1/35 USCG MH-60J Jayhawk Conversion

Thanks.  I already have the decals covered.  Joseph Osborne of Fireball Modelworks scaled up his 1/48th MH/HH-60J Jayhawk decals for me.  They look awesome.

I made some more progress last night and will post some more pics soon.

Off to a great start. always good to start with some putty and scratch building. Builds character!!

I'll be watching for the next update!!

Rounds Complete!!

I guess the interim ones, updated HH-60Js w/guns and armor on the crew door, are being labeled as MH-60Js.  You can see it on the tail of the Elizabeth City bird below.  This one is my major reference.  There are 62 pics of it at Prime Portal.  Mine will be an MH from Clearwater CGAS though.

I should have some more pics up today.  Working on the interior now.

Here is the latest progress.  I have finished closing in the fuselage and added rivet details and cut out the steps.  I also added the rooftop hard points for the ESSS wing connections and fairings around the landing gear and door cargo opening.

On the inside, I cut out all the mounting points in the floor using a template someone posted at one of the helo sites, sorry I don't remember who.  Then I sheethed the floor using lead foil and pressed it into the openings.  Then I placed small rings using the insulation off of copper wire into each.  The instrument panel, console, and collectives are from the CC set.  I added the extended glare shield to the kit glare shield as well.  The floor under the pilots seats was opened to show the radio bays.  And a map case was made from sheet styrene.  One rudder pedal went AWOL, so I made one out of styrene to replace it.

Lastly, I have added the details to the sliding port side windows and starboard cargo door.

Next up are the rear cabin details.

Gino - Nice custom work...can't wait to see the cockpit work.

Rounds Complete!!

HeavyArty wrote:

Mine will be an MH from Clearwater CGAS though.

Here is the latest update.  I have completed the construction of the rear cabin.  The side walls, roof, and rear wall are all scratch.  The radio rack is as well.

I also added various access panels on the fuselage.

And the tail fold hinges, which does not fold by the way.

I have strated painting the interior.  I hope to have some more pictures as I get the interior done soon.  I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for looking.

Looking good Gino...Can't wait to see more.

Charlie

Gino - Nice scratch details. In this work of AM accessories the art of scratch building is sometimes lost.

Nice radio rack. The little access panels had to be a .

Always love your cockpit work....waiting to see that next.

Rounds Complete!!

More progress over the last week or so.  I have laid the paint on the interior and started adding details.  I forgot to take pics before starting to install the interior, so this is the best I have. 

Staboard inner wall with hoist controls.

Port side w/interior installed.  The web seat is made out of lead foil and styrene rod.  The crew seats along the back wall are the left over pilots seats with new frames and Eduard PE belts. 

Cockpit with Cobra Company seats, instrument panel, center console, and collectives and cyclic handles.  All detail painting done by hand.

Roof and overhead console.  The air duct work is done in A & B putty.

Finally, the scratch-built rescue basket.  Made out of 0.020 brass rod soldered and super glued together, bridal viel toole for the mesh bottom, and A & B putty for the flotation rolls on either end.

Hope you like it.  Now onto painting all the gear to go inside.  Thanks for looking.

Excellent work Gino, I really like the lead foil you used for the seats. I have been thinking of what to use to build the bench seats seeing none of the model manufactures build very good bench seats. Where did you get the lead foil? The next helicopter model I will definitely build my own bench seats.

Again, great work and can't wait to see more, but also understand it takes a lot of time doing out of the box detailing.

Charlie

Gino - The seats are good, the radio rack, is very good, the controls are excellent but the basket is FANTASTIC!!!!!

I am totally in awe. Nice work!

Rounds Complete!!

AWESOME HeavyArty , you guy's with your 1/35 scale Helicopter builds leave me speachless . The amount of detail work that goes on is truly incredible .

                                               Kindest regards John

Thanks guys.  The basket was a pain in the @$$ to get together and it isn't perfectly square, but I like how it turned out.  This is a fun project, I really like adding all the extra details inside.

Where did you get the lead foil?

It is from the neck of a wine bottle, a nice Tuscany, 2001 vintage I believe...  Unfortunately, I brought just the foil with me to Iraq, not the full bottle. 

I'll put up another update when the interior is complete with gear and all.

Great scratch building job!  Impressive!  I really need to give up this "life" and get my "old" one back when I used to tackle jobs like that!  I built the turkey featherless afterburner cans (162 pieces per can) for an old Monogram 1/48th F-15A back in the mid 80's and never finished the model.  I only have 20 plus such projects incomplete! King of the Porcrastinators! 

Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing your "skills" with us! 

Thanks Mel.  Glad you like it.  Here is the latest. 

The interior is done.  Here it is before I sealed it up.  Of course you can only see about half the details after its closed up.  Oh well, I know its all there.

Rescue Basket

The rest of the gear.

OK... I still LOVE the basket. It is the highlight of the interior!!!

As far as what you can see....yep that happens, but you know it's there...thats what counts. We have seen it there....thats a bonus.

Looks great.

Rounds Complete!!

Having just gone thru this thread and trying to think of something intelligent to say about your build Gino, only to draw a blank. I guess that all I can muster up for a response is:

WOW!!

Man, I sure wish that I could do rotors! Your builds taking shape sure are fun and interesting  to watch!

Sheeze.

Latest update.  I have closed it up and finished the fuselage. I built the External Stores Support System (ESSS) wings out of scrap resin pour blocks, sanded and shaped to the correct pofiles.

Starboard side ESSS and extended hoist mount.

Port Side.

The radar nose used the Academy weather radar out of teh MH-60G kit.  I scratched the mount out of sheet styrene.

Underside details.

Tail anti-collision skid.

Next up is the rear landing gear, external fuel tanks,  and reshaping the main rotor blade roots and adding hinge details.

Gino -

The lost art of scratch building....the sign of a REAL modeller! Nice details. This one is a keeper!!

Watching this is giving me the feeling for a helio for my build next.....It won't be anything like this but as usual you give me insperation!!

Rounds Complete!!

Thanks Mike.  It is coming along.  I think I am in the home stretch now.  Currently working on the external fuel tanks.  I love scratch-building too.

Come on, you know you want to do a helo.  I dare you to start one...  

OK...I'll take you up on it. Sitting at the bench I looked over and decided after the build I am currntly working on, I take myself back in time and build the Dragon "Loach".

It will take me back to the AO days of artillery!! Mark it down

Thanks for the push

Rounds Complete!!

Sounds good.  The Egg is always a fun build.  Good luckon it.

I finished the fuel tanks up last night.  I'll post some more pics soon.