Pavehawk replacement / CSAR-X Group Build

Good news Trigger (especially the refund one)! Hope you get your Merlin soon.

I haven't touched a model for weeks, but I hope to get something done next week since I'll take some days off and I'll be all alone at home (no buggers of any kind around)!

Good news. Got that Merlin transaction resolved and I'm watching a couple of new auctions. With some luck, I'll get the basis for my HH-71 in the next week or so.

I've got a bead on a couple of Merlins, but I'm wanting to get this transaction "resolved" (meaning: I want my money back!) before I throw down the money for another kit. Contacted the seller directly through eBay, so all those messages are in writing, now I'm going through PayPal. Seller's been quick to communicate, just not quick to act. Hoping that changes.

Welcome home Lem!!!!! You charged your safari to the Underhills, right? I've got some AC-130A stuff I gotta get off my butt and send you that might prove useful for your AV-22.

D'Oh! That, to be perfectly honest, sucks, Trigger.  Good luck and good hunting on your search for a replacement.

Update on my part: Been home about 2 weeks now, major renovation to the work area, brought my wife's scrapbooking stuff in there so we can work on our hobbies together.  Once I get my tiltrotor escort and the AV-22 done, I'll be cracking open the -46 kit to start on  my Pave Phrog.

Oh, and I did grab up the -53 kit a couple days after I got home, so that's waiting for me as well, now.

Okay, so a slight - and unfortunate - update on one of my CSAR-X builds. I purchased a Merlin HC.3 off of eBay at the beginning of this GB to be built into an HH-71 and a month later, it had still not arrived. When I contacted the seller, he said the post office said it would take 2-4 weeks to arrive which is BS; I paid $7 S/H so no way should it take more than 3 days to get here from NY. In fact, nothing mailed domestically takes four weeks.  I've asked for a full refund, waiting on that to be resolved and I'm currently watching eBay for any other HC.3 kits (which isn't fun since they're OOP).

Got a little work done with the interior of my HH-53N. Folding shelves (non-functional) for liters, seats, countermeasures/radio black boxes. Next up are ammo cans and a gear locker, then painting of the interior.

Made the molds for the miniguns+ mounts, plume detectors and stuff from the Hook to add to my Helix. Next WE I'll cast!

No update on the interior pics yet. Guess I'll have to work on immagination!

Avus wrote:

Welcome on board, Redlion615! I always thought that the blue tiger-stripe had no tactical value; glad they reconsidered it. Nice colors you got there Trigger. I haven't made up my mind for my Helix: either the "Everyone Under The Sun gray", Euro1 or two-green-tan-black. Currently Euro1 is on top of the list.

Well, the blue-green design was the first uniform they tested. It was rejected for that pixelated faded gray/green/sand Tiger Stripe in the second shot. Now, it would appear that that design or color scheme may be altered yet again.

Welcome on board, Redlion615!

I always thought that the blue tiger-stripe had no tactical value; glad they reconsidered it.

Nice colors you got there Trigger. I haven't made up my mind for my Helix: either the "Everyone Under The Sun gray", Euro1 or two-green-tan-black. Currently Euro1 is on top of the list.

Hi guys,

I'm definitely in on this and even more anxious to get started after seeing Trigger's HH-53N. I'll be working a 1/72 scale HH-53P Pave Dragon. It will be a throwback paint scheme - either the old silver, black, and yellow of the early rescue birds or Southeast Asian colors in honor of the crews who drove the original Jolly Greens. Not sure yet which.

Take care,
Dan 

salbando wrote:

Actually, not so fast....they discovered that the current colors really stand out under NVGs/NODs, so they're rethinking the deal.  I'm just looking forward to the wash and wear concept and a more functional uniform that we won't ruin after a few months due to starching and pressing.

Why am I not surprised? One would think that would have been a part of the initial round of evaluation.

But those Tiger Stripe colors were never going to be used on the HH-53N anyway. Here's what I'm currently looking at for the Jolly Green III:








The HH-47G will be in overall 36118 "ACC/AFSOC/Everyone Under The Sun" gray and the colors of the HH-71 are a complete unknown at this time.

Actually, not so fast....they discovered that the current colors really stand out under NVGs/NODs, so they're rethinking the deal.  I'm just looking forward to the wash and wear concept and a more functional uniform that we won't ruin after a few months due to starching and pressing.

