jrlx Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 EDIT: This was going to be my entry to the Bell Huey GB, back in 2016, but I only managed to start the build after the GB. Shortly after, I stopped working on it and it's been in the shelf of doom till now. Hopefully, I'll manage to finish it now. Cheers Jaime ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear fellow modellers, This was intended to be my entry to the Bell Huey GB but I lost my modelling enthusiasm after returning from my summer holidays, back in late September, so I didn't even start a thread in the GB. However, I managed to start the build, though late in October, and have been very slowly working on it since. Below I'm showing the work done till now. To start with, here is the kit and sprues. It's the AZ Model 1/72 "Marines" version and looks good in the sprues, with a good level of detail and nice moulding: IMAG4519 There's a small PE fret in the box (on the right in the picture below) but I bought a more complete PE set from Bregun (on the left): IMAG4520 Here are the decals, which look good: IMAG4521 The kit provides three versions to choose from, with colour schemes on the back of the box. The top version is a training aircraft, while the other two are operational machines used in Vietnam in 1969 and 1970. I'll do the last one, on the bottom of the colour diagrams, just because it has more decals to apply (why simplify things when we can make them more complicated? 😞 IMAG4522 Starting with the build, I removed the main parts off the sprues: IMAG4524 and did a quick dry fit test. Fit seemed to be good: IMAG4525 Attention moved, then, to the cockpit base. There are a few PE bits to apply but, first, some raised detail must be removed, as per the PE instructions: IMAG4526 Removal done: IMAG4528 The instrument panels also come with raised detail : IMAG4529 which must be removed, in order to later apply PE instrument panels: IMAG4530 Next, the seats where removed off the sprues, cleaned of moulding lines and flash, and glued to toothpicks in order to be painted: IMAG4531 The part that forms the fuselage's underside also has raised detail that must be removed: IMAG4541 turning out like this: IMAG4542 Next, I glued the pilot's sight to the top of the instrument panel's cowling. It's solid plastic, so I'll try to replace it later by a piece of acetate: IMAG4543 The pilot's control column was also removed from the sprue, cleaned of moulding lines and glued to a toothpick for painting: IMAG4544 Then, I started with the application of PE bits. First was the adjustable device that existed in the arms officer cockpit (an aiming sight?). It's made up of plastic part 31 and PE part 13, as shown here: IMAG4545 The PE part must be bent, as per the instructions: IMAG4546 and then glued to the plastic part. Here they are, ready for painting: IMAG4547 PE parts 4 and 5 are used to detail the side panels in the cockpit: IMAG4548 Here they are after bending into shape: IMAG4549 Finally, they're glued on the side panels of the cockpit base: IMAG4550 Next, I removed from the sprue and fret the parts that make up the main rotor: IMAG4551 I still have to finish cleaning the moulding lines from the plastic part, before I can glue the PE parts in place. That's all for now. Thanks for looking. Cheers Jaime 23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 very nice! adds perfectly to the recent Huey/ Cobra mania! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted December 24, 2016 Author Share Posted December 24, 2016 Thanks! I have another Cobra and a Huey in the stash, so this is just the beginning Cheers Jaime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 Great stuff Jaime I hope that canopy is nice and clear so we can still see all this detail later on. Good luck with the build Cheers Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted June 22, 2020 Author Share Posted June 22, 2020 56 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said: Great stuff Jaime I hope that canopy is nice and clear so we can still see all this detail later on. Good luck with the build Cheers Pat Thanks for the welcome, Pat! While the build stayed in the shelf of doom, I bought a vacform canopy, so it should ensure a good view into the cockpit. I also bought a Master's brass + PE cannon. I hope to resume the build this coming weekend. Cheers Jaime 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 Nice to see this one (and you) back Jaime! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted June 22, 2020 Author Share Posted June 22, 2020 4 minutes ago, CedB said: Nice to see this one (and you) back Jaime! Thank you Ced! I'll be doing my (hopefully) last German Exam on Friday. I should have plenty of time for modelling after that Cheers Jaime 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 Good luck with the exam Jaime - I'm sure you'll do well 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted June 22, 2020 Author Share Posted June 22, 2020 40 minutes ago, CedB said: Good luck with the exam Jaime - I'm sure you'll do well Thanks Ced! I hope so, but it won't be easy 😓 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 Good luck Jaime, im not sure if we have any German members in this GB, we could get them to give you some unofficial coaching ! Cheers Pat 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted June 22, 2020 Author Share Posted June 22, 2020 3 hours ago, JOCKNEY said: Good luck Jaime, im not sure if we have any German members in this GB, we could get them to give you some unofficial coaching ! Cheers Pat Thanks for the best wishes and for the suggestion, Pat. We finished classes last week and now me and my classmates are having almost daily video-meetings for practising. Cheers Jaime 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 That looks to be a nice kit and the metal parts are giving you some good upgrades Jamie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted June 28, 2020 Author Share Posted June 28, 2020 On 24/06/2020 at 12:15, Col. said: That looks to be a nice kit and the metal parts are giving you some good upgrades Jamie Thanks Col. Hopefully, I'll resume work today. Cheers Jaime 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockeyboy76 Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 Great work. Got to love all that PE. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted June 28, 2020 Author Share Posted June 28, 2020 1 hour ago, Hockeyboy76 said: Great work. Got to love all that PE. Thanks! I must confess I'm a bit obssessive with detailing my models, so I always use PE or resin or whatever is available to improve detail. Cheers Jaime 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted July 11, 2020 Author Share Posted July 11, 2020 Hello, I've resumed working on this build. As I said elsewhere, while the build was stored away on the shelf of doom, I've bought Master's brass gun for Cobras. However this gun is for later versions and won't be used with this kit. Now I have a good excuse to buy Dream Model's AH-1Z Viper I also bought a vacform canopy for this specific kit: IMAG6829 To start with, I cleaned the moulding marks from the main rotor shaft and cut the plastic piece which served as head-up display: IMAG6831 The HUD will be replaced by piece C of this acetate sheet, where instrument panels are also shown: IMAG6832 The backs of the instrument panels were painted flat white. Some additional work was needed in the cockpit. The pedals are replaced by PE parts nº 27: IMAG6834 Here they are, glued in place: IMAG6835 PE part nº 11 is to be glued inside the canopy but must be bent to shape before installation: IMAG6836 Final shape, ready for painting: IMAG6837 A lever for the pilot station must be scratch built. The instructions suggest using stretched sprue but I used plasticard rods. The diameters suggested in the instructions seem to be out of scale (1,5 mm and 1,0 mm diameter). My first attempt used 1,0 mm and 0,66 mm but it also looked out of scale. So, I used 0,75 mm and 0,5 mm for my second attempt. The picture below shows the instructions and the two attempts glued to a toothpick, ready for painting: IMAG6844 The insides of the pod parts were painted black: IMAG6833 The paint was allowed to dry for a few days and, then, the pods parts were glued together: IMAG6845 Clean up of the seams and some filler will be needed. There is a PE part to apply to the bottom of the cannon turret: IMAG6842 The PE part was glued in place: IMAG6842 The openings on the bottom of the turret were made: IMAG6847 There are some grids to install on openings around the engine. I chose to use the PE parts that came with the kit, instead of the same parts from the Brengun fret, because the grids are actually perforated: IMAG6838 Here the grids are glued in place IMAG6839 That's all for now. Thanks for looking. Cheers Jaime 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockeyboy76 Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 Some nice progress dude. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desert falcon Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 This is going to be a master build 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 Seconded! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted July 12, 2020 Author Share Posted July 12, 2020 @Hockeyboy76 @desert falcon @CedB Thank you for your interest! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Great stuff Jaime Can i ask what you use for folding your PE into shape ? Cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 2 hours ago, JOCKNEY said: Great stuff Jaime Can i ask what you use for folding your PE into shape ? Cheers Pat Thank you very much Pat! I'm using these tools for folding PE: IMAG2578 The PE parts are held by the "fingers" of the PE-holder and the shaving blade-like piece is used to fold the PE parts. Cheers Jaime 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 That looks the business can you tell me who makes it and where i could get one please. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 Hi Pat - this had me looking too; I needed a smaller bend for my 1/72 Hurricane recently. There's an old thread on them here: These things are not cheap. I have the Master Tools bug and it's pretty good - like this one for about £30. I also have Radu's Flip-R5 which I'd forgotten about (rats) which, for €15 might do if you don't do much bending of big stuff. Jaime linked to his tools in his Do-17 thread but the bender link's broken now. I think it's the Small Model Shop 5-5-5 and they have stock here at £75. Yikes. HTH 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 6 hours ago, JOCKNEY said: That looks the business can you tell me who makes it and where i could get one please. Hi Pat, Sorry for not providing the link right away. @CedB provided the updated link to the bender I have. It is expensive but I believe it's worth the price. The quality of the tool is very high and it's made of solid machined metal. Cheers Jaime 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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