Nigel Heath Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Looks like excellent and fun work there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedman Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 I made some seat pads and the bulkhead quilting out of Milliput last night and added the side consoles. I've also widened the pilots instrument panel (not in the photo), still a bit to do in there including the gunners panel but I'm getting there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I like the Milliput quilting, good idea there that I might well pinch in the future. I hope you don't mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedman Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 Go for it! I rolled out a piece on damp parcel tape (shiny & disposable) then used a wet scalpel to make the grooves after letting it sit for 15 minutes. Once that was done I cut a square out and moistened the back of it with a drop of water before applying it to the panel and after 10 minutes I trimmed it to shape. It's the first time I've tried making it and it seems to work well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Sorry I don't follow you, did you put the Milliput on the tape, or put it over the Milliput and press trough it with a scalpel. I also don't understand your timings, surely Milliput would hardly change after such short times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Milliput changes a lot in the first 15-30 minutes. it loses it's surface tackiness and firms up noticeably.....Try it and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedman Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 (edited) I use the tape as a sort of non-stick surface to roll the Milliput out on, I started doing this ages ago after it kept having problems with it sticking to my cutting mat. I smear a tiny drop of water on the tape so I can remove the milliput easily after cutting and shaping. It's also quick and clean to dispose of afterwards. You'd be amazed at the difference the 15 minutes makes to shaping it. I had a couple of goes right after rolling it out but it just looked like thin grooves in the surface, after letting it sit for a while I got the nice cushioned effect. But you must keep the blade wet and just press it into the surface, if it's dry or you try cutting the grooves the Milliput tends to stick to the blade and it goes very wrong. I must have tried a dozen times before I got it right. I hope this helps. Edited October 9, 2013 by Speedman 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 (edited) This build's a real nostalgia trip for me.....Another Matchbox model bought when we went to the papershop to pick up our Corona pop and my Commando & Victor comics! My build didn't look much like yours though.....Great work and very neat, I'd assumed your Mr.Surfacer was Tippex from a pen until I saw your post. Edited October 9, 2013 by Sgt.Squarehead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 (edited) Milliput changes a lot in the first 15-30 minutes. it loses it's surface tackiness and firms up noticeably.....Try it and see. Sgt.Squarehead I did not know that, I will indeed give it a try. Corona pop Now that I do remember in big glass bottles. Comics wise I was more into Look and Learn (learnt a lot from that actually), Look In and the Beano. Thanks Speedman, I have now got it I think. Edited October 9, 2013 by Nigel Heath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Loving the TLC that cockpits getting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedman Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 I've nearly finished the cockpit, all I've got left to make are the rudder pedals, and the pilot's HUD. Once that's done it's just the pilot's cyclic and the gunners turret control kit parts to fit and then it's ready to be painted. At least with a canopy this big a lot of the detail will still be seen. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 A Matchbox kit with a detailed cockpit. There's something you don't see very often 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Looking good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedman Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 I've finished all the cockpit components, I had to cut the cyclic down a bit as it scaled up to 75cm! I've started work on the exterior of the fuselage by correcting Matchboxes hideous AC intake and I've made my M134 minigun barrel. It's slightly oversized but it was the smallest rod I have and it's a major improvement over the rather strange kit part. Something interesting that I noticed today. The two kits I've got have the same box art but were made seven years apart, one in England the other in China (On the back of the box) and in that time the moulds really suffered. A lot of flash and more sink holes with some being quite deep, the panel lines look a little crisper thoiugh and the Chinese decals are far better. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I had to cut the cyclic down a bit as it scaled up to 75cm! I thought it looked a bit chunky. I've started work on the exterior of the fuselage by correcting Matchboxes hideous AC intake That would look good with some real mesh - PE or woven would be the ticket. Those panel lines are pretty hideous aren't they. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Those panel lines are pretty hideous aren't they. Matchbox. What can I tell ya? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedman Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 (edited) That would look good with some real mesh - PE or woven would be the ticket. I've tried a stainless steel micro particulate filter (used in the oil production industry) I was given years ago for things like this before. I've used it to good effect as oil radiators in 1/72 but although it has a ridiculously fine weave but still looks oversize for smaller stuff like this. I now use kids play foam sheets, I think mine are 2mm thick and the porous surface gives the illusion of a very fine grill. It works superbly with CA and I seal it with Mr.Surfacer as it has a habit of absorbing solvent from spray primer and causing problems. The photo just doesn't show any detail because it's taken on my old tablet and I have to put it in night mode because the flash is far too bright that close. As for the panel lines, I gave up trying to reduce them because the depth and width are so inconsistent. As you can see I've filled them in completely and I'll just rescribe the lot. I ended up applying 3 layers of Mr.Surfacer and because it sands so easily I had it all cleaned up in about 30 minutes with 800 grit wet and dry with a final "buff" with 2000 grit. It's left a fantastically smooth surface to play with! Edited November 3, 2013 by Speedman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedman Posted October 12, 2013 Author Share Posted October 12, 2013 I found a very interesting image while doing some research on the fold3 website, Sammy Davis, Jr. being shown around a gunners pit in Vietnam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedman Posted October 14, 2013 Author Share Posted October 14, 2013 I've managed a bit more on this one over the last two days. The M200 rocket pods are now done, the kit parts were too short and I was considering getting some aftermarket parts to replace them but then I remembered I've got an Academy OV-10 in the stash that I bought just for the props. (They're going on my Grumman Goose) Sure enough it had parts for a couple of shorter pods so I grafted the front and rear of them onto the Matchbox pods (after cutting them down a bit) and they are the perfect diameter and length. I did a test fit of the skids and even without the tail it felt like it was heavy in the rear so I knocked up some boxes and filled them with Liquid Gravity. Should be no problem now. The scribing is finished, comparing it to my second kit it looks so much better, well worth the time taken to do it. I've also made the cover/panel that Matchbox represented as recessed with huge bolts/rivets sticking out. Later AH-1Gs had vents in this cover but the early aircraft (including the one I'm doing) didn't. I've started the tail rotor swap. I cut out a section from each side of the tail and just swapped them over. I used some card to make up for the plastic lost to my razor saw so they are the correct height. I've got some filler on them at the moment and will be getting on with some sanding tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedman Posted October 16, 2013 Author Share Posted October 16, 2013 I've at last got the cockpit painted, I can't install it until I make a bulkhead for the nose (need to cut it off for clear nose to be made) but I've got all the other parts prepared so the rest of the build should be fairly easy. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topgear29 Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 That is very nice the cockpit is exhalent. Any chance of a 1/72 Sammy Davis JR plus Bob Hope in the pilots seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 I've at last got the cockpit painted No one would ever recognise that as a Matchbox cockpit! Just superb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Super work on the rescribing and cockpit. I will be copying your trench filling technique when I get round to my Matchbox He 115. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedman Posted October 16, 2013 Author Share Posted October 16, 2013 Super work on the rescribing and cockpit. I will be copying your trench filling technique when I get round to my Matchbox He 115. I did a layer each day but left a couple of days before scribing to let it harden fully. It scribes beautifully, much neater than with green putty. From now on I shall be doing large gaps with green, sanding into the joint a little then topping it with Mr.Surfacer. I remember standing in a model shop, aged 15, torn between the 115 and an Airfix He111. I went for the 115 because of the floats But trying to paint the mile long greenhouse that was the canopy... If only I knew about masking tape back then. And airbrushes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedman Posted October 16, 2013 Author Share Posted October 16, 2013 That is very nice the cockpit is exhalent. Any chance of a 1/72 Sammy Davis JR plus Bob Hope in the pilots seat. I can probebly manage a set of golf clubs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts