WIP Tree Phrog - Academy CH-46A/D Sea Knight 1/48

Is this finished. I flew in 46's in Vietnam and just starting to build one.

Chris

The black basing and paint marbling really add to the tonal variation just like the real thing. Sorry about the paint lifting, that's a bummer. For that same issue I restrict my paint and primer selection to those strictly designed for modeling such as solvent based primers from Alclad, Tamiya, etc that will provide excellent bonding qualities. Sure they are more expensive but no unwanted surprises with them.

Academy decals are notorious for issues but you did a great job with them. I recommend using Solvaset which is extra strong and does a heck of a job. You could use a new #11 blade and lightly score the silvered areas then apply the Solvaset. You'll be surprised how much silvering you can get rid off. 

A friend bought a built 1/48 Tomcat on ebay in the black VX4 markings. The build and paint were good but man the decals had tons of silvering and specially showed over the black paint. I used my method and got rid of at least 95% of the silvering.

Your finished model looks fantastic so well done. 

ridleusmc

I can give that a go!  Honestly, I usually don't have problems with decals.  I seem to struggle with Academy decals for some reason.  

Not just you, Academy decals are generally garbage unless they're Cartograf. Anyway, great looking model and thanks for posting as it's helped me out with the color of the rotor blades.

Excellent work Chris. As a Marine veteran that has had the priviledge of riding in a CH-46, I want to say 'Thank you' for putting this Phrog together.

Hmmm;

 I like Phrogs a lot . I have two in the stash . Maybe I'll get up off my duff and build one .  I have that Big French bird to build first !

I can give that a go!  Honestly, I usually don't have problems with decals.  I seem to struggle with Academy decals for some reason.  

Nice looking kit.  If I may be so bold to offer a suggestion, try putting a puddle of Future down before placing the decal.  I just did that for my A-36 in progress and the decals worked perfectly.  

John

Thank you Sir,  
I fight Academy kits, but I like the way they look.

That is a good looking 46. It turned out great !

Tom

Lee, Yes Sir, it had a couple of coats of future applied to it.  It was a pretty smooth surface.  I used Micro Set and Micro Sol, and I usually get very good results.  They were just thick and stubborn decals.  I tried to get them settled down by poking holes in them at the points of silvering/bubbles, then adding more Micro Sol.  That method was starting to tear the decals.  So I left it.  I didn't want to get too aggressive.  I decided at some point to give up the fight.  They aren't too terrible, so I can live with them. 

Bruce, Yeah, the 53 is a big beast.  I was surprised to see that the fuselage of the UH-34 was about the same size as sthe 46.  I know the capacity of the 46 is about twice that of the 34.  That seems to be a function of layout and engine power. 

Thanks for looking Gentlemen,

Chris

Chris,

Great job on the 46! It looks outstanding with the back door dropped!  

And thanks for taking a comparison picture. I had no idea the 53 was that much bigger than a 46?

Well done. Did you apply the decals over flat or gloss?

Thanks John, 

You should definately build the helos.  They have a majestic look about them.  It's like they have halo's.  

I think this will be my next project.  It's not a helo, but it keeps with the MAW theme.

20180511_122159 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

Turned out really nice!  Nice collection you have going there of the big ones.   I have couple helo's in the stash.  You're inspiring me to build one.  Great job.

It's time to call this one done.  The decal battles lasted a very long time.  I had to take a vacation from them.  In the end, there was no working out the silvering.  I'm quite happy with the model despite the silvered decals.  If I were to build it again, I'd add some detail forward of the instrument panel.  There's a little area that can be viewed through the front windscreen.  

20180515_010821 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

20180515_010832 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

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The display base is from www.coastalkits.co.uk.  I thought it was worth a try.

20180515_011143 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

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Marine medium helicopters of Vietnam.

20180515_011336 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

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The Rotor-heads of my Marine Air Wing.  We'll call it the 48th MAW.  

