I have alot of scratchbuilding ahead of me (Academy CH-53E) FINISHED!

SSgtD6152 wrote:

Say, Hi to Frank the Crank for me. And I'f you do not know who that is just ask all of your SSgt's Lol

Hey I was a 6152 when they gave us the green weenie on the ospreys I jumped at the chance to be a crew chief.

But its not like crewing a phrog I miss them old farts.

uh oh, I angered the SSgt.  It's a good thing I transfered to the 1st Civ Div. 

I know the guys who got hit pretty well.  Sgt Charlie B's (then a Corporal) facial wounds heeled nicely.  He's still in and doing well.  He's a new father.  PFC Fergie (then a Corporal) got out with some disability, because his leg was pretty badly torn up.  He's going to school now. 

I never got to use the field showers.  Eventually I got to Al Kut and one of our more industrious Gunny's set up a camping shower he got in the mail.  He also perfected field BBQ.  We used sheet stainless steel for a skillet.  We set fire to wood in an old Iraqi airforce filing cabinet.  He bought animals out in Al Kut and had them slaughtered.  This all happened well before the insergency.  I don't think anybody could get away with that kind of stuff in Iraq now. 

I finished my Christmas Gift build, so I'm back to working on my 53.  There are so many decals it'll drive you nuts. 

Semper Fi,

Chris  

ridleusmc wrote:

OH NO, 16 Dropped a Blade.  I left the squadron back in April, and 16's blade fold system worked fine before I left.  No I wasn't with HMM-263, I got to go to Africa instead.  I'd consider it a lucky break, because I didn't take any mortar fire in Africa.  I'm going to make 16 in it's 2003 (OIF I) markings.  OIF 1 was about the busiest time for HMH-464 operating from Al Kut and Jalibah.  Our one squadron put up 999 flight hours in one month.  We got more done than all of the west coast 53E squadrons put together.   I personally went 30 days without a shower.  Semper Fi, Chris

 Well we had a bad thunderstorm hit and the wind was kicking up, I dont know why but the guys went out to fold the blades and thats when it happend probably going to fast trying to get it done and they missed something and bam it was looking pretty sad

Yeah djubuti was a much better place to be than al taqqadum! that one rocket attack we had landed about 15 feet from the one 53 wounded to of your guys cant remember who it was right now but one was a leg the other was in the jaw .... I hate IRAQ

I was at jalibah in 03 and I remember when they opened up the field showers then after you were done the nice long walk back to the tents you became a suger cookie in the damn sand storms hahah

I also remember you guys were changind a lot of them T56s jalibah

take it easy I have to get my wife to buy me the 53 to add to the collection

Say, Hi to Frank the Crank for me. And I'f you do not know who that is just ask all of your SSgt's Lol

ridleusmc wrote:

We got more done than all of the west coast 53E squadrons put together.   I personally went 30 days without a shower.  Semper Fi, Chris

Duoo, now that was a kick in the nuts. My Capt is calling you all kinds of name right now.

OH NO, 16 Dropped a Blade.  I left the squadron back in April, and 16's blade fold system worked fine before I left. 

No I wasn't with HMM-263, I got to go to Africa instead.  I'd consider it a lucky break, because I didn't take any mortar fire in Africa. 

I'm going to make 16 in it's 2003 (OIF I) markings.  OIF 1 was about the busiest time for HMH-464 operating from Al Kut and Jalibah.  Our one squadron put up 999 flight hours in one month.  We got more done than all of the west coast 53E squadrons put together.   I personally went 30 days without a shower. 

Semper Fi,

Chris 

Hey man Im new here but Im a former phrog airframer now im a crew chief on the V-22 and im with VMM-162  so im in there old hanger which 464 shares.

 I was with HMM-263 had alot of 464 guys come out with us to iraq in 04-05 had a lot of friends down there.

anyway If you floated with us cool if not so be it.

 If you guys need some pictures of the 53's Im sure I could get some snap shots of the interior for you.

Oh and I see your making A/C 16 Ill have to check the buno but 16 had a blade fold incident last thursday fwd blade tip was on the deck and the root was still attached to the head!

Im looking at picking up this shi@$er and building it so im here to learn been out of models for a while

later

johnny

I stand corrected, that resin set looks awesome, especially the bulkhead.  Regarding your stick time, how'd she handle? 

I should mention that I'm taking time away from my 53 to work on a Christmas request for a friend.  It's painted Futured and ready for decals.   

Semper Fi,

Chris

ridleusmc wrote:

no, I didn't see that the Cobra Company had anything.  I'd love to take a look at it.  I will say this, Academy's accuracy on the dial, switches and gauges on the consoles and control panels are increadibly accurate.  It would be hard to improve on the consoles. Semper Fi, Chris

O' I got stick time last week in a Chitter.

no, I didn't see that the Cobra Company had anything.  I'd love to take a look at it.  I will say this, Academy's accuracy on the dial, switches and gauges on the consoles and control panels are increadibly accurate.  It would be hard to improve on the consoles.

Semper Fi,

Chris

Texas was fun, but now I'm back and did some landing gear work on my 53.  These Reinforcement labels, which I never use, are perfect wheel masks for the CH-53E Tires.  What a happy coincidence. 

