Helicopter Group Build 2009

darson wrote:

Paul look on the bright side, at least you found this out now before you started painting everything.  Are the problems fixable by the way?

hi,yes,i've been doing some major cutting and gluing this morning and i'm now waiting for it all to set before joining the body and filling gaps.

paul

Well, I am gonna start my contribution to this GB with the Apache.  I wantedtostart with the Hog, but I just ordered a few figures to go with it, but I am not expecting them for a while, since I ordered them from some company in Europe...

 But I think I will have plenty of time!

Justin

ok, I havent even started to glue 2 pieces together and I already have the first questions.

1. The cockpit on Apache seems to be pretty dark but not as dark as black, so would Tamiya Nato black work?

2. What would be the correct acrylic color for the outside?

Thanks,

Joe

Ludwig113 - that bulkhead looks like it will be a chore to fix... and I thought my kit had a horrible fit.

I did some more scribing on mine today... kind of a headache but I already started. The side of the helicopter has a big bulbous vent that looked more like a blob on this kit. I did some serious scratching to make it look more like it should. Still needs some work but 150% better. Wish I took a pic before I started on it!

I also opened up some more vents and corrected the shape on a couple of others. There is a big pipe (correct terminology I believe) that sticks out on the left side. It looked way too fake so I took some measurements, cut it off, drilled it out and used the metal off of an old paint brush to recreate the pipe. I thought it turned out pretty good until I took a good look and realized that it is way too big. Measurements must of been a little off I guess! Oh well... I'll just say this thing is supercharged!

Avus - I would love to see a Cobra in digital camo! That would be sweet!

Jeremy

Joe I normally use RLM 66 or German tank grey as substitutes for black in aircraft cockpits to create a scale black that you can still see some detail on.  The instrument panels I normally do in NATO Black though.

Can't help with the correct color for the outside sorry.

Cheers

Darren, Ty that sure helps.

Jeremy, thats what you call a "pipe" is the exhaust for the APU (Auxilliary Power Unit) and the vents on the oppsite side is probably the APU air intake.

Joe

Great progress so far Jeremy!
Your whish will be granted: I'll do my best to make the digital camo!

Joe I agree with Darren on the cockpit color; I'd only suggest one or two black washes and some dry-brushing with the base color to bring out the details.

I'm still fiddling with the resin parts and oredered one more PE set ... it's going to be a "double whiskey" build!

Jeremy-and whoever else wants to look,

The troop cabin and cockpit pics are up.  http://public.fotki.com/lewbud/helicopters/mi-24-hind-1/  If you need pics of anything else let me know.

Avus,

Take a look at http://public.fotki.com/lewbud/helicopters/ah-1w/

YES! That's "my helo"!

Thanks for the pictures, lewbud. Now the question I suppose you saw coming:
Do you have more and in higher resolution?

I already have all the pictures I found on Prime Portal.

Avus wrote:

YES! That's "my helo"! Thanks for the pictures, lewbud. Now the question I suppose you saw coming: Do you have more and in higher resolution? I already have all the pictures I found on Prime Portal.

Klaus,

The answers are no and yes.  Send me your email and I'll get them to you.

lewbud - Thanks! That's exactly what I was looking for. The close-up pictures of the cockpit are also much appreciated! 

Guess I better get busy on this old beast!

Jeremy

It's great to see all the activity here, it should be a fun GB.

I've started  on the CH-37, so far I have been cleaning up all the resin parts that make up most of the cockpit, and also the gear wells.  I have the engine nacelles wrestled together, there are 8 parts in each one plus the resin gear well, and not one locating pin.  They mostly look like I knew what I was doing, but not quite.  Maybe the paint will make them look better.  No matter, not even Igor could have felt that the 37 was pretty.  I'll take some pictures soon, but I'll be out of town until Friday night so it won't be until after then.

Don't run amok or commit mutiny, as I will be looking in.

Mutiny, how's that possible in the midst of chaos? One question, do helicopters fly, or do they just fake it??

I'd like an opinion- the canvas seats/ litters in a CH-46 in 1968. Were they red back then, or some other color like OD? seems like pics are restricted.

hi John........now this is cool.......

could u add me for the Trumpeter 1/48 Chinese Z9G Assault Heli....thanks

______________________________________

KEN

bondoman wrote:

Mutiny, how's that possible in the midst of chaos? One question, do helicopters fly, or do they just fake it?? I'd like an opinion- the canvas seats/ litters in a CH-46 in 1968. Were they red back then, or some other color like OD? seems like pics are restricted.

I'm not sure about the CH-46 but looking at other helicopters from that time, it looks like most started red, and then changed to OD in the late 60s, so you are probably safe either way. 

You're on the list, Ken.  Welcome.

I never saw a red seat from 66 to 72, they were all OD .  All Army stuff, though, no Marine or CH-46.  UH-1, OH-13, 23, UH-19, CH-34, CH-37, CH-47.  AH-1.

Joe,

The correct color is called US Army Helo Drab and it is available in the Testors acrylic.  Model Master also has it if you prefer enamels.

Klaus,

Check your inbox.

Thanks a lot, Buddy!
"Caput Mundi" means "center of the world" and it's the way the ancient romans called their capitol city: Rome.

Wow Klaus I've just had a look at those pics and that is going to be one difficult paint job.  Any ideas haw you are going to handle it?

bondoman wrote:

Mutiny, how's that possible in the midst of chaos? One question, do helicopters fly, or do they just fake it?? I'd like an opinion- the canvas seats/ litters in a CH-46 in 1968. Were they red back then, or some other color like OD? seems like pics are restricted.

Actually, they don't fly.  The earth is repelled by their ugliness.

bondoman wrote:

Mutiny, how's that possible in the midst of chaos? One question, do helicopters fly, or do they just fake it??

Helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission.

darson wrote:

Wow Klaus I've just had a look at those pics and that is going to be one difficult paint job.  Any ideas haw you are going to handle it?

lewbud wrote:

bondoman wrote: One question, do helicopters fly, or do they just fake it?? Actually, they don't fly.  The earth is repelled by their ugliness.

I prefer the quote: "Helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into subission!"

EDIT: D'oh! Darren beat me to it!

lewbud wrote:

Actually, they don't fly.  The earth is repelled by their ugliness.

Heehee... nuthin' beats a good ol' ugly insult!

I finally started on my helo too. I opened the box, looked at it and closed it again.

Actually I diid use some glue and started gluing the first subassemblies together. I started with with the rocket pods and the Long Bow so I can start cleaning the seams. I also put the tail rotor together. I will start posting pics once I start painting.

Joe

A small update for our twisted flight crew...

...I decided that my Hind needed a fire extinguisher. I couldn't find a small one in the spares box so I had to make one. While it's not the greatest accomplishment in the scratch building world, I'm proud of it. I'm still debating on if I should try making a hose for it.

I'm a slow builder but hopefully I'll have something more exciting for everyone in the next couple of days.

Jeremy

I got the box out too. It's strange, but a helo in a box is unique. I'm excited about this build, but it's a reach because the scale of my kit is bad.

I'll share theres a little emotional atachment too. Helos were assault/ evacs in Viet Nam of course, my subject, It is not hoo raw, one friend of mine rode back dead in a USMC helo in 1967 don't know the details but my build is for Larry.