www.businessinsider.com/us-s...lifters-2020-7

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Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

Well, may-be O.T. but I'd like to see the helos operating in the NSAWC, all those colourful liveries are quite interesting.

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

now that calw and HM are making u-2s, someone can ask one of them about spec ops ac-130s

Eric

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

Sorry, pal, but this really isn't a good idea.

Take the MC-130J. Now, i dont know much about smaller scales, but a quick google search doesn't show that this has been produced at all in either 1/200 or 1/400. (maybe it has - a quick google search doesnt immediately find it). as such, this is marginal even at those smaller scales. the idea that this is worth the risk/investment in 1/72 ... really doesn't make sense.

Maybe the C130 in general may be worth somebody's investment in 1/72 given the large number of liveries, but it's a also a large aircraft that requires a lot of subtle mould varieties and, in most of its incarnations, its basically a cargo aircraft. this probably puts it somewhat back of the queue compared to.. well... compared to a lot.

I'd put a 1/72 C-130 somewhere in the 50-100 range of 1/72 models not yet done. So, not soon, and possibly not ever, and a SOC specific.. basically no chance unless it is a variant of one of the unlikely as it is 1/72 C-130s.

Re: Is There a Desire for Special Operations Model
 

I ment 1/144 or 1/200 but I guess like you said, its not a good idea

Eric