Raven Morpheus Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 (edited) Hey there I bought this kit some 18 months ago and it was the first non-Games Workshop kit I had bought for a number of years, and the first model I had bought since 2009ish, the last being some GW figures. I've talked about building this kit quite a bit on Fine Scale Modeller's forum but I've until now never started the kit... I had this kit down as being a nightmare to build but it's turning out OK considering the kit was tooled in 1977 and it's not that great a kit in the first place - it's branded as a UH-1C but it's more of a "frankencopter" with parts of a B and C and also the USMC (which the decals are for) mostly used E's which had a winch on the roof... Anyhow here's some pics of progress so far - The plan is to build this as a shortbodied (I won't say C or B for the aforementioned reasons of inaccuracy of the kit) UH-1 gunship without doing too much to it (I could use Cobra Company parts to "correct" the kit but I don't really have the patience to do that). The chopper will be armed with 7 shot rocket pods (from the kit) and M134 miniguns. I'll be printing and using my own 174 AHC Ace of Spades decals which will be a downscaled version of the 1/35 Academy Frog kit decals (hopefully, depends on how they turn out). I've done only a very basic job on the interior, because my philosophy on interiors, unless they are really highly detailed oob (and preferably large scale) is they won't be seen so don't need much attention... I chose to build the kit with the side doors closed because the frame work around that area was a bit flimsy (the plastic is very thin, almost like 10 or 20 thou plasticard!!), gluing the doors shut made it a bit more sturdy and less of a hassle to build. Edited October 24, 2014 by Raven Morpheus 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSTON Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Raven M, Good start. You have gotten MY attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Morpheus Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 (edited) Thanks. I've still got a few gaps to fill before I start painting, around the roof where it joins. After I've done that, this morning, I will be tackling the base colour. I'm not too convinced that Vallejo Model Air 043 Olive Drab is correct, it looks too dark and too brown. At least it did on Friday when I applied it over the bare plastic of the seats. I ended up giving the seats another couple of layers of Vallejo Model Air Medium Olive to get a more green look to them. Before I apply it to the fuselage I'll see how it looks over an undercoat of Vallejo Model Air 050 Light Grey. Edited October 26, 2014 by Raven Morpheus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Morpheus Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 (edited) So, some quick pics I took during today of the progress on this build. Decided to test the Vallejo Model Air 043 Olive Drab over an undercoat of Vallejo Model Air 050 Light Grey on the back of the Revell box the kit comes in and here's the result - It looked OK to me. Undercoated the model with the aforementioned light grey - Added a few bits I'd forgotten about - Then I sprayed the OD on as well as a couple of the other main colours and applied an initial coat of Klear over most of the model to seal the paint on (because I was getting fed up with scratching it off by accident) - Closeup of minigun/rocket pod assemblies, I added the ammo chutes by "adjusting" the ones that come with the kit for the quad M60's. I think though the rockets would shoot the skids off because I think I put the weapon mounts too close to the body... And here's how the model looks at the stage I'm currently at - I have a few bits of painting to do, like finishing off the main rotor assembly, painting the tail rotor and painting the ammo chutes, but that's about all I have painting wise to do (that I can think of right now). I'm now mostly waiting on some decal paper and fixative so that I can have a go at printing my own downscaled version of the Academy 1/35 UH-1 Frog Aces of Spades decals. The OD turned out OK, although I'd have preferred it to have been a little greener, it appeared as though it was going to be a bit on the green side in the test spray. As per usual I have marks on my windows, especially on the right hand side pilots window and on the top anti-glare panel where I got a great big glue fingerprint by accident! I'm also a bit unhappy with my failure to sand/polish my gap filling properly, it didn't seem to matter what I did it just would not look neat! And the roof seems to have moved to one side slightly over night, when I stuck it on last night it was nice and neat. I wanted to take it off but decided against it because I've already had to take it off a couple of times and I didn't want to redo the filling again!! I'll also hold my hands up to having left a little bit of flash (on the flybar) and some mould lines here and there due to getting impatient today, I really should have cleaned those up (it's not too late for the flybar though, because I haven't varnished it yet). But apart from those issues I'm happy with this build so far and getting some decals on it, and a coat of matt varnish, can only make it look better. Oh and I'll pass on a quick tip to anyone thinking of masking windows with Vallejo liquid mask - don't, not on a kit like this one at least!!! I did on this and I had a hell of a time getting it off, and I'm sure I've still got tiny little bits left here and there. At first I ended up applying too much pressure, when trying to remove the liquid mask, on the pilots side and pushed the front door window and anti-glare panel out (thus I had to remove the roof!) and it seems to get into every single nook and cranny and then won't come out! Vallejo liquid mask is great stuff, just not ideal for using to mask windows on this kit in my opinion. Edited October 26, 2014 by Raven Morpheus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Morpheus Posted November 13, 2014 Author Share Posted November 13, 2014 (edited) OK slight update time... My supplies for decalling have arrived. Fixative spray, an A4 sheet of white decal paper and an A4 sheet of normal clear decal paper. So hopefully this weekend whilst I'm without an airbrush for doing my Klingon Bird of Prey (see that thread for info) I hope to be decalling this helo. I already did a test print of the downscaled 1/35 Academy Huey Frog kit decals and they turned out OK. I need to play around with the artwork in Photochop a little though as everything is close together and I need to work out what I need to print on the white sheet (like the aces of spades logos, the shark teeth decal parts for example). Just hope I have enough ink and the decals turn out OK. Be just my luck lately that I run out of ink... Oh and I'm waiting on a new tail rotor from Revell US. I somehow managed to misplace the original the other week when building this, and noticed I had done so right after posting the pics of the build so far. Luckily Revell US seem to be great when it comes to spares (I've had spare roof windows for this kit from them as well) and have sent the part out for free, gratis. They did that when I requested the old monogram decals for this kit also. Great customer service. Edited November 13, 2014 by Raven Morpheus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcvo Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Really good kit to build considering its age.... I have built a few over the time's and loved building everyone. Yours is a fine example of a fine helicopter both it kit for and in its real form. Hope you do not mind me adding one of my build pictures to your post. