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Hi all and very happy to be part of this one! Here's what I'm in with. Plan is to build and finish as a US Coastguard HH-3F Pelican - you can read more about its history and service here I've a bit of a thing for USCG aircraft so looking forward to adding it to the 1/72 collection! Family Album - USCG by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Thanks for looking and good luck with your builds. All the best, Dermot

Recently completed as part of a GB on another forum, but posting here as you don't see these finished all that often so thought it might interest some people. This is the US Coast Guard variant of the C-123 Provider. Quite a challenging kit (the GB this build was part of was entitled 'Nightmare Kits'!). This is the third Amodel C-123 I've built. I tried some new approaches this time that made the build significantly easier, but it's still a classic short run kit. Nothing some good old fashioned modelling skills cannot fix, but - at best - tedious at times. You can if you're interested read the build log here. I was intrigued by what the Coast Guard needed the C-123 for - the answer is quite fascinating (or I think so, anyway). The HC-123s were acquired in 1958 to help support the Loran-C network of navigation stations across the world. The USCG took over responsibility for maintaining this global network in 1958. I spent a bit of time trying to understand the Loran navigation system but to no avail. It's pretty complicated stuff. But basically it was a US-led development of the British GEE system used by RAF Bomber Command to navigate accurately deep into Germany. The system relied on ground stations that sent out a low-frequency radio pulse; a receiver on the aircraft (or ship) then measured the time difference between the pulses to get a fix. This GEE system was highly accurate - but only at shorter ranges. The more you 'stretched' the range by lowering the frequency, the greater the margin of inaccuracy (as it were). Successive Loran systems refined the accuracy of the fix obtainable at greater ranges through some Very Clever Engineering (that Angus won't pretend to understand). But there's a good explanation in this Coast Guard film if you want one - and can muscle your way past Siri's narration. The Coast Guard had become interested in the Loran system from 1942 (its dual utility for aerial and maritime navigation appealed) and were a major partner in its wartime development. Classic short newsreel feature on this here. The USAF and USN were actually fairly fickle in their interest post-war - flirting with their own alternative systems or (more complex) inertial navigation systems. With trials proving that Loran-C worked, the Coast Guard took on responsibility for the Loran-C chains from 1958 - it acquired its HC-123s to expand and maintain the Loran chains. Except for an enlarged radome to house the AN/APN-158 search radar, the HC-123B was a standard C-123B in all other respects. The first network of Loran stations was set up in the Mediterranean in 1959 (with stations in Italy, Greece, Turkey and Libya), the Norwegian Sea in 1960 and finally across the Pacific. Coast Guard Providers were scattered to Florida, Puerto Rico, Italy, Alaska, Guam and Hawaii in support of this until 1972. Loran was used extensively by both civil and military aircraft and ships during its lifespan, providing accurate navigation over 12 million square miles of planet earth. Less known, it was used extensively by the allied ballistic missile subs (hence all the repeater stations in the Norwegian sea) to synchronise or update the ship's inertial navigation system without trailing an antenna above the surface (Loran-C signals could be received over 60ft below the surface). With the coming of satellite-based navigation systems in the 1990s, Loran use dropped off (though widespread civilian uptake ensured it lived on longer than most other navigation systems). The Coast Guard ran and maintained the US Loran chain of around 31 stations for 52 years. It has now largely been shut down (the US decommissioned its Loran network in 2010). Anyway more pictures of the real thing... Nothing too difficult really. The undercarriage nosegear needed quite a bit of shortening to get the right sit. If I'm honest, I'm unhappy about the metallic panels in these photos - though the contrast is much subtler in real life lighting. But that one on the wing looks odd. Alas. Anyway... A surprisingly big old girl... And finally with her sister ship. There's a trio of ugly nose jobs the C-123 offered - I've done two of them! Thanks very much for looking! Angus

My first time joining a Group Build.... I’m going to build the Whirlybirds 1/72 Sikorsky HH-52A Sea Guard helicopter in USCG colors. It is my first resin kit, too! I figure a helicopter is a good way to start- build the fuselage, and you’re nearly finished!😁 The kit looks nice, and fills an important gap in my collection of US Coast Guard subjects in 1/72. The HH-52 has never been kitted in injected plastic- the closest kit was a 1/48 scale kit of the Sikorsky S-62, the civilian version of the HH-52, by ITC in late 1950s. Tonight I opened up the kit and cut the main fuselage parts free from the pour blocks. So I have officially started!

Here’s my build of the US Coast Guard Cutter Duane (WHEC-33) as she appeared ca. 1980. The model was converted from the Revell USCGC Taney kit. The Revell mold dates from 1957, and the model shows the ship in a mid-1950s fit. I used the GMM railings designed for this kit, and replaced some of the clunky details with a mix of 1/350 aftermarket and scratch built parts. The Radar Room and tripod mainmast are scratchbuilt. The model was built as a gift for an old friend and classmate, whose first duty station was aboard Duane in the early 80s. The stripe is painted, and the decals are from the Model Alliance 1/350 set. The “DUANE” decal on the stern was made by a club mate who has a laser printer.

Hi all and here's my one, Revell's gloriously rivetting Grumman Albatross. I got this many years ago from one of the 2nd hand trade stands at Telford. Markings will be for a US Coastguard version Good luck with your builds! Cheers, Dermot

Hi Guys! This is my actual project, a rescue Daulphin. As You can see, the base is the Revell (ex-Matchbox) "SA-365 Dauphin II". As usual, the kit provide us some hard hours to make something bearable. My goal is to upgrade the kit to this configuration: For this, I have to create a winch, a search light, some antennas, a pair of holes on the fusalage, and a new interrior. And here I am right now.

Hi everyone and here’s my latest build finished for a TV/Movie-themed GB. My first ever USCG scheme with a couple of goofs here and there but I learned a lot doing it and had fun - maybe a HH-3 Pelican next time! There are some details missing as per the 1/1 scale a/c but I'm not losing sleep on those and happy with how she turned out. You can read the full WIP here but just to recap: Kit: Hobby Boss HH-60 USCG Jayhawk Scale: 1/72 Decals: From kit. Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina - “First in Flight, First in Service”. Build: Scratchbuilt rescue kit/radio rack for cabin interior (mostly unseen!); seat belts from tape; centre console detail; shortened main landing gear, modified main rotor blades. Paints: Halfords white (sprayed); Brush painted Vallejo Acrylic ‘Vermillion’ and Revell Acrylics for all other colours. Flory Models Wash. Future Thanks for looking! Dermot

Inspired by Rick's excellent 1/48 scale Jayhawk here on the forum, I'm also building one albeit in 1/72 scale for a 'TV & Movies' group build. This is the Hobby Boss kit.. What you get in the box.. And while you get seats for the cabin, you don't get much else in the way of rescue kit. So scratchbuilt most of that from odds and ends in the spares box. From left to right in the back, a marker buoy thing, some bags, a radio rack, radios and fire extinguisher (kit seats in the front obviously!) Cabin floor masked up for the anti-slip strips...before.. And after.. Thanks for looking. Dermot