HELICOPTERS: ATTACK HELO GROUP BUILD!

Can you believe it, I actually managed to get some painting done last night!

I drybrushed the all the cockpit detail etc. Got round the black screens by putting drops/puddle of clear green which turned out ok. Painted the seatbelts and harnesses.

I did come across something I hadn't thought of earlier. I painted the gun barrels gunmetal. Once the gun is glued in place how do I paint the fuselage under the barrels?

If I mask the barrels with tape then the plastic underneath will also be covered which doesn't help me.

Should I not mask the barrels, spray helo drab all over which would go through and on the barrels, slide masking tape under barrels onto fuselage and then paint the barrels with a brush?

What do you guys do?

btw...the gun must be added before the 2 fuselage halves are glued together.

I think I'm gonna do 2 birds for this GB. The Kiowa Warrior is just SCREAMING at me. Now, the question is, 10th Mountain, 25th Infantry or 82nd Airborne?!

John,

That's a missile simulator. The Idaho Guard was in transit to Ft. Polk, Louisiana when they got weathered in at Lubbock Airport. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and got a bunch of great photos. I'd never seen one of those simulators before, so I took a few pics of it. All three Apaches there had em.

Cobra,

Whats hanging on the inner pylon on the Apache in your GB badge?

Thanks Jon.

BTW...which manufacturer makes chromate yellow?

John,

Hellfires should be black with yellow stenciling. Seeker heads on the laser missiles are clear, radar ones are white and a bit more bulbous. (I said that word again!) The wheel wells could very well be LGG, although I haven't the foggiest. I'd probably go with chromate yellow myself, since that's what the interior of most Army birds' guts are painted.

Hi all

My wheels of progress seem to be flat at the moment. To tired to do anything on the kit tonight.
I do have a question though, what colour do I paint Hellfires?
Oh and has anyone seen the inside of the Comanche's wheel wells? Italeri say that they are Light Ghost Grey, is that correct?

Wheels of progress are S L O W L Y moving....

Here's the seats for my UH-1 Charlie. I added some photoetched bolt heads, a little styrene rod, and some floral wire springs just add a little more life to the seats. Now to make some belts. I hope apply some paint on the interior bits by the weekend and start detail painting on the consoles and instrument panels.



Cheers,

Phil, ur HH-60H is looking good. I never realised just how much of a difference resin parts can make. Your pictures explain their cost.

I finished the Revell MH-60L before the GB started which was my first helo kit. My finished model doesn't come close to ur unpainted kit.

Your photos have inspired me to make my next Blackhawk kit even better. Thanks

John

QUOTE: Originally posted by lodni_k Cliff, thanks a heap for the badge. What kind of markings you gonna put yours in? That must be one big a/c sitting on your bench! Happy Modelling everyone!

your welcome to the badge. i threw it together on night, feel free to improve on it. I have yet to decide on the marking's, probably Chezch. Ya that bugger dwarfs the spit for my BOB GB

QUOTE: Now, a question. I want to put M240 guns in the window and door. Can anyone recommend a source for 1/48 scale M240s? Do any of the Blackhawk kits come with them? Thanks, Phil

Phil: Not sure what there is out there for choices in 1/48 weapons and/or modern armor. Us 1/72 and 1/35 folks can get them from figure sets. I stole my M240 from a 1/72 British Challenger tank. I had to go British, as theirs has the correct butt-type for the 'bird i'm building, instead of 2 handles like a lot of US ones do.

Might have to do what Rocky did with his M240. Grab em from an M1 kit.

Hey-
I have been making steady progress on the HH-60H. I think I just about have all the fuselage mods done to change it from an SH-60B into an HH-60H. The was some amount of filling required to get all the antennas, pylons, and exhausts to fair in properly, so I painted a quick coat of primer on them to check the seams. Which is pretty much where it stands now. If you're familiar with the Cobra Company conversion set, you might notice that I cut the Left hand Extended Pylon into a few pieces, because it looked a little too flat. I will probably work on that next, then move on to the interior.



More pics at:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v485/par429/HH-60H/

I 've received a lot of great pictures for reference from Firehawk Ordie in the Helo Forum (Thanks again!) who noted that the APU exhaust is not quite in the right place on the Italieri kit (circular hole, port side, just aft of the engine exhaust), so I'll fix that too.

Now, a question. I want to put M240 guns in the window and door. Can anyone recommend a source for 1/48 scale M240s? Do any of the Blackhawk kits come with them?

Thanks,
Phil

Okay, the weapons are done for my 1/72 Stingray. Started on these first, as I figured if I couldn't get something to look decent, was gonna have to switch 'birds. [:0]

Used the M240 from the 1/72 Dragon Challenger II Iraq 2003 model. Thank You to the Board for the tip on that one.

As for the RC50 laser-sighted .50 cal rifle, I used a sniper rifle from a Revell German Commando figure set. Had to carve it off the guy and carve a new stock and site, but, its reasonably passable for 1/72 scale.

Will post pics once I get access to a dig-cam that can focus close.

Now awaiting my decals from the guy Downunder.

Ok, I'm back in Lubbock (sigh) and will finally get to start this build on Saturday, once the book is shipped off to Osprey and I've gotten completely verschnickered on Friday night. Until then, its nose to the grindstone, no sleep, write write write!

I am behind on my group builds, but I hope to start this soon. Any more builds and I may need to quit my job to make time!!