Semper Fi,

Chris

Sorry Avus, I can't hurry up.  I have to take a weeks trip to Texas, and then I have to build a Hellcat before Christmas.  I'm not going to put the 53 away, but the hellcat is really going to slow things up. 

Today I did some blade work.  I just added a metalic strip to the leading edge.  Most of this strip will get covered with electrical tape, which looks in scale like the protective blade tape that goes on the leading edges of the blades.  I also sprayed some future to get it ready for decals. 

You may notice the dark grey cowling on the #3 engine nacelle.  Often Marine CH-53E Squadrons would get parts painted for Navy MH-53E aircraft.  Sometimes they wouldn't get painted.  Unfortunately, I have a great picture to illustrate this, but it's not in digital form. 

Would you please speed up your work: can't wait to see it finished!

Just kidding, take your time in order to have your model become a great build, as it alredy promises to be.
(Now what the heck did I just write?!)

It's been a while.  I need more time to finish this thing.  The main rotor head has been the subject of my latest toil.  It got some paint, and a few more hydraulic lines.  The best thing I could find to use for the bungees that hold some of the lines in place when the head is turning was masking tape.  The blades of CH-53E's are color coded to facilitate maintenance.  I painted masking tape to the appropriate colors, and then placed strips of tape in the proper spot. 

#1 Blade Red , #2 - Blue, #3-Yellow, #4-Orange, #5-Green, #6-White, #7-Black.  The order runs counter clockwise.  This anagram helps, Remember Bring Your Own Gun With Bullets. The Tail blades are also color Coded.  But I don't know an anagram for that. 

Semper Fi,

Chris

Sorry, it's been a few days.  Progress has been slow due to a trip to Chicago (Great Town) and the GF.  Masking and painting has been tedious, but I'm finally ready to start shooting future onto my machine.  I used Tamiya TS-32 Haze grey for the darker upper surfaces.  I plan to add some "Touch ups" with a lighter shade of grey than the XF-19 base coat.  Note the lighter grey rectangles on the Nose, Tail, and fuselage.  These areas are where the modexes and squadron identifiers are located.  These markings are often painted and repainted.  The new paint is always lighter than the old stuff, hence the light patches. 

Semper Fi,

Chris

Hey Brian,

It does look like a cow doesn't it.  Perhaps I can sell the idea of a heavy lift Dairy assault ship to the Wisconsin National Guard. 

You should definately post some pics of your Delta.  You'd be helping people out with pictures of your scratchbuilding.  I thought your layout was pretty cool and interesting, and I know there are other people turning the Revell CH-53G into a CH-53D.  I think people would definately be interested, and could get some insight from your work and expertise.

Mel, I'm glad I could help out with those A-Frame pics.  The more pics I look at, the more I regret not building one up.  Then again, I was starting to get sick of working on that interior.  As far as the A&P stuff goes,  I'm going to a test prep coarse in mid October, and I just had a job offer.  I don't want to say too much about it now, but it's looking good.   

It got some grey on the thing today.  I finally chose Tamiya's XF-19 Sky Grey.  I used XF-20 Medium Grey on my 1/72 scale CH-53E from 3 years ago, but XF-19 looks more appropriate in 1/48 scale.  Tomorrow, I'll be giving it some more coats of grey, and I'll start painting the engine Nacells, EAPS, Aux Tanks, and the ramp.  I haven't attached those parts yet to ease the painting process.  I was only able to take one pic because the camera battery died.

Semper Fi

Chris

Hey Chris,

glad your UN idea was a joke. But..with this new look it would fit into the commercial....eat mo' chicken....LOL

pls keep the updates coming.  [my -53 is showing some progress- i'm trying to get the nerve to post]

brian.

The "Hell Hole" is about 3 feet long and 2 feet wide.  The dimentions of the kit panel looked right, so I didn't change it.  It's that flat panel that had one hole in it that I filled. 

When doing a single point external lift, a pendant-hook would be hung from that A-frame, through the hell hole and out of the bottom of the helicopter.  The Pendant-hook was stored in a large "hook box" on the forward left corner of the cabin, just under the left hand gunner's window (A/O window).  The wench was used to raise the pendant hook back into the cabin after the external lift was over.  Unfortunately, I didn't take any reference pictures of the Pendant-hook before I left the Marine Corps.  Hopefully that gives you some clues about the usage of the external lifting system, but feel free to ask again if I didn't answer your question. 

I didn't get much done today.  My plan was to get the base coats on, but I only got as far as preshading.  I didn't preshade any panel lines.  Those can wait until later.  Instead, I just sprayed the exhausts and any areas that I wanted to show shadows.  I made sure to get the screens that are there to keep internal components cool. 

I was just kidding about that UN thing.  Now it looks like a Leopard finish.

Semper Fi,

Chris   

You had me worried for a minute!  White whale!  UN bird!   