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSTON Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Raven M, Its coming along in leaps and bounds.. Very good and neat work from here. kcvo yours looks mighty IMPRESSIVE too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkdipXV711 Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Looking superb, crisp paintwork and I also seal in the top coat asap on my builds. Makes life much easier and safer 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Morpheus Posted November 14, 2014 Author Share Posted November 14, 2014 (edited) Thanks guys I think I spoke too soon though as I won't be able to do any modelling this weekend. I tripped over yesterday and I've injured my right hand on it's outside edge just behind my pinky, doesn't feel broken, just sprained/swollen/bumped or something, but I can't put any weight on it or grip things properly, even typing is a bit awkward. I'm going to have to put all modelling on hold for a while I think. Edited November 14, 2014 by Raven Morpheus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infofrog Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Raven here is my Huey . I did this about year ago. i hope you don't mind my photo Rick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Morpheus Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 (edited) Very nice. Is that the 1/32 Revell kit you wrote about on Fine Scale Modeller? Edited November 15, 2014 by Raven Morpheus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infofrog Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 yes .. that was my first model .. Some reason I have a passion for Huey models .. I can't wait too see you finish yours Rick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcvo Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Coming along fantastically, love the fact you have used the mini guns instead of the kit supplied one's. My huey has sadly been destroyed in an incident that involved my daughter and her age of 2 lol. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Morpheus Posted November 29, 2014 Author Share Posted November 29, 2014 (edited) So, update time... My hand has healed enough that I can use it, I just have a couple of problems gripping things and applying torque, a sharp pain mostly, but so far nothing that affects modelling, apart from it aching when I was using scissors earlier, and it's getting better each day... Anyhow yesterday afternoon I printed off stage one of my decals and sealed them, the stuff I needed on white decal paper. This is what I printed - I take no credit whatsoever for the artwork, that's all from Academy's 1/35 kit. And today I've applied those decals. I couldn't work out how to fit the two triangles on the tail so I'm going to flat coat the tail (so the paint doesn't run everywhere like I've experienced over gloss) and paint the tail white parts by airbrush, I've got photos (found via google) of the actual Ace of Spades so I can replicate it properly. Also the nose on the left side as your looking at it kind of rubbed a bit, I don't think I quite sealed the decal enough, I'll call it wear/fading. I'm also not convinced the nose decal settled well, I think I should have used something like Microsol/Microset. I'm hoping the coat of Future I applied helps that. Waiting for a coat of Future to dry, some good light and for the rest of the members of my household to b'ger off from using the table I work at so I can take some photos, but I'll post some in the next few days. Edited November 29, 2014 by Raven Morpheus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Morpheus Posted December 3, 2014 Author Share Posted December 3, 2014 (edited) OK here we go, finally got a day where the weather is fairly decent, if not a little on the cold side, in my part of the UK, so that I could take photos under decent natural light... Here's the pics I said I'd post, I'm quite happy with the way the nose decals have settled down although it could be better in places, just a shame about the left one having rubbed off a little. I need to do some photochop work on the rest of the decals I'll be printing, the ones I need on clear decal paper, but aside from that, possibly some sort of dirt wash around the grill areas and some other key places, and a matt coat this is pretty much done. Looks like I've got frosted windows, I'm hoping that's just the slight chill in my kitchen doing that, will have to check them to make sure... Edited December 3, 2014 by Raven Morpheus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infofrog Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Looking good Rick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Morpheus Posted December 12, 2014 Author Share Posted December 12, 2014 Checked the windows today as I was sizing up the rest of the decals after printing a test run and I do indeed have frosted windows. Don't quite understand or know how that's happened as they've only had a few coats of Klear over them! Hopefully a final coat of Klear once I've added the rest of the decals (hopefully this weekend) will resolve that, if not I might have to resort to the old olive oil trick... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Morpheus Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 (edited) Progress report... After finishing up some bits yesterday and having the matt coat frost on me today I put another layer of Future down and that seems to have cured that problem. I finished off the tail rotor today also. My tail number is made up of several numbers from a sheet of decals by Fireball modelworks (slicks in 'nam), hence the slight wonkyness. My original self printed tail number was very translucent as were the red "Danger" decals (those I also took from the slicks in 'nam sheet). Just waiting on some W&N matt varnish... Here's how this looks now, sadly some of the decals I put on yesterday (on the tail boom) have silvered on me, probably my fault as I either didn't put enough Future on the tail boom or I didn't wait long enough for it to dry properly. The other side looks worse (hence the reason I didn't take any photos of that side) because the US Army and red "Danger" decals have some of the carrier film peeling, might have to attack those with a sharp knife!! I also hope to resolve the frosted windows issue after applying the final matt coat as I'll be able to remove the tamiya tape then. I would like to do some weathering on this, but a) I don't think the kit is good enough to warrant it and b ) I'm rubbish at weathering anyway, I have no idea how to do it other than a sludge wash using something like UMP Dark Dirt wash and even then I've never done it before... Really wish I could work out how to get good close ups with the entire model in frame with my camera though... Edited March 14, 2015 by Raven Morpheus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Morpheus Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share Posted March 17, 2015 Got the final matt coat down today, will be posting the finished article in Ready For Inspection when I get the professional photography backdrop I ordered, should help me take some better pictures, at least it'll be better than using A4 sheets of paper... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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