Jump to content

AH-56A Cheyenne ++FINISHED ++


IanHx

Recommended Posts

Here's a kit that may well be as old as I am -  the Aurora 1/72 Lockheed AH-56A Cheyenne.

Don't see too many of these knocking around :)

According to Scalemates, the square boxing was produced 1969-1972.

Two motivations for building this one :

1) because i wanted to

2) because it freed up most space on stash shelf while the finished article takes up the least space on the finished shelf

( the other contenders were C-141B and U-2  so you can see why that might be an issue ! )

 

The box :

 

IMG_20190506_095527820_HDR

 

 

The contents :

 

IMG_20190506_095851478

 

 

Warning bells started sounding when I saw how many pieces were off the runners when removed from the plastic back.

Sure enough, i came up a landing gear strut short....    :(

 

Time to break out the modelling clay and see if i can mold a milliput replacement.....

 

IMG_20190506_102151015

 

Obviously I'll need to modify the piece to be left side instead of right side, but we'll cross that bridge after the molds have hardened.

 

TO BE CONTINUED...….

 

Edited by IanHx
change title
  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ha, I brought one of these to the gift exchange in 6th grade, and was disappointed when I didn't get to go home with it, too!  This may be the first time that I've seen inside the box, and perhaps you've helped give me closure on a childhood trauma.  It might be a new record in "plastic to box volume" ratio!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, gingerbob said:

Ha, I brought one of these to the gift exchange in 6th grade, and was disappointed when I didn't get to go home with it, too!  This may be the first time that I've seen inside the box, and perhaps you've helped give me closure on a childhood trauma.  It might be a new record in "plastic to box volume" ratio!

Yep, there sure is a lot of box for not much plastic :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Ambitious,  but rubbish"   is probably the best description of the scratcbuilt strut....  on the other hand the original was probably built by the lowest bidder, so I'm not going to lose too much sleep over it.

 

IMG_20190511_102020315

 

Edited by IanHx
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another day, another piece missing....   this time the nose gun barrel.   Thinking some AM bit for a Cobra might be in order..... Edit : or perhaps not. Reviewing a few videos on YouTube indicates that the later prototypes had a belly mounted canon, whereas the earlier prototypes had a much shorter single barelled weapon in the nose.

This kit for an earlier prototype. Thinking the metal nozzle on liquid glue bottle would be about the right size if I cut a bit off....

 

Also thinking that more care needs to be exercised when buying kits at shows where the pieces aren't on the runners.

Edited by IanHx
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's progress... of sorts...

 

IMG_20190512_163538695

 

 

Modelling rule #1 :  The more time you spend carefully scratch building a part, the more likely it is to be snaffled by the Carpet Monster necessitating the building again of said part.

                               Just like the axle sticking out of the landing strut....

 

Modelling rule #2 :  If you try to build a replacement part, it will be the wrong size / shape.

                                Couldn't get the landing strut to sit in the sponson so that the lid would go on , so had to chop out the bridging arches, trim a few mm off the the base, and glue them back in.

                                As you can see in the piece lower right.

 

Modelling rule #3 :  If it's a second hand kit in a stapled bag, then there's bits missing. Browsing the internet to see what I can use for the nose gun barrel.....

 

On the plus side, did find loads of cool videos of the Cheyenne on the firing range.  Never knew that the gunner's seat could rotate round so that he's always looking forward at the target... even when it's off to the side.

Very neat.  Just like the turret on one of those tracked target thingies in the Armour section :)

 

 

 

Edited by IanHx
  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
22 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

I gave the sad face emoji due to no photo's the link doesn't work ? 

No idea what was going on there. Went back and pasted in exactly the same link from my tablet rather than Microsoft Edge, and picture appears. Go figure.  :(

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Weekly Lockheed chopper pic

 

spacer.png

 

Got a few panels to paint and the rotor tips.  And the wing decals, which aren't on as they're far to convenient to hold model by :)   Getting closer to done......

Edited by IanHx
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

to bad they never made it into production. They do look like they would have been good. 

Too bad in some ways.... but on the other hand we ended up with the Apache and Warthog instead , so not all bad :)

I'm surprised at the relative obscurity of this helicopter,  given the extent of what-if debate that the Northrop YF-23 and GD F-16 XL seem to enjoy. 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...