20180515_011643 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

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Thanks for looking,

Chris

Thank you Bruce,

I thought I'd give an update.  I'm done applying decals, but I think some of them will need more setting solution.  Academy decals are OK, but they are a bit thick.  They tend to need a few applications of Micro Sol along with some strategic slits from a blade.  The decal placement instructions for this kit could use some improvement.  The general aircraft markings and stencil instructions are on page 9, and the specific aircraft marking instructions are on page 10.  The panel lines on page 9 are inaccurate.  Page 10 appears to be more accurate, but all of the little stencil decals aren't called out.  Overall, I'm happy with my decals, but some of them will take some extra effort to lay flat without silvering. 

20180427_023256 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

20180502_025041 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

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It may be some time before I show any progress.  It's time for a vacation.  

See you soon,

Chris

Seriously?? That is all you have gotten done?? LOL

It looks great with all those stencils! I applaud your effort. This build is really shaping up nicely.

I'm just slowly adding decals.  The left side stencils are done.  The non-skid panels are applied.  There's still alot left to apply.  The stencils and service markings add a great deal of visual interest.  

20180427_023256 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

Thank you Modeler#1.  I'm going to be doing decals for a while.

Wow, really impressive build so far. Love the interior details and experior paint.

Looking forward to seeing it completed.

The decals may take a while.

20180424_012341 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

Thanks Bruce,

I missed your question from before.  The -46 uses GE T58 turboshafts.  They were probably all made in Lynn, Massachusetts.  

Chris,

Sorry hear about the paint peeling. But, I'm confident you'll bounce back quickly. Nice catch on the blades. 

I found a little problem with Academy's kit.  The kit blades have fillets on the leading edge-outboard and trailing edge-outboard corners.  However, all pictures I've seen show them as flat across the outboard tip.  

30688708_2069285830016026_2689178022705379939_n by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

I had already painted the blades, but I couldn't leave them like that.  So, I chopped off the ends.  I don't know if building up the outboard profile would've been more accurate, but it looks more correct now.  

20180420_225056 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

I'll be working to correct my blades and their paint.  

I've been working on painting details.  The ramp got some attention, so did the blades and the tires.  The primer for this project was Rust-Oleum, which was a new thing.  I don't know if the primer fell short or if I didn't clean the parts thoroughly.  I was using Tamiya masking tape.  

20180417_025437 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

20180417_025401 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

20180417_025352 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

Academy's instructions indicate that the undersides of the blades be flat black, and the upper sides of the blades be olive drab.  This didn't strike me as correct, so I asked a facebook group of Marine Corps helicopter veterans.  Most of those gentlemen said flat black all over is appropriate.  However, two gentlemen said that their unit had OD blades.  Several Marines said that their aircraft had at least two blades painted with white stripes on the upper sides (one on the forward head and one on the aft head).  This was to prevent one aircraft from landing in the rotor arc of another in a landing zone.   

I also painted the black area aft of the exhaust.  

20180417_040014 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

20180417_040006 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

Just little bits at a time.  Thanks for looking,

Chris

Thank you Bruce, 

I didn't work it much this weekend.  Family came to town, and the 1:1 scale auto needed attention.  The car will likely cost me more build time when the parts come in on Tuesday or Wednesday, but I enjoy swinging wrenches occasionally.    

-Chris

Chris,

Wow! That interior turned out really nice. I'm looking forward to seeing this one finished! 

Just curious, who makes the engines on the 46?

Definitely starting to look like a 46. It really looks good so far.

Tom

I've been adding paint, a little at a time.  The black basing technique has delivered good results in the past.  I started by lightened my base color, Tamiya Olive Green (XF-58), with Yellow Green (XF-4).  This mix was used to make airbrush squiggles.  

20180411_013300 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

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I layered over the squiggles with thin layers of XF-58.  

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This is the point where I'm happy with the result.

20180413_010536 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

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Thank You for Looking