Knight_Flyer Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 Picking up on the Vietnam theme again, had to be an AH-1G as I really wanted to build the AZ model. Time to make good on that hence its entry into this STGB. I haven't quite decided what Vietnam scheme and perhaps the Osprey book will provide a bit of "inspiration"? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight_Flyer Posted October 23, 2016 Author Share Posted October 23, 2016 Cockpit parts painted and the fitting to fuselage started. My first time using PE parts since the age of the dinosaurs and it went okay'ish. Instructions not particularly helpful and I assembled the cockpit in a different way. Centre console is a major flaw as the side panels need to be removed and the support ledge sanded off the inside of the fuselage. Otherwise the console will sit too high. I think AZ messed up and realized it too late. Blu tak was useful in holding the cockpit tub while I run some glue round it. More blu tak will be added as ballast to ensure there is no tail sitting. Next stage is to glue the rest of the parts, paint the interior fuselage and close the two halves. I imagine some filler will be required soon after 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S5 modeller Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 Looking good. Seems strange that they missed the error with the centre console. Matt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight_Flyer Posted October 30, 2016 Author Share Posted October 30, 2016 (edited) Progress pics, fuselage together and some bits added Have to say the kit is proving a bit of a challenge. Most of the parts don't fit very well calling for sanding, filing, filler and quite a lot of dry runs. Having to deviate from the instructions as well in order to ensure parts are glued properly and as aligned as possible. Worst parts for me, were the fit of the stubby wings with quite noticeable gaps. Luckily I have that book to check how the parts should look on a Huey Cobra. The turret is the next challenge for me as it looks very fiddly to assemble with the gun and launcher. I've already decided not to follow those steps either as it looks as it will end in disaster. After that I should be able to start painting the main color of the fuselage and the rotor blades. Edited October 30, 2016 by Knight_Flyer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight_Flyer Posted October 30, 2016 Author Share Posted October 30, 2016 On 10/29/2016 at 0:43 PM, S5 modeller said: Looking good. Seems strange that they missed the error with the centre console. Matt Thanks Matt. Yes they also didn't complete linking the struts from rotor head to blade that I've managed to do with spare Focke-Wulf 190 cannon barrels. There was a "conspiracy theory" AZ rushed their kit to have it in the market before Special Hobby released their version. If it's true, could explain the errors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 Really starting to take shape, despite your fit issues. Have you decided which scheme to paint it in yet? I like the one on the box art personally. Craig. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight_Flyer Posted October 31, 2016 Author Share Posted October 31, 2016 On 10/30/2016 at 8:45 PM, modelling minion said: Really starting to take shape, despite your fit issues. Have you decided which scheme to paint it in yet? I like the one on the box art personally. Craig. Yes it will indeed be the one on the box, seems appropriate as the scheme has a Cobra marking 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stakor Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 So it will be a sharkmouth! Great 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight_Flyer Posted November 4, 2016 Author Share Posted November 4, 2016 Finally started the main job of painting the model and the first coat has gone on. There was a fair amount of filling and sanding to do before it was ready. Canopy was a pain to fit and still not perfect but it will do. Gun turret was also a pain. After looking at my Osprey book I felt the initial fitting had the gun and launcher positioned far too low. It took some time before I was able to relocate them to a more realistic looking placement. Had my first "incident" with the model as well. Dropped it after doing a bit of sanding and broke a landing skid. It was still attached but clearly damaged. I decided to smear the joins where it had cracked with a bit of super glue and it seems to have worked. Hopefully it should now be a case of finishing the paint job then decal time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 Good job so far, nice to see some paint going on. Ah yes, "incidents" all my models seem to go through rigorous crash testing lately, the amount of times I had to re-fix probes on my Cobra was unbelievable! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight_Flyer Posted November 6, 2016 Author Share Posted November 6, 2016 A few more coats of paint later and it's looking less scruffy At the same time I tidied up the painting on the canopy frame so it's looking more neater. Masking tape didn't work quite so well on the top frames as a ragged edge has been left on removal. I'll leave it as is due to the shortening timescale and I'll probably make it worse than it is. One last coat of paint and I'll leave the model for a few days to dry properly. Will have to primer the tail planes again as there doesn't appear to be enough - and being painted orange, it is a difficult color to get a good solid appearance. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight_Flyer Posted November 9, 2016 Author Share Posted November 9, 2016 As I've feared, this is going to be very close to the deadline. Didn't get much done apart from another coat of paint on fuselage and the rotor blades. I did add the black areas of the scheme and was hoping to get the tail planes done but was not to be. I should be able to make it in time for the end of the GB and the risk is a sloppy finish with the varnish and decals. Hopefully not to the extent the model is for the "boneyard" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight_Flyer Posted November 12, 2016 Author Share Posted November 12, 2016 Decals are finally on. They're not exactly cartograf and resistant to bedding down, got there in the end with some silvering. I've made a slight mistake in thinking the shark mouth decal was suffice and it wasn't - further painting of the red and black outline was required to wrap round beneath the nose. Further time was wasted in touching up the fuselage as the brush slipped painting the tail planes orange... to add insult to injury - said paint brush landed on the tail rotor blades Blades will need repainting and to complete the painting on the gun turret. The model will also require another coat or two of varnish to seal the decals end. Final step will be to add all of the mentioned bits onto the model. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 (edited) worries and setbacks.... but great! definitely looks like a finisher! Edited November 12, 2016 by exdraken 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight_Flyer Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 20 hours ago, exdraken said: worries and setbacks.... but great! definitely looks like a finisher! Thanks. Yes, setbacks... and obviously near the end it had to throw another one in. Stub wing pylons weren't level properly. Had to do something as the ordnance would have looked weird. With a bit of improvising on the attachment points, managed to get it looking more aligned although not perfect. Something to remember for next time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight_Flyer Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 After that last setback, tail rotor and gun turret painted - it's finished Have to say, the kit was a challenge from start to finish. Tempted to say "frustrating" and that would be unfair as the deadline did cause me to rush the build near the end. Definitely not a kit for the beginner as the instructions was only really useful for telling you what parts went where. Following the sequence I think would have been too risky for parts not glued or aligned properly or making parts difficult to position. Flaws with the cockpit doesn't help either. The book certainly helped with putting the model together and a good read while building it. Wouldn't say no to building another AZ Cobra... perhaps for the next Huey GB 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 you did very well! great you finished! I is always a pity if someone just not makes it... very nice! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 Great result, very well done. I love the sharkmouth! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stakor Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 Nice work !! Cobra Jaws are pretty I made both recently released G cobras - AZ and SH and have to say I like SH more although cannot say it's easier to build it. BTW I also broke skids in my crystal ship ;P 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight_Flyer Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 Thanks guys, appreciate the comments 1 hour ago, stakor said: Nice work !! Cobra Jaws are pretty I made both recently released G cobras - AZ and SH and have to say I like SH more although cannot say it's easier to build it. BTW I also broke skids in my crystal ship ;P I do have the SH kit in the stash and certainly doesn't look like an easy build going by the instructions and parts count. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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