New CH-53E build

Weekend update:

So I finished up the rotorhead this weekend.  Overall I am happy with it.  I received the ResKit  MRH upgrade kit in the mail this weekend as well.  Lot of parts. I really like it however as it has seperate MRH dampers, droop stops and Pitch Control Rods (PCRs) that are much more to scale then the MRC provided ones.  I have another 53E on the bench and it is going to get this MGB, and MRH in the build.

I have the MRB tip cap harness to install next on all (7) blades, paint the color code on the MRH S&S's, then paint the IBIS indicators, and finish the weathering and dull coat.

received the ResKit TRH, and Blades as well.  They are very thin, and appear to be better scale then the kit provided TRH, Blades.

Comparison of the kit unweathered TRH, and the ResKit:

I like the outcome of the resin upgrade.  The TR blades are much more to scale, and the TRH itself is very detailed, the TR positioner crown, as well as the TR actuator for tail pylon fold is present and looks very nice. The milkstool and pitch change shaft and crown are also in the resin kit. The MRC kit gives you these, but they are molded a little out of scale.

Onto decaling.......glosscoat....etc...

Looks great so far!  The interior is awesome!

Thanks Fly-n-hi!!  work in progress for sure!!

Update:

Worked on the XM-218's for the windows of this build.  I am using the kit provided machine guns and cross bars for this build.  I did purchase some upgraded brass barrells and barrell jackets for the guns.  This will be the part of the gun most seen as it sticks out of the crew door and gunners window.  I do see there are some nice aftermarket .50 cals out there in resin in 1/48th scale.  The ones I researched and eventually purchased are actually GAU-16's molded in a soft cradle ( i.e. recoil attenuation) they are used by our UH-1N platforms and we do not have these in the CH-53D/E community.  Our guns were at the time of this particular CH-53E depiction, rigid mounted, i.e. plain pintle and yoke assembly no recoil attenuation. Mounted on a crossbar pinned to the wall mounted gun mounts. Lots of vibrations and wear put into the airframe due to these .50's being mounted in the way there were.

Today in the entire fleet of CH-53E, CH-53K, UH-1Y, MV-22B we utilize the new GAU-21 .50 cal produced by FN Herstal in Belgium.  All of the installations utilize the FN cradle system which provides recoil/counter recoil attenuation.  Extremely lower vibration loads transmitted into the airframe, much higher rate of fire, and 300/600 round ammo box options vice single 100 rnd cans.

I have yet to find these in 1/48th scale in an aftermarket resin, but I am keeping my eyes out.  

Heavyarty, Gino pointed me in the right direction for some really great 1/35th scale GAU-21's as well as other armament I need fo rthe UH-1N model thats on the bench now.

after removing the kit barrell, I used my pin vice with a .06 drill so I could fit the new parts.

some gun metal MM, and a light wash of titanium MM metalizer

The receivers are not the best looking, and there is a wolfpack upgrade set I am trying to source, that has some nice gun upgrades in it, so when I get that I will for sure include that build in my next 53E.

The glosscoat is dry and decaling shall commence.......if I can find those damn reading glasses......

Coming along nicely.  The AM barrels do add a lot to the guns.

Fuselage and decaling update:

I applied my glosscoat and allowed it to dry for two days prior to beginning the decal phase of the build.  There are a ton of decals for this kit.  More placards than I remember on the actual aircraft!! 

This aircraft is an early LGG/DDG version with flat black modexing.  This is what my marine buddy requested.

I had one VHF antenna give up on me, I will reattach with a wire base, it is on the tunnel cowlings back by the tail pylon, I knew it was weak when I put it on....I should've known better....

More pictures tonight of the final decaling as it has taken me two days just to do all of the decals I felt he wanted and could see in the gray/gray scheme.

Next weathering and the washes, to give it that fleet 53E look....!!

r/Gy

Weekend update:

Well things were interesting on the 53E this weekend.  I noticed that not one, but all my decals bubbled up?  I used a basecoat of future floor wax, and did not like the gloss / semi gloss it had.  So after a three day dry on the future, I went over it with plain old testors glosscoat out of a can.  Let that dry 24 hours, and I decaled the airframe.  Decals were applied with water, and micro-sol were needed, and dried.  Decals sat for 3 days, before I applied another glosscoat (testors spraycan again) to seal in my decals prior to weathering.

When I got the model back on the bench I noticed the black walkways the most, but almost every decal bubbled.  I was able to use some microsol and get them to lay flat again.  The walkways were the worst, I really think I am going to airbrush those next time anyways.

But I have never had a bubbling issue with using the testors system for decaling.  Glosscoat, microset/microsol, glosscoat to seal, weather, pastels, oil wash, then a testors dullcoat for the final topcoat.  In the pics below you can see some of the decals.  Very dissapointed, but tried my best to save the build.

I have the final pics to post tonight as everything is dry and assy ready to be boxed up for my SgtMaj friend.  Read over some of the "How to's" on the forum for photography and I will shoot some pics utilizing those tips.

r/Gy Dan

oh.....and I think I can practice a lot and get one of these builds to look good

by the time I am thru these, I should be able to nail one of em! 

can you say plastiholic...

Gy

Most excellent.  I've been wanting to do a Vietnam  jolly green giant.  I see you have 2 revell kits. Any interest in parting with one? 

So here is the build prior to shipping it out to the SgtMaj.  I learned a lot on this build.  I am going bck to my roots in some of the processes I used when I was building full time years ago.  But, I am now comfortable with all of the AM items available now to us in the hobby today.  Resin parts and PE are not as mysterious a beast as I thought.  

Learning, practicing, patience is the key.  I see a lot of little issues with the build, seams, places I could have done better with weathering etc.  But overall I enjoyed this 53E very much.  I have another one on the bench already, as well as the 1/35th scale UH-1N, which I am very excited to get going on and with Gino sending me some parts, its going to have the armament my buddy asked for!

Thanks all for the encouragement as well as hints and helpful thoughts, it is all much appreciated.

r/Gy

She came out looking awesome.  I'm sure the SgtMaj will love it.  Great job.

Excellent work. I need to build one of those. Unfortunately, I can't find any in stock anywhere. Someone must be hording them. 

BK

Beautiful! 

I see that I'm not the only one who tried the Future Floor wax to gloss over the kit before applying the decals and was not totally pleased with the outcome on my F-105 "Thud". I'll put some more MicroSol on the affected decals but I'll definitely stick to the Testors GlossCote, MicroSol, DullCote technique for my next project which has worked so well for me. All in all this has turned out to be a great looking "Jolly Green Giant". Semper Fi, Gunny

Hey Gunny !

 Don't you wish folks would stop calling you that? Naw, It doesn't bother me any. The bird is gorgeous and definitely has the right lettering on it! Bravo, Gunny !

Never get tired of being called Gunny!  Best Rank in the Marine Corps!!  (IMHO)

Thanks for the feedback it was a fun build!  Starting a CH-53A next in shiny gloss Marine Corps Green, should be fun!

r/Gunz

Gunny Dan

Never get tired of being called Gunny!  Best Rank in the Marine Corps!!  (IMHO)

Thanks for the feedback it was a fun build!  Starting a CH-53A next in shiny gloss Marine Corps Green, should be fun!

r/Gunz

 

Oooohrahhh! Semper Fi Gunny