1/35 CH-47D Chinook ... Finished, APR 2011

YES! ... All paints should be thinned, especially for brush painting. The trick to brush painting to not to get too itchy to get it done. When working with thinnned acrylics, keep the idea of "layers" in mind. That's why I like acrylics as much as I do. Depending on how you thin them, each layer will give a suttle change and you should be able to see your brush strokes when you start painting. No matter what the brand, or what I thin them with (acrylic thinner, window cleaner, distilled water) I typically thin them to the consistency of milk. But, however you thin them, if you're paint comes out really "watery" and tries to bead up, you've either thinned it too much or put down too much paint .... or both.

Feel free to ask away ....  hope it's helping.

That helps a lot. Maybe I'm trying to get too much coverage in one coat.

I'll give it a shot this weekend.

Sorry for hi-jacking the thread so much.

No problem at all, Griffin ... Glad I could help. Just be patient and don't try to cover everything in one coat ... or even two!

Got a little more work done on this one this morning. I'm trying to finish up two projects at the same time, so this one took a back burner the past couple days ....

I finished up the armorment for the A/C with 3x M240 machine guns. One on the ramp and one in each door. The one on the ramp comes from the Trumpeter M240/ 25mm Chain Gun kit and the other two come from Dragon's Modern Machine Gun kit. I had to scratch the cradles and steal the butterfly handles from various kits, but I'm pleased with the finished product. After posting this, I'm off to the paint booth for a coat of NATO black, a little wash, and then dry brushing.

Here's the ramp ....

And the two door guns ...

Once these guns are finished up, I'm going to turn my attention to the rotor heads ..... As always, all C&C welcome.

The weapons look really nice.  I see one small issue with them though.  Usually, the M240D does not have the bipod attached.  If it is attached, it attaches to the gas tube lug where it meets the barrel.  You have yours attached at the ring where the carrying strap attaches.

M240D w/o bipod

M240G w/bipod in proper location

Lookin' good.  I like the stains on the ramp.

I know what you mean about finishing up.  I'm trying to complete my trio of 160th dios...

What were the other two projects you were doing?

Take care,

Austin

Always good to have your expert ear, Heavy! Thanks for pointing that out..... I actually knew better now that I think about it. That's what I get for trying "remember", HAHAH!!!! Many of the reference pictures that I have show the 240 with the bipod on. So, that's why I went with it. Not too late to fix it, so thanks again for pointing that out.....

Austin, thanks for the kudos .... This build is one of the two. The other that I'm working on is a large-scale Deyun SF figure. I'm trying to paint it in Multicam and its a HUGE pita! You can find it in the Figures section ....

I also have about 3-4 other builds that I REALLY would like to finish up before moving on to something new. I just keep procrastinating. I think after I finish up these two, I'm going to ressurect my F-117 build and finish it off .....

There are a few pics on PG 8 that i posted of the rotor heads, if you need more let me know.

I got them saved ... and you can bet that I'm using them as reference!!! Thanks again!!!

I have been following this thread for awhile. With this much detail did you ever think of lighting up the display or the helicopter itself?

Thanks, Auto ... I appreciate the comments (and your following of the build!)

If you're talking about putting this in a lit display case when it's done, then yes, that's exactly what I'm doing. But lighting the model as in lighting the interior, etc ... well, it's long past that now. I had originally thought about doing that and possibly spinning the props, but in the end I just thought that would detract from the overall focus. The Chinook is nice, but it's not SUPPOSED to be the focus of the dio ... the action going on in the rear near the ramp is the "story".

Thanks for posting and following .... I'm really trying to get back and finish this one up, but I've had a build pop up that must be done and completed in a short period of time.

Stay tuned though ... I'll be back on it soon!!!

Awesome attention to detail mate. The 47 is one of my favourite big lifters, Australia doesnt use them as much anymore like when i was a boy, so it is rare to see them. We have taken to the Blackhawks for troop deployment.

Look forward to the projects continuing success

Alrighty ... I'm through tinkering around with this one .... I just got back home from an extended business trip and this unfinished project was literally the first thing that I saw when I walked in the door. I'll be buckling down and finishing up the build this week. Not too much left to do .... just need to finish up the rotor heads, last few touches on the weathering, finish up the fingures, and touch up the base.

Thanks again for all those that have been following .... and your patience along the way!

MC! about bloody time you finished this off!

UPDATE!!!! What's going on?

(By the way, you're not going to enter that in ModelMania are ya? If so i'm in deeeeep trouble.)

HAHAHA!!! Thanks Mike. Unfortunately, I'm not going to make the Model Mania show. Going to be out of town and it looks like it's the only show that I WAS going to make this year. BOOOOOOoooooo..... Such is life I guess.

Been doing a lot more work than these pictures lead on ... I'm finding that it's very hard to take pictures of this thing. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm going to have to set up a sheet or something as a back drop. Might have to bring in my work lights from the garage too ... Good GRIEF!!

Got the rotors all done. Added some colors and then gave them an oil wash to "nasty" things up.

Here's the A/C all done. Just need start sealing it with a flat, clear coat ... (sorry for the crappy pictures ... It's HARD to shoot pics of this thing....)

