Snow Cobra

[modelling minion]

Yes the glazing is quite large so a lot can still be seen when closed up. In fact if I have it open it might make it a bit more difficult to see in to the cockpit because of the angle of the entry hatch, I will have to give it some more thought.

Off to look at real aircraft and tanks at the Victory Show tomorrow so no more modelling until the evening.

[milktrip]

Have a great day!

[Red Dot]

looking good Craig. Keep at it.

That plastic looks very hard and shiny, not what i am used to!

Andy

[modelling minion]

Time for another update.

Well the canopy has all been fitted and filled around the edges (yes it needed some filler, quite a bit in places) and a decision has been made regarding open or closed gunners canopy, I've gone with open and have removed the section from the rest of the glazing. It has since been tacked in place on the photos below so that it didn't fall off whilst I was spraying a coat of NATO black onto the outside of the canopy. All of the fiddly bits (aerials, cable cutters etc.) have been added to the fuselage as well, here's a couple of pics showing the front of the fuselage from both sides.

I have also made a decision regarding the TOW rails and have decided to show them empty as this is how they are most often seen. The monogram team have made this a lot easier by making the part of the the system (namely the tube which actually holds the missile) separate from the rest so all that needs to be done is fit the front and back ends, right? Well yes and no, both the front and back pieces come moulded solid which does not look at all realistic, the front looked like this.

And the back looked like this.

The holes you can see are pilot holes I have drilled ready for the real work to begin. After a fair amount of drilling with various size drills and filing with a round needle file they look like this. The front.

And the back.

Much more realistic, to my eye at least. Hopefully when they are attached to the rest of the launchers and some wiring added they will look good enough.

The next step is to get some colour onto the fuselage, I will start with the brown which hopefully I will get on tomorrow.

Thanks for looking in and all comments and criticisms are gratefully received.

Craig.

[Red Dot]

it's coming along Craig. Keep going as you are over the hard bit now. Just some painting :-)

Bring your F-104s to the next meeting as we are having a Starfighter Fest !

Andy

[modelling minion]

Yeah Andy, I'll just slap some paint on and it will be finished.

I'll bring the F-104 along to the next meeting.

[Red Dot]

Just a thought, but I would do black, then green then tan. Reason being, minimum colour first therefore least masking. Remember the Swedish kv107, I wish I had done it that way

[modelling minion]

I have a "cunning plan" to deal with the black markings, I will share it with you all later.

[Red Dot]

I have a "cunning plan" to deal with the black markings, I will share it with you all later.

Bet it's a felt tip. Did I win?

[modelling minion]

Bet it's a felt tip. Did I win?

No, but you're not a million miles away.

[Nigel Heath]

Excellent looking work MM, a most impressive Huey is taking shape here.

[whiskey]

Something for your TOW issues possibly......

http://www.wernerswings.com/product.html

[modelling minion]

Thanks Whiskey a nice looking set, but I've put the work in now and I'm happy with the result. To be honest it isn't that difficult to do, just a bit time consuming.

[Red Dot]

Thanks Whiskey a nice looking set, but I've put the work in now and I'm happy with the result. To be honest it isn't that difficult to do, just a bit time consuming.

and it might mean your wallet would have to open :-)

[modelling minion]

As promised one coat of brown paint has been applied.

I shall wait until at least tomorrow evening before I mask off the brown. I will then apply the green which was left uncovered on the underside of the airframe before I then mask that off and apply the white.

Time to do a bit more work on the TOW system then.

Craig.

[mirageiv]

Looking the business Craig! I like the extra effort on the TOW launchers, will look great!

[modelling minion]

Thanks David, much appreciated.

Been having another look at the brown I've applied and I'm not sure if it's dark and red enough even though it's Tamiya's JGSDF brown. I think I need to have a look at it in better light either tomorrow or the day after.

[abat]

Looking very good Craig.

[whiskey]

Ohhhh how I love it when a good Cobra comes together!

[modelling minion]

Having had a look at more pictures of JGSDF AH-1's I decided that the Tamiya paint was nothing like the right colour for this helo so I have repainted her using Vallejo Dark Earth which I think is a lot closer but still not perfect, here's a couple of pictures.

 

I will leave it like this for a couple of days to see what I think of it, and to see if any of you have an opinion on it. I have to devote some time to another build which is more time constrained than the AH-1 but I will do work, such as on the TOW launchers when I get the opportunity.

 

Thanks for looking in and as usual all comments and criticisms are gratefully received.

 

Craig.

[exdraken]

Hi, imho your colour is much too light and earth colored... you prpbsbly need some ted/ brown in the mix!

[Red Dot]

hi Craig,

 

Is it in sunlight or not?

 

 

and the same colour in sun

 

 

My point being, don't get too hung up on it. PYFFO

 

Andy

[Red Dot]

hi Craig,

 

Is it in sunlight or not?

 

 

and the same colour in sun

 

 

My point being, don't get too hung up on it. PYFFO

 

Andy

[modelling minion]

Thanks ExDraken, I'm inclined to agree with you.

 

Andy, from what I can tell the OH-1 and OH-6 are painted using different browns, your pictures look like they were taken at the same time on the same base in the same sunlight conditions which prove my point. The AH-1's (and AH-64's as well) seem to be painted in the more red brown colour as seen on the OH-1 above.

As I said I've got to concentrate on another model at the minute so re-painting will have to wait a day or two.

 

Craig.

[whiskey]

If you look closely at the doghouse of the OH-6, juts left of the number 3, it looks like there is moisture built up right there that has darkened the paint. That would mean that those 2 aircraft are definitely painted separate browns.