Air support has arrived!

I've just received a big box of helicopters from the States that I bought through ebay.

I got hit for the customs charges (fair enough) and almost the same again for a 'handling fee' (grrr!!!), and the rear tail fin stabilisers were broken on both Blackhawks (easily mended with Araldite glue) but I was very pleased with them and think they were excellent value.

I originally just wanted two Blackhawks, but added a Chinook and an Apache when I worked out that the shipping and customs fees were going to be about same for two or four choppers.

All four birds on the LZ!

Delta hit the ground running from a Blackhawk

Mission accomplished, fighting withdrawal to the Chinook

An Apache provides close air support

Insurgent eye view of the Apache!

All the models are from the 'Sky Pilot' range made by New Ray and are listed as 1/55 to 1/60 scale- perfect for the more 'realistically' proportioned 28mm miniatures. I've used MoFo miniatures from Gripping Beast in the photos above.

I got my helicopters from Phil's Hobby Shop in Florida and highly recommend them- great response to enquiries, best shipping quote by a long way and really fast, safe delivery. The couple of minor breakages were entirely due to the New Ray packaging where the vac formed 'bubbles' supporting the tail in the box must have been putting slight upwards pressure on the tail stabilising fins.

Other great features of these choppers for wargaming include that they are quite robust, the rotor blades easily fold back along the fuselage on hinges so the model can be stored in little space, and all but the Blackhawk casevac came with a 'flying' stand'. All could be 'detailed' more for wargaming if you wanted to, but I'll probably just use them as they are straight out of the box.

:O)