That's all for now ... All C&C welcome. Thanks again for following....

Howdy MC,

I didn't check this thread for some time, now I did it turns out I had a good timing, just to see a major update! It's looking really good, the time it took was really worth IMO.

I also get problems sometimes, while photographing my details - my camera seems to prefer the background to focus on and the background is sharp and the details blurry. It needs a lot of tweaking to get right in such case...

Anyhow - good luck finishing this one and have a nice day

Paweł

HAHA .... Thanks Pawel. I'm glad I was able to make your day with an update. :)

I'm that much closer ... A/C is sprayed with flat seal and all masking has been removed. Got a couple of spot to touch up, but nothing too crazy.

*** One BIG question I had though, and I'm not too sure how I over looked it, was if the top/ canopy windows in the cockpit were smoked or tinted? I know that some of the A models had green tint, but I've only been able to find two fairly clear photos from the inside of a D model pit that shows that they were not tinted at all. Just curious if it's just one of those things that some are and some aren't. If so, I might lightly remask and tint these ... just for yet another detail.

Besides the needed touchups, the only thing left on the A/C is to wash and dust the rubber tires. ... Thinking now I should have just built the wheels and recast them early on in the project. ... .I hate rubber wheels.

Will be posting further update pics later today .... thank again for following and stay tuned.....

WOW!!!

Great attention to detail!

Would be cool to get a pic of the model in the foreground and a real CH-47 in the background!

Subscribed!

James

Top windows are also clear. 

From the right side (co-pilot) seat looking up.

HeavyArty

Top windows are also clear. 

From the right side (co-pilot) seat looking up.

Maybe one of the greatest posts ever .... Why??? ... cause it means no extra work for me!!! HAHAHA!!!! Thanks a million, Heavy! From the looks of the pic you posted, looks like I missed some interior detail though ... cables, window/ hatch levers ... oh well. That's why they mass produce models .... so you get a 2nd, or even a 3rd chance at them!!! But, I think that if I do another 1/35 Hook, it's going to be an MH-E or G model .... Sure wish I knew of an new news on that MH conversion kit Storm Miniatures was working on ....

Got all the work done in the A/C last night .... tires, wheels ..... DONE. Now it's just the figures .....

Will try to take pictures today, but I have to get with my neighbor to borrow is garage work lights!

Lookin great! I was trying to find a photo of the blades to show how they weather and I came across this one that I took trying out some new settings on the camera. It was the only one I had that shows the hollow Vertical Hinge Pin. I don't know if the kit doesn't have this due to the weight of the blade or what. I figured I would put it on here in the event you decide to do another hook one day.

[View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0]

Aww man! You're not gonna make it? That sucks. We'll have to get together another time I guess. The Chinook looks great by the way!

Yeah ... doesn't look like I'm going to make it. Sucks ...

... You want to take it for me?

Thanks again everyone for the comments .... got busy today so I didn't get the chance to take more pictures. Plus, I'm still trying to figure out just how to do it! ... Need to dig in the closet and find the white bed sheet ....

Will be sure to post pics in the morning.

modelchasm

Yeah ... doesn't look like I'm going to make it. Sucks ...

... You want to take it for me?

Thanks again everyone for the comments .... got busy today so I didn't get the chance to take more pictures. Plus, I'm still trying to figure out just how to do it! ... Need to dig in the closet and find the white bed sheet ....

Will be sure to post pics in the morning.

Lol!! Take my biggest threat to win. Hmmmm. I've always wondered why they put the Osprey in the helicopter catagory. I know it's both but, that's a tough catagory.

I'll let you put it in the "dio" catagory while you take home the "helo" trophy! HAHA!!!

.... Now where's that dang white sheet!!!!...

LOL!!! That'll work. Not really sure i'll win though. If the helicopter catagory is as strong as it was last year, I don't have a chance in heck.

hi!!! :) i am following your job foar this master kit since you started with!!!! your job is fantastic!!!! i cant wait anymore to see this finished!!!! excuse for this but, ''why this long delay of the project''???? :-P (dont misunderstand my comment,i;m telling you this because your job is wonderfull and i cant wait this to be finished!!!!!!!)  keep up the good job!! :)

hi model chasm!!!! are you allright in your health??? sorry to mention that but you have not activitysince last april!!!! i'm worried!!!

Yeah I haven't heard from him in a while either. Hope you're doing ok.

Sorry for such a long delay guys .....

guitar, thanks for you enthusiasim in the build. I'm doing well, but am currently deployed to Afghanistan which explains my long absence. I took off not too long after this thread went stale.

Medic ... thanks for continuing to look in brother ... how did things go at the show???

The "hook" project was complete before I left. I took some pictures, but never got them loaded up. I only have a couple of the finished build, but I'll be home for leave in a couple months and will be sure to take more while I'm home. I'll try to get the ones that I have saved on my computer loaded and posted up ....

Thanks again for checking in and following this build. I'm doing well here, thank you for asking. I brought a few modeling supplies with me, but the only time I have is about 5 seconds to stare at them and wish I was building back home.

Take care and I'll post up pics as soon as I can..... Good to "see" you guys .... Take care.