Lee Chambers Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 (edited) This was my first build of 2016, it's an original Monogram kit I got from a guy in the USA off eBay. It was in a complete and excellent condition. I decided I wanted to add some crew figures so looking around my stash I found some figures from an old 1/32 Trumpeter A10 Thunderbolt kit that I haven't built in over 10 years. I had to modify the figures using a scalpel blade, I re-sculpted their flight suits and had to remove their face masks and sculpt a new face to go with a suitable look for this build and I had to adjust the arms and legs and head of the pilot figure and the arms and head of the observer figure. Also I made some boom microphones which was out of magnet wire cynoed to the side of their helmets and a dab of 5 minute epoxy to the end to make the mic. In fact it took longer to work on the figures than it did to actually build the kit! I found of the actual filming helicopter showed a lot more safety style warning decals around the aircraft so I added a few from the Trumpeter decals. I think they improve the look of the overall model. It may bring back memories of an 80's classic movie and TV series. I shall probably search for an Airwolf kit to go with this build. I hope you enjoy the pictures. Edited July 11, 2021 by Lee Chambers 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders154 Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 Cool Rodders 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzulscha Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 Looks lot better than the one I built, that's for sure. Ya know, I think I still have it stashed away somewhere. I think... Ahem, yes, Looks pretty dashed good! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krow113 Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 (edited) nice Edited July 28, 2016 by krow113 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomjw Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 Excellent. Always loved that show. Cheers, Tom. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k5054nz Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 Nice work Lee! I have the Kitech knock-off on hiatus until I find the right blue. Does JAFO have an iPhone? That's brilliant! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 Never seen this one built,Superb build and finish 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 Very cool! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 Very nice Blue Thunder indeed! I saw the movie as a kid and was of course thrilled. This actually looks like a Gazelle helicopter with new cockpit glazing and some extra stuff (can you say that a Minigun is "Extra Stuff" ) Best Regards, Antti 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spruecutter96 Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 Excellent work, my friend. Bring back some happy memories of the movie (and not so good memories of the TV series!) Cheers. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Chambers Posted July 28, 2016 Author Share Posted July 28, 2016 Thanks Guys,it was a fun kit to build,and yes it is based on the Gazelle heli,they actually built two of them,as "film props"could not be relied upon to work everytime they were filming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 Nice Brings back fond memories Rgds 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Air-to-Air Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 Awesome model! One of my favourite movies as a teenager. I loved that opening text: The hardware, weaponry and surveillance systems depicted in this film are real and in use in the United States today. Apache anyone? Although I can't imagine anyone flying an Apache snooping around the way Murphy and Lymangood did in the Hollywood Hills. The kit certainly looks the business. The interior seems to have much more room than I recall. I thought Lymangood's display was a much larger CRT display positioned directly in front of him. Thanks for sharing it with us, that was a nice trip down memory lane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil5208 Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Nice result, I remember doing one of these when they showed the movie on ITV. It looked ok until I tried to fit the canopy, nothing lined up so it end up as a target. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonehammer Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Noicee... I, too, have fond memories of the film. The guy in the back ought to be fitted... Texting on the phone instead of working! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krow113 Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Oh , THATS what he's doing! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Chambers Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 Noicee... I, too, have fond memories of the film. The guy in the back ought to be fitted... Texting on the phone instead of working! Glad you like it,but Jafo is working,he was just going through the check list of the day,s flight plan,looking for any possible bad guy hot spots,but i must confess it does look like he is on a smart phone or tablet LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 That was such a good movie. I still play the soundtrack. Your blue thunder stands out and looks great. Very nice! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowler0000 Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 NOT J.A.F.B.F! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDELK Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 WOW!! Now that is a cool build. You did a magnificent job and it's nice to see that some people still think outside the normal aircraft builds. Great job all the way around.. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Chambers Posted August 3, 2016 Author Share Posted August 3, 2016 WOW!! Now that is a cool build. You did a magnificent job and it's nice to see that some people still think outside the normal aircraft builds. Great job all the way around.. Dave Thanks Dave,since returning to the hobby 2yrs ago my huge stash contains mostly oddball stuff ! LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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