Educated Guess at the colors of the Air Force's Digital Tiper Stripes; the second uniform shown above, the one they are ultimately going with...

LemonJello wrote:

Gonna try the USAF's new "tiger stripe" camo pattern from their BDUs?

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Green, gray, tan and blue?
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, no.

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Looks like a Tiger Stripe version of the ACU color/pattern. While it's possible my HH-71 may wear these colors, the Jolly Green III won't

Lookin real good so far Trigger.  Once you get some paint on it, you'll never know that it borrows parts from so many kits.  Gonna try the USAF's new "tiger stripe" camo pattern from their BDUs? 

 

What, and spoil the fun so soon?

Interesting "Helo-Cocktail" you got there. Looking forward to see it done and above all painted: you can't leave us hanging there, make up your mind and tell us the scheme!

Ask and ye shall receive...

HH-53N Jolly Green III







While I do not know yet what the final color scheme of this entry will be, rest assured it will not be overall gray

Oh, my!  That sounds like a Franken-copter that I've got to see.  I like the idea, Trigger.  Can't wait to see some pics when you get some of it put together.

I've gone and done a baaaaaaad thing!

I went to my LHS yesterday after work and wow... the shelves were full of new releases! A lot caught my eye, but I walked out of there with two kits and a can of Gunship gray. The kits? 1:72 Italeri MH-53E Sea Dragon and 1:72 MH-53J Pave Low.

I'm kitbashing these along with some spare MH-47 parts into what I'm calling an HH-53N Jolly Green III (Sikorsky almost entered a new -53 before deciding to back their own S-92 design). The idea came to me after reading a PM RidleUSMC sent to me about the upcoming CH-53K and I thought, "why not update the existing basic H-53 design along similar lines to act as a 'little brother' to the new Kilo?"

How I'm building it so far:
- Fuselage from the H-53
- Sponsons from the MH-53E
- CM and blisters from MH-53J, MH-47, MH-60K and some scratch built
- New, glass cockpit for a two-man flight crew (none of this Cylon-raider business)
- I will NOT use the Pave Low's nose assembly for FLIR and radar - I've got something else in mind
- Possibly enlarging the two engine nacelles and adding IR suppressors to the exhausts.

I've got my HH-47G kit but looking out for a Merlin HC.3 I can use as the basis for my HH-71D


(See Sal, this is what happens when you encourage me to use my imagination!)

There is, but at 300 x 154 pixels (108KB), it fits within the maximum space limits. However, I'm not aware of any freeware image editing software.

Neat badge Trigger ... but wasn't there a size restriction?
Can you suggest a (free) program to make animated gifs?

Hope to have you working on your model soon LJ.

Trigger, I like that badge!  That is cool.

Now, to get that ticket home and start building...

New GB Badge:


Sal, I'm calling my HH-71 a "Pave Merlin." Pave Owl sounds better, but I know you've got some specific plans for yours

salbando wrote:

Oh yeah, make the front office black for NVG compatibility.  And add the AN/APR-39V2 system.

Roger on that!

BTW I got my self a 1/72 MH-47E, because I wanted to copy some parts for the Helix. If I complete the Helix in short time (not very likely) I might also build the Chinook into a Pave-Hook.

As they are right now I'm gonna have to vote for the first one.  Now, I might reconsider if the second one was panned back a little more to show that it's a Pavehawk tail.

Thanks Grant fo making these!

Oh yeah, make the front office black for NVG compatibility.  And add the AN/APR-39V2 system.

Second one looks great, but I'm afraid people won't understand it.
... anyhow my vote goes to the second one!

As far as my progress goes: I have started painting the cockpit, made a resin copy of the door and improved the minigun.
Still waiting for the interior shots ...

Sorry so late, been busy...

Two potential GB Banners:

Countermeasures Systems:
AN/ALQ-211
AN/AAQ-24 DIRCM

Thanks Trigger and LJ. That's what I thought, too, just wanted a second opinion.

As far as I know there is no "AM source specifically for chaff/flares and plume detectors", sadly. But as Trigger said in 1/72 they are easily scratch built.

My "biggest" problem is finding resources for the cabin interior, but thanks to intruder_bass I'm in contact with a person who could help me out.