Anyone know about chopper models fr Red Dawn/Rambo?

[star-art]

(I hope this isn't OT.) Having re-watched a couple of these classic '80s flicks recently, I thought the huge replica Russian helicopters featured in Red Dawn and both Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rambo III were just about the coolest choppers I'd ever seen! I remember the chill they sent down my spine the first time I saw Red Dawn when it originally came out in the theater.

Now, I don't know much about choppers. In fact, the only 'copter model I have in my large collection of kits is a huge 1/35 scale Super Frelon I bought looking for studio-scale kitbashing parts. (It's a fantastic model, but I didn't recognize any parts from it.) Anyway, a little research indicates the helicopters in these films are supposed to resemble Russian Hind helicopters but are actually French Puma choppers that were modified with fake "wings" and armaments. Having found pictures of the actual Hind choppers, I actually like the modified Pumas much better!

So, are there any kits or replicas of the Puma available? And, do you know anyone who has tried to build a model of the choppers as they were seen in the film, as opposed to a model of a genuine Russian Hind?

Any interest in these out there?

 

[pennausamike]

The Red Dawn choppers are real Hinds; the earlier A model with the one piece glass.

The Puma Hinds you reference are...well...no one is actually sure.
One was used to construct the Ariel Ambulance in Firefly.
You can see in pics from that show it is a double bubble and only about 2/3rds size.
The rumor was it was used as background set dressing in Hunt For Red October.

Far as I know, the Puma Hind(s) is/are static, whereas the Red Dawn Hinds flew.

If your modeling skills are up to it, you could backdate a Trumpeter 1/35 Hind.

If 1/72nd scale is big enough for you, a few of the single glass greenhouse Hinds have been produced.

Mike

 

[star-art]

The Puma replica Hinds did indeed fly, at least in the second and third Rambo movies.

It seems there is a debate over whether the choppers in Red Dawn are real Hinds. Apparently the film crew did a really good job on the details, to the point their replica T-72 tank was so realistic the CIA wanted to know where they got it!

I haven't made or studied any screencaps, but it seems very unlikely they could have obtained real Soviet-bloc aircraft back in 1984. Several have said the choppers were the same ones used in the Rambo series, which seems more likely, so I'll have to take a closer look.

Like I said, the real Hind isn't quite as cool to me as the replicas made for the film. The Puma is one great looking chopper. Adding the "wings" to it makes it look really sinister!

So, I'm guessing that any modelers out there who liked these craft tried to replicate a real Hind instead? Makes sense, but the real thing does look quite a bit different from the ones in the movie. . .

 

[SgtFang]

The Red Dawn Hinds were Pumas too. You can tell by the belly "winglets" where the landing gear folded up. Also, there was a scene or two where they got the sun behind them and you could see the Puma's nose outline behind the Hind A windows.

The Rambo Hind(s?) didn't bother disguising the Puma nose as much.

-Sarge

 

[star-art]

Cool info, thanks! I see Trumpeter currently makes a 1/35 Hind-E and Revell made a 1/32 SA-330 Puma, though the latter seems to be quite rare. So, I guess the logical thing for me to do is make lots of screencaps, maybe pick up the Hind kit as reference and start looking for a big scale Puma kit!

I also saw some pages where folks converted their 1/32 plastic kits into RC flying models with electric power. Very cool! These chopper models look like fun. (I guess there really is more to modeling than just sci-fi! :eek )

 

[pennausamike]

Ouch, I stand corrected.
I remember hearing at the time that the armor was from Isreal
and the Hinds were from South America.

I shoulda Googled first!

Mike

 

[star-art]

No prob. It took a lot of Googling to figure out what I've learned so far! For example, I just found out a 1/72 Hind-A kit was made by Hasegawa. . .

 

[pennausamike]

Maybe I can redeem myself a little.

Right now on eBay is:
1981 Matchbox SA 330 Puma Plastic Model Kit 1:32 Scale


"You are looking at a Matchbox Elicopter SA 330 Puma Plastic model kit 1:32 Scale. The kit as you can see its an open box, some of the parts have already been taken down but they all appears to be in there not 100% sure, comes all the instructions,and the box still in decent shape. if you have any questions feel free to Email. "

We aren't supposed to post live auctions so I'll just pass along that it is currently at $4.99 with 5 days to go. I have no idea what an appropriae final price/value would be and I'm not associated with the seller in any way.

Mike

 

[star-art]

Thanks for the tip! I read there was an older version and a newer version of this kit. The older version was put out by Matchbox and the newer one by Revell. I'm wondering which one this represents, but I'm guessing it's a re-box of the Matchbox kit or (vice versa). Apparently, the newer Revell issue is much improved.