Here is my progress on reshaping the tailboom section of MRC/Academy's 1/35th AH-1W. The testbed kit I am working on is a Cobra that my dad built for me while I was on active duty. After a few years of being at home, the skids kept breaking off, etc. So I am giving it a complete overhaul with wire skids and a new paintjob -- and also experimenting with some shaping techniques to give it a more accurate profile. Hopefully I can develop a shaping technique that I will use in all of my future Whiskey builds.
I have always sensed something "off" with the MRC tailboom.... I eventually decided that it was a tad too skinny, as well as too flat on the bottom.
I started by laminating two narrow strips of sheet styrene to the belly of the tailboom, then filling in and rounding off the corners with Squadron green putty to achieve a thicker, more rounded look for the tailboom. I also sawed off the elevators, and will be moving them up higher on the boom, which should be a little more accurate as well. I am not 100% satisfied with the shape yet, but I do think it is improving. I may throw a coat of primer on it to judge the shape better, and see if it needs to go thicker. Questions and comments welcome.
Andy