1/48 C-130 Hercules build-Completed

I thought I was on a roll and well on my way to being done soon.  So much for that.  I got the corrected nacelles and props in the mail today.  Once I got to test fitting all that I ran into 2 problems.  First I had to figure out how I was going to put the exhaust pipe in.  Scrap bits of spure will help me out in that area.  Once I had that figured out I moved on to fitting the engines in place, and realized the props don't line up on the body where they should.  Hop on google and discover the sponsons are in need of a correction as well.  Ugh.  I asked myself if I could live with it.  Nope I can't.  I've already spent a lot of time making it as accurate as I can possibly stand, and I won't be able to leave it be knowing there is a solution out there. 

On the bright side I got seams filled in and sanded today.  I also discovered Elmer's glue will work well for masking the little round and square windows.  Dab it on with a paint brush, and it will peel off when I'm done painting.  It's a little trick that I've used in taxidermy.  Apply it to the glass eyes of your animal, air brush away, then peel it off when done. 

Looks Great

I like the elmers glue trick and the entire build! the lights really look good. Well worth your effort!

I ordered the corrected sponsons.  Probably be a week or so before they get here.  Gives me plenty of time to do a few other things to it.  Maybe try to add some more detail to it in places.  I'm pretty sure our 3 C-130's that we have left are pretty much all identical, aside from the tail art on the one I'm trying to replicate.  I got some pictures a few days ago of 19142 in flight, but wish it would of been 91188.  Maybe I'll get lucky and they'll fly that one soon.

I got the corrected sponsons, and it was slow going for a while after that.  I had to cut out the one sponson, the other side wasn't molded so it just popped off.  So it was a lot of puttying, and sanding.  I have no paitence for that, lol.  It's just like doing body work on a car.  So I had to take a break for a few days. 

I dived in yesterday, and was pretty much on a roll all day.  I got it painted, all the other bits glued on, touched up a bunch of places, and painted on some more details.  Todays agenda is going to be trying to figure out the decals.  I'm sure that is going to be fun.  But I'm slowly nearing the finish line.  Some progress pics.

Other than putting on some clear coat, and hanging her from the ceiling, this bird is done.  She's not perfect, but I'm happy.  Wish the decals would have come out a little better, but for making my own they came out well enough.  I made my own little cargo net, and pallet to hold the battery box with the switch. 

Not just a fantastic build but a cool build especially with the LED's!  Awesome!

Toshi

Thank you!  It certainly tested my paitence more than once, lol.  For anyone who didn't know this is sort of my tribute to the more than 40 years the C-130's served in Niagara Falls.  Four of the planes were sent on their last deployment in May.  The rest will be phased out as they transition to KC-135's.  The particular plane I chose to represent(91188) is still currently on base, and is the only one that still has the Niagara tail art.  I am truly going to miss the C-130's flying around. 

So after a very tense and stressful hour, she's hanging from the ceiling!  I was so afraid to knock something off, or drop her.  She's not perfect, but I still can't help but to grin looking at her.  I may have gone a bit overkill with the eyelets.  Originally there was only going to be 4, but hubby made a mistake drilling the holes, so there was 2 extra, and I decided to use them. 

That is a very cool model.

My head is spinning a little bit, you got this done in, what, about 3 weeks?

Could you bottle some of that "get 'er done" and send some to me, please?

Thank you!  Yea roughly 3 weeks.  Lol.   I would work on it all day sometimes.  It was the thought of seeing it finished and "in flight" that kept me plugging away at it. 

It doesn't matter how long it took, the final results are very good looking! I'd say the only thing missing was all for of those prop blades spinning, lol! Those lights are just plain amazing and I love the extra attention to making that work.

Good job, Keyda! I hope you keep making more models to join that beauty up there in the "sky" . :)

I did think about doing the moving propellers, I've seen it done on a few different C-130's models.  But I figured since I was literally on my 6th model I should just try tackling the LED's.  I didn't want to overwhelm myself.  Now I must decide which model is next, lol.  I've got a bit of a stash going.

