1/48 C-130 Hercules build-Completed

Good luck with your build, that will turn into a fair size bird once done. If I can find the IFR pods, I'd pick one up to make a Marine KC-130 F/R.

I already did the 1/72 scale, and it's just not big enough, lol.  It will more than likely be the biggest model I do, unless someone comes out with a 1/72 C17. 

And all of a sudden, the 1/72 Italeri C-130H Ive been mustering the courage to build over the last few months seems a wee bit tiny. lol

Following this build.

The 1/72 scale just left something to be desired for me.  I'm used to seeing the C-130's fly over my head, so I get a good view of how big they are.  Our base is switching over to KC-135's missions so the C-130's won't be around near as much.  I'm going to miss seeing them, I feel like I grew up with them in a way. 

Here's a pic of the 1/72 I did.  It is rather plain, but it was my first model. 

Keyda81

The 1/72 scale just left something to be desired for me.  I'm used to seeing the C-130's fly over my head, so I get a good view of how big they are.  Our base is switching over to KC-135's missions so the C-130's won't be around near as much.  I'm going to miss seeing them, I feel like I grew up with them in a way. 

Here's a pic of the 1/72 I did.  It is rather plain, but it was my first model. 

 

Toshi

Nice. Looking forward to watching this come together.  :)

I built that kit for my wife years ago, spent about 6 months just on the flight deck and avionics bay area.  She was a crew chief on a C-130 at Little Rock.  This was the ship:

Unfortuately, about a year after she left the flight line, it ended up like this:

Good luck with the build.  After spending 4 years at Little Rock A.F.B. where we had 5 squadrons, I got a chance to see what they could really do, as well as versions that I had never imagined even existed.

Wow that's cool.  I don't have quite that much paitence, lol.  I will certainly be spending the most time on this build though.  Sucks that poor Herc got turned into a pile of scrap.  As for the lights I've got most of them figured out.  I won't have every exact light, but there will be plenty to light it up nicely.

Today's progress was messing around with the cockpit controls.  They aren't true to life, but I'm satisified other than weathering them a bit.  I would seriously be overwhelmed if I ever have the oppurtunity to get in the cockpit, there is SO many switches, dials, knobs, gauges.

Those IP's look great. Nice attention to those details!

looking good so far, love to see this 1/48 built up.  Seems most of us has a fascination for a BIG model

Little bit more progress on the cockpit bits today.  I'm kind of following the kit instructions, going by some reference and winging it, lol.  As long as I'm enjoying the build right?! 

Looking good so far. What color are you using for the interior?

Bomber green.  I know it's not the correct color, but it was what I could find at the local hobby store.  Well actually I did find the right color, but it looked so far off from pictures of the cockpit, so I went with the bomber green. 

Coming along nicely. Thats a nice 1/72 Herc you did too.

Some more progress today.  I should be nearing the end of base color painting parts soon.  Then it's on to adding detail to everything.  I still need to wait for all my LED's to come in the mail, along with the nacelles, and 4 bladed props.  Hopefully the show up soon.  On to the pics!

Really looking good so far. I can't wait to see how you do this with the LEDs. I've lighted a couple of tanks and the results are super cool, but I've yet to try and wire up a plane. I've got ideas, of course, but its always nice to have an example to follow.  ;)

Hubby will be helping me out with that.  I have a basic idea from running LED lights on an RC car, and looking online at other planes that have been done.  I think hiding all the wires is going to be the hardest part.  I'm sure at some point I'm going to sit and stare at it trying to figure it out.

Super start to this.  I'll be locked in to this build, I am a big C-130 fan.

Me and my daughter are huge fans too, lol.  They were actually out flying earlier this evening.  They go right by my house on occasion.  After the 2nd flyby we hopped in my truck and went over to the airport and parked in a lot near the runway.  They fly directly over your head. 

Some more progress today.  I've painted as much as I can with everything apart.  I'm going to start assembely tomorrow, add more details as I see fit, and start running LED's.  I plan on trying to add 15 LED's.  We'll see how that works out as I go. 

Great work on a great plane. This used to be one of my favorites when I was a kid. Had a big plastic one that all my army men and their vehicles went into. Good stuff. 

It's been a rather rough few days.  I bit off more than I can chew apparently.  I got the inner fuselage put together, then had to start figuring out where all the lights were going to go, and where I was going to run them.  This turned out to be 3 days worth of frustration.  A few times I had everything squared away, did a test fit, and checked the lights again, and one didn't work.  So I had to take everything back apart.  Despite all my checking and double checking where wires were, and everything fitting together I still managed to get some wires stuck where they aren't supposed to be.  I'm not going to worry about it too much at the moment.  I finally got the two fuselage halves together, and glued.  I'm leaving it to sit overnight.  I still have a lot of work to do.  But at least now I finally feel like I've made some progress.  I did manage to take a few pics.  It's a complete mess right now.  I'll get pictures of the lights when I get them all wired up to a power source with a switch.

A little bit more progress today.  Got all the lights hooked up to a switch and power supply.  Got the cargo doors on, rear landing gear, and rear doors.  Took a few pics with all the lights hooked up and on. 

Great effects----fantastic!!!

Thank you!  It's been a rather large pain in the butt.  Hoping the frustrating part of it is over, lol.  I'm going to have to make sure I find studs in the ceiling when I hang it, she's rather heavy with all the wires, and a battery pack inside. 

Got quite a bit done today.  Everything went together without issue.  I thought for sure the wings were going to give me issues, something usually does, lol.

Still waiting on my nacelles and props to come in the mail.  I'm kind of stuck until they come in.  I could paint, but I might as well wait until everything is here to paint.  I could see if I can figure out how to make my own decals.  That should prove to be the next frustrating part I'm sure. 

Well she's on her own wheels.  Wiring is a bit of a mess, concealing it turned out to be harder than I expected.  But you really won't be able to see in there once she's hung from the ceiling. 

Don't mind all my tape.  I go a little nuts with it.

Really liking where this is going.

I've always liked the C-130.

Very, very nice.  You won't need night lights in that room once she is in flight.

As an aside, the gate bird at Little Rock was the last one out of Vietnam.  So many people refugees) were on board they couldn't get the ramp up until the AC started to taxi and slammed on the brakes and people kind of surged forward enough to get it closed.  Then they got lost and barely made it on fuel to the base.  When they counted people coming off there wer 430 some odd on board, with 36 or 38 in the cockpit.  She was so far over gross weight it is a wonder she was able to stager off the ground.

Tough old birds.