New Model Builder

Welcome to the forums and I look forward to seeing some choppers!

Eagle90

Welcome to the Forums! Glad to have you aboard!

Jim 

The Monogram Cobra has the later style IR suppression shield for the exhaust. Not the earlier sugar scoop/toilet bowl type. The only kit in 1/48 that has that is the old Fujimi Cobra kit. It is OOP, but still easily found online. It was also released in the Testors yellow box during the late 80s & early 90s. I built one a couple years back in that set up as an IDF TOW Cobra in Lebanon, circa 1982. It's on here in the Helicopter Forum.

Welcome to the world of modeling.  Which helicopter are you starting?  Sounds like something from Viet Nam, and I know that the Monogram Cobra has a toilet seat included in the 1/48 scale kit.  One approach would be to scavenge the part from a cheap model or duplicate it with resin, if you wanted to go that way.  As far as the cable cutters, some kits come with them and some don't, but you could make them out of sheet plastic.  Hope that helps and good luck

Thanks all great answers!!

Welcome to the forum, Huey!

Like Don stated, there are about as many methods of seam-filling as there are people in the world.  LOL!  As Tojo said, if you can get your hands on some Mr. Surfacer 500, that's some pretty good stuff.  it's great for smaller seams.  In lieu of that, I like to use plain old White Out correction fluid.  They're both roughly the same consistency and both are sandable and dry quickly.

For larger seams, I like to use Tamiya white putty.  It's sort of like applying white toothpaste.

Some people use thick or "gap filling" super glue.  I've used this a time or two but I think I like putties the best.  The super glue will sand and it'll definitely fill the seams but it's been my experience that I've got to start sanding and working with it within about 15 minutes of applying it.  If I wait longer than that, the super glue will cure harder than the surrounding plastic.  You'll end up sanding away more of the surrounding plastic than you will the rock-hard super glue.  Again, it works wonderfully if you stay on top of it.  I tend to apply putties and then walk away and forget about it for the night.  I can't do that with super glue.

I hope this helps and, once again, welcome to the forum!

Eric

There is no single way to do it.  Different folks have found different techniques and products.  Personally I use auto body "glazing putty" (formerly known as "spot putty"), which comes in a big tube- a lifetime supply.  As long as you are diligent about putting cap back on immediately it is a bargain in the cost per model sense.  But some folks use CA glue, some use thick paint, almost every method under the sun.

There is a forum in  the Tools, Techniques and References section - the Techniques forum, where this is a frequent thread, and that is a forum (in fact, the whole group of those forums) is/are excellent resources.

I use something called Mr Surfacer 500,it is a thick liquid,I apply sparingly over the seam.It is water soluble,so I smooth it out with a Q-tip and alchohol once it dries.

Everyone has a technique and method,read up and see what sounds good to you.

If you don't get too many responses on this,try the techniques forum for your seam question,and perhaps the helicopter section for your other question.Placement in the correct forums attracts the right eyes and comments.