If I could give you some friendly advice I would say If your using fishing line to "Fly" this model I would replace it with thin wire. 

I have an Italeri 48th scale C-130 which is somewhere on the forums here.   All my big planes are hung with wire.  Any UV ray exposure can deteriorate fishing line when you least expect it.  Particulary for a huge model like this. I could take a photo of my 130 hanging if you would like to see the method. Two eyelets is all you would need.

mississippivol

I can't begin to tell you how cool that is!

 

Thanks for the tip.  I will have a look at my local home depot for some thin wire.  I did take some extra precaution with it, and doubled the fishing line up.  I'll still need 3 eyelets though, she's tail heavy from the wires, and battery box, lol. 

What a incredible looking build. Man that looks good, and the lights just add to it!!!!

Very nice effort...

That looks sweet! I can practically hear it in my mind! Ah the memories! I love the night shot, (although night drops were usually done blacked out for tactical reasons) Is that supposed to be a heavy drop pallet coming off the ramp?

Thank you everyone!  Yea I made a little cargo net and pallet to disguise the battery box.  I figured it would be easier if I left the switch where I could get to it, rather than having to pull it in and out of the model.  Less risky that way too.  Only time I have to pull it out is to change the batteries.  It's actually a battery box for a Traxxas RC car.  Hubby is into all that stuff and gave me an extra box that holds the battery and the switch.  Worked out rather well I think. 

Well thought out and executed build!  Looks good to me.

So, then what's next?

I'm not sure, lol.  I have quite the stash building up.  Choice of 3 helicopters or 3 aircraft.  I may do the Blue Angels F-18, that way the Thunderbird isn't so lonely.  I have an empty corner shelf that will fit most of the smaller 1/48 scale stuff.  I'm starting to run out of places to put them all.  I'm sure hubby will start getting annoyed if I keep hanging them from the ceiling too.  There's already 3 of them up there. 

very nicely done Sir

Terrific model!

Well if anyone ever decides to light up a model with LED's, do not get the kit made by Kosta.  They are all over eBay in varying prices.  The problem is in their little yellow control board.  It will work fine for 5 minutes or so, then the white strobe light will blink twice as fast as it should, and the red beacons just flicker.  I thought maybe I got a crappy one.  So I ordered another kit, and changed out the controller.  That one lasted all of 30 seconds before it messed up.  I obviously can't change out the system, I have to go with a controller that has the same plugs.  Even changing out the controller was a pain.  I can get to it, but it's difficult to pull the plugs out.  Everything I find online seems to be the exact same kit, marketed by different companys.  Even Turnigy. 

I guess I just needed to vent.  I can't even enjoy all my hard work at night, I just get aggravated when I turn it on and it messes up in a matter of minutes.

I have been following! This project has really turned out nicely. Nice job with an original twist on a cool subject. Good work!

Max

I have just read this whole thing !

   Now , I do understand why you chose the C-1 - Turkey ! My friends at Little Rock used to call them that . Between getting a V.I.P. flight and watching them and actually experiencing them . I gotta say , Great Choice !

    There was a time and a situation when a big C-130 bird looked like an angel to me . Gee , It was a C-130 ! I have always thought since that day , the bottoms should be painted to resemble " Rescuing Angels ",

   Did you know that after that I couldn't get enough of the old birds ? Still love them . T.B.

To echo what has already been said, that is an incredible looking model friend. Nice job. We will be expecting another great build in 3 weeks.

Good show....good show!

I remember getting this kit for Christmas...many, many years ago. We were here in Michigan, visiting my grandparents...I was supposed to wait until we got back home (Ft. Leavenworth KS) before building any of it. I talked my mom into buying me some super glue, at the local pharmacy(they even had model kits back then)....I built the whole dang thing in two days. What a MESS!!!!