Osjohnm, If the bird your building is not too big a scale, you may be able to just put a couple of coats of clear green over the black. None of the Tubes I've ever seen look green until one turns them on, including the MPCD (multi-purpose color display) in the Hornet. They're black , dark/gray when you get in the cockpit. Would they be that different for a 'chopper? - Calvin

Thx for the post Alby.

I went to the hobbyshop at lunchtime and they also said I can use lacquer thinners but warned about applying it straight to plastic.

Feel like an idiot running around looking for enamel thinners when I've got Lacquer and Turpentine in the cupboard.

I was still quite dubious after my visit but now that I've read your post I'm convinced. Thank you.

Would it be better if I primed the model with a Tamiya spraycan which is lacquer based?

Thanks

Osjohnm,
Tupentine and lacquer thinner both will thin enamels effectively. Both are solvent based thinners which are meant to thin most solvent based paints (enamels and lacquer are solvent based paints). Do not use them to thin acrylics, you'll have a big mess on your hands. I use lacquer thinner for all my thinning and cleaning needs. It helps atomizes the paint better and thoroughly cleans the airbrush. You can buy it for 10 times cheaper than hobby branded thinners and get ten times as much. I also use it for an adhesive sometimes (works similar to liquid cements like Tenax 72 and Ambroid). Only draw back is it stinks to high heaven and it will dissolve plastic if it is spilled onto it (see comment about using it as a glue). Turpentine/Mineral Spirits works well too for thinning enamels too.

HTH,

Hello all

Realised this weekend that I've made my first blunder. When spraying the cockpit I sprayed the lcd screens black. I wanted to use Tamiya's clear green or orange.
Therefore I either have to paint green over them an apply future or try some white and then the tamiya clears over the white.

Went to the hardware store and asked them for Enamel Thinners and they just looked at me funny. Only had turpentine and lacquer. They kept trying to convince me to use the turpentine to thin enamel paint. They don't sell enamel thinners

Going to have to get some expensive branded paint thinners from the hobby shop.

oh well guess the build is delayed even more.

Started on the Hind today. Been busy trying to get a Bearcat done. I'll get some digital pics before I close the cockpit up.

Cliff, thanks a heap for the badge. What kind of markings you gonna put yours in? That must be one big a/c sitting on your bench! Happy Modelling everyone!

Lee,
I have that set myself, but have not worked with it. A couple of guys I've chatted with who have used it said it wasn't too difficult to install. Here's link that may help;
http://www.internetmodeler.com/1999/june/aviation/cobra.htm

As for the color, the color should be FS36231 Dark Gull Gray. That was the standard color for all helo cockpits until the use of NVGs became prevalent. At that point (circa 1980s) the cockpits started to be redone in flat black to cut down on glare.

The only decals that I'm aware of for the 1/32nd Cobra are the long OOP Superscale sets. I'd read over at the HKN Forum that the same dude who made the Anti Strella/update set for the Revell Cobra is in the process of putting together a Vietnam War Cobra decal set.

HTH,

Since Jon is so tied up with getting his bool finished, and couputer issues, could someone please email me tips on using Cobra Companie'sa Cobra interior set> Thanks. Seems the colors they suggest are not for Vietnam era birds either. Got some good refernce pics there. Will the Monogram instrument decals work on the Cobra company parts? Are there any aftermarket markings for the Monogram kit?
Lee

it snowed today here in Vancouver... we were all hoping that they'd let us out of school early, but they didn't I'm hoping that the schools will be closed tomorrow... so i can get some building done and get some pics

Alby, thanks for the response. I'll remember to sand the plastic first.

I haven't worked with vinyl before, can I use my hobby blade or must I use a scissors to cut the vinyl?

Italeri have been kind enough to include templates to be copied and used in the instruction sheet that are actually to scale.

Didn't get round to carrying on with cockpit last night, maybe tonight.

yeah cobra i know what you mean . that little dog is usually right in my lap when iam woking on my models or on the computer. it seems that she has taught herself how to get in the chair and up onto the table. last week she did the same thing but instead of a model she help herself to a plate full of cheese cookies

well guys i just ordered another md 530g gunship from great models and it should be here in a few days. for some reason i thought this build ended at the end of the month and now that i have till the end of may thats great. that will give me a few days to work on my F-14 for the tomcat group build that started on the 1st.

QUOTE: Originally posted by osjohnm The kit includes vinyl mesh to be used for the intakes. Can I use normal liquid cement to attach the vinyl or must I use something else?

Osjohnm,
Nope, liquid cement won't bond with that mesh material. CA glue (super glue) or 5-min exopy will provide a better bond. One tip that wil help with a better bond is to roughen the area inside the intake with sanding film. That will give the glue/epoxy something to bite into.

HTH,

Well I sprayed the cockpit flat black last night.
Will paint the smaller bits tonight with a paintbrush and start the detailing/drybrushing.

I dry fitted the fuselage and the fit is pretty good for an Italeri kit.

The kit includes vinyl mesh to be used for the intakes. Can I use normal liquid cement to attach the vinyl or must I use something else?

Rob,
Sorry to hear that, man! That's a royal bummer. I'm hoping my two little maniacs haven't killed my models while I've been away. They're usually sitting right next to me while I'm modelling, so who knows what they've gotten into. Gotta love feline wanna-be aviators!

cobrahistorian: thanks for the reminder. I've successfully bent the 4 rotor blades on he half-started Kiowa Warrior. should be no problem this time.