whiskey

Blackwater. I used to see them in Baghdad all the time.

There's actually 2 Comanches and both are located there. One is essentially mothballed as shown above and the other is in better condition. They pull it out on occasion for display. https://www.armyaviationmuseum.org/2017/02/24/comanche-on-display-on-museum-floor-for-limited-time/

Ya don't say?

2 birds with 1 stone, fighter jet flight AND skydiving!

@Habu12, what was the paints and process you used for these two beauties? This is exactly how I would like mine to turn out.

Yes that is the new Bell Invictus. Not the Comanche.

Howdy y'all (eeerrr I mean hello guys), As per the title says I finally went ahead and bought my first 1/48 Airfix P-51D. I am fully aware of the pros of the Eduard kit but it's just TOO nice for me to pick up now and ruin once building begins. I haven't touched a P-51 kit since my feeble attempts at the Monogram "Big Beautiful Doll" as a kid 25 years ago or so. Anyway I bought both the fillet and filletless versions. I have since tons of simply amazing builds and have tried reading up as much as I can on these babies. My question is though what else should I get for them to just make a really nice model. Not trying to be wholly 100% accurate nor am I trying to go completely OOB. I just want a nice model that is reasonably accurate. My opinion on AM is that there is too many manufacturers to choose from on parts and I am to impatient to figure out who's better than who. I think I've read the Airfix needs new exhausts, wheels, and prop? I'd like to use a nice instrument panel instead of painting it. Is the seat good and maybe just needs belts or should I put a new one in? Does anyone make good pilots? (I want to do at least 1 in flight model). Any suggestions? I bought 2 Eaglecals sheets and will be doing Don Bochkay's 357th FG "Ace of Clubs" and Charles Weaver's "Passion Wagon".

^^^ from all the sweat!

RAH-66 Comanche is NOT still flying. It's actually at the Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Please, don't bring children into the conversation.

I bet you could ask Dave Roof over at Flying Leatherneck Models. He would most definitely have the information you're after or he could get it.

Oh my. Glad I saw this. Think I've got 3 in the lineup cue.

I've got 3 of them lined up to do. Eventually. Hopefully one of mine turn out as nice as yours!

Oh so you mean just the 18 F-14Ds that were made from As.. There's not an R designation, not even for re-manufactured A to D configurations. Kinda had me confused there for a bit.

What's an F-14(R)?

Yep! I got that confused. Thanks for the correction Jon!

Hey @russ c Going back to the previous conversation, these are wonderful Thuds. Just as a recap though, you sanded down the panel lines and then Drew them with a mechanical pencil? Or you left them raised and went over them after the camo paint job? I came across a year or two ago of a fellow who did a YouTube video of his completed Monogram F-105 and asked him about what he did to weather it and he simply stated that he went over the raised lines with a number 2 pencil after he sprayed on the SEA camo. It really does seem to make it shine and less work than rescribing.

I wonder why Reality only went with a detailed main rotor hub and no blades as the blades for the D are incorrect.

I've been somewhat curious as to when we might see a Thud from you Russ and you definitely delivered! Outstanding looking beast. Given all of the improvements and changes you made to the HobbyBoss kit what's your opinion of it overall? I have a D from them but that's it. The rest are all unbuilt Monogram's on my shelf.

Dave, just going back through older unread posts and saw the completed work you did on this for the GB last year. Excellent job. Did you read "Black Aces High?" Fantastic read about that cruise.

Heck I'm an American and I agree wholeheartedly with your opinion!

Wow never seen these fellas before. Nice!

I don't think going totally off the shelf would be necessary. But I do think that making a "scout" helicopter higher performing than the actual attack aircraft and look like something out of GI Joe or a sci-fi movie is a bit too far. I would think skids are a must. Observation helos will be fast yes, they need to be fast as hell to get outta dodge when need be. But they'll be in the weeds primarily (Kiowa Warrior ring a bell?). Always have been. I don't think crews will be thinking to lower the landing gear if they get hit and have to autorotate, which if they're as low as they should be they probably won't have time to do that. At least with skids it'll automatically offer some level of cushion. Maybe come up with a simple design but use what was successful on other previous platforms and make it better. Armament could be marking projectiles and self defense. That way there's no confusion about who's role they're in. Once you add anti-armor capabilities you're just gonna piddle off the Apache lovers in The Pentagon. And yes they exist. They're the real reason the Comanche was nixed. One could make the airframe wired to carry a few anti-armor weapons but in either a wingman or self defense role. Not an attack role. This will help keep the size and weight down. Avionics, not an expert on but definitely need to have the most state of the art navigational and communication aides for sure. Scouts fight with the radio first and foremost. I dunno what else to think of at the moment as I'm too tired but that seems efficient enough. If the Army wants to get into the stealth game again, well good luck with that. Scouts play low and slow, then shoot and scoot once the SALUTE is identified and relayed to the bigger guns. I dont ever see that changing. Unless aliens really do exist.

And this unit does not seem to have anyone that has produced decals for. Correct?

Hasegawa or Kinetic kit?

Holy schnikes!