Thanks for posting the pictures of the "A" frame.  I can see the "ear" for the extra single arm to attach and stablize the frame for fore an aft movement.  The "A" frame would be a good detail to add.  How big an open area are we talking about in the cabin floor the main hook protudes from?  Is the main hook on a pendant line also?  Also what is the purpose of the crank on the "A" frame.  I dug out my old Revell CH-53D I had planned on making a Super Jolly Green out of and surveyed the work I had started years ago.  Only had made about 9 of the almost 30 ribs for the interior.  Nuts, huh!  I should start work back on it and then the CH-53E would be a piece of cake! 

ridleusmc wrote:

I put some primer on the 53 today, and it looks so good that I have changed my plans.  It's such an awesome white whale, that I have decided to keep it white and give it UN markings. HA, Just kidding.  I'll start painting the Tactical Grey and blue this weekend.  Semper Fi Chris

I kick your @$$ if you did that!!!  I say with the U.N.

She is looking good. What do you say about a week, week and 1/2 to getter dune.

I put some primer on the 53 today, and it looks so good that I have changed my plans.  It's such an awesome white whale, that I have decided to keep it white and give it UN markings.

HA, Just kidding.  I'll start painting the Tactical Grey and blue this weekend. 

Semper Fi

Chris

Yeah,

I have a couple pictures.  This first one is of the A-Frame stowed on the cabin overhead.  This A-Frame folds down and then hooks to a rod that folds down from the other side.  I do not have pics of the rod, but it is just a simple steel rod which is about 3 feet long.  This A-Frame is located directly under the Main Gear box, which is directly under the main rotor head.  This is essentially the lifing center of the aircraft.  The A-Frame is often concielled by the overhead soundproofing.   

Here the A-Frame is hanging down into the cabin over the "Hell hole."  Unfortunately It doesn't show the bar that folds down from about 3 feet ahead of the single point A-Frame that stabalizes it from movement forward and aft.   

Hey Guys,

I got a little bit more done today.  Hopefully it'll get primered soon.  I decided to go with white primer because the final finish is going to be gray, and it may be easier to use white primer.  The line added to the fuel probe is the air line used to extend the probe.  The probe uses bleed air from the #3 engine to extend and retract the fuel probe.   

It's pretty much been about preping for paint.  It looks weird with a black nose and yellow escape hatches. 

I'm going to add a couple little things to the tail disconnect area, but it's pretty much ready for paint. 

Semper Fi,

Chris

Thanks for the answer ridleusmc. Your build is looking always better can't wait to see it done.

No need to say to keep us posted!

I did a couple more things today.  The belly has some errors with the locations and orientations of the external lifing hooks. 

First off is the single point hook isn't even visible with the center cabin floor door closed.  The single point external hook is actually in the cabin.  It hangs from an A-Frame in the cabin.  The A-Frame folds up into the cabin overhead when it's not in use, and the hell hole door (center cabin floor door) is opened.  To correct this, I simply omitted the kit's single point (center) hook, and filled the hole with putty. 

Second:  The Dual point external cargo hooks are modeled by Academy hanging down in the position they'd be in during an external lift.  Usually they are stowed folded up.  I added the rail they're mounted on from evergreen plastic rod.  Then I glued the hooks up.  The open end of the hooks should point tword the front and the rear of the aircraft.  The open ends should not point tword each other.  The swing rail should be on the centerline of the aircraft. 

On the top of the transition section I added a GPS antennea.  We'd often refer to it as the "Coffee Can."  I just used a piece of the thick sprue that the parts from this model came on. 

Semper Fi,

Chris

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the insight on the private aviation world.  I'm happy that I finally scheduled a time and a place for my test.  I'm going to one of those quicky test prep coarses.  I see aviation jobs advertised all the time, so I don't think I'll have too much trouble finding a job.  I want to avoid moving from Northeast Ohio, but I will if I have too. 

I've made some progress on the 53.  It doesn't look like much, but the seams are filled and the panel lines are rescribed.  I'm going to have to dedicate alot of time and effort to the detail pieces and painting, so I don't think I'm close.  Baby steps, Baby steps. 

I found it hard to "Future Dip" the nosepiece, because it's quite a large piece.  So, I held it over a container with forceps and squirted it all over with Future.  Then I painted the inside of the upper windows with Tamiya Clear Green.  Then I masked all the windows and painted the outside of the nosepiece with black, because the cockpit interior is black all over.  Next on the chopping block is the cockpit escape hatches (pilot and copilot side windows).  They already have the Future treatment.  They need some masking and painting.   

Semper Fi,

Chris

J.H. Primm wrote:

...There is a narrow minded bias against helo mechs in the fixed wing world, especially when it comes to large aircraft. Namely  that if a person had experience working on helicopters then they wouldn't know their way around  fixed wing, which is a crock of crap, especially when a person has worked on larger helos (53's, 47s, and 46s)....

I know a guy who went from CH-46's to OV-1's and when he did his frist flight control bearing inspection, he actually accessed the bearings and they were in HORRIBLE condition for a helo guy.  He got in trouble because the control surfaces moved freely with no binding or restrictions before he started and that satisfied the inspection requirements on the Mohawk.

It is a little bit different from one to the other but it is really a simple transition.  I think that helo guys just need to unlearn a few things to avoid "overinspecting" in the fixed wing world.

Mac