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Bladeslap. Adventures in Chinookery


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2 hours ago, Motley said:

Looking really good so far, recently bought the same kit as i work on these beasts, actually working on 712 at the moment on sqn. If you didnt know the circle you painted on is a static port 

Oh, so that's why it can't be painted? Makes sense.

 

Even though I'm sure she's been upgraded to HC mk6, I'm still a little bit nervous to hear that you see 712 on a daily basis, and anything I do wrong will stand out like a sore thumb to someone so familiar with her.

 

Having said that, it's refreshing and on some level energising that I'm modelling an aircraft that's still in service. I can't remember the last time that would've happened! Looking at my stash of Tonka, Merlin, Wessex, Jaguar, Phantom, Harrier, it's not likely to happen again until I have space to build the Hercules.

 

Thanks @Motley.

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Hercules did you say?  It’s the Italeri 1/48 with a Revell FGR2 for comparison

 

lkWlxLVtIshOCBAv7WIwl5-I9h4mvlLW-hIUYsRQ

 

Nice work on the Chinook - look excellent.  Can hear them coming between Wattisham & Honnington.  Totally different sound

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3 minutes ago, chrislowe said:

Yep. That's the one I have in the stash. That looks big! I might have to get an extension on the house before I build mine.

Yep one of those that can only go through the loft hatch sideways I think

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  • 2 weeks later...

The next job was to airbrush the flat clear coat. I tried the mig acrylic, but i didn't have a lot of luck. It was spitting out of the airbrush occasionally and when it dried was very similar to the semi gloss xtracrylics. So I went to the Tamiya acrylic with better results

 

IMG_20200101_132307

 

IMG_20200101_132401

 

Engine exhausts added. These were from the Eduard pe, and were very fragile.

 

IMG_20200102_215853

 

I should've fixed this earlier, but it wasn't as obvious before the clear coat

 

IMG_20200102_215910

 

Where the bottom of the door meets the fuselage is a right dogs dinner, and I couldn't live with it. After trying to fix it without drastic action, I decided there was nothing for it.

 

IMG_20200104_222058

 

A tightly controlled line of filler next to some decals that would be difficult to replace. Perfect plastic putty is perfect.

 

We'll it's not perfect, but after some very careful masking it's better than it was and good enough.

 

IMG_20200105_164644

 

After that, I needed something less nerve wracking, so I decided to fit the AN/ALQ, and the cables.

 

IMG_20200105_191815

 

Also the engine exhaust on this side is the better one. That's it for now. Hopefully more to come soon.

 

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Here's the port AN/ALQ

 

IMG_20200112_113218

 

Over time in spare moments here and there, I've be working on the undercarriage. I got them in place a while ago, but only today I got around to adding the tow loops, brake lines and stencils.

 

IMG_20200112_162618

 

And while I had everything out for transfers, I remembered the glass mounted sensors.

 

IMG_20200112_162635

 

The wheels are ready to go on, I just need to figure out how to get the weighted tyres on at the correct angle for the slightly nose-up stance.

 

Back soon.

 

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Before I got much further I wanted to try to correct some of the paint on the starboard door frame. And to make sure there were no mishaps, I had to make the equivalent of a dog cone for 712

 

IMG_20200112_215527

 

I tried to correct it as much as I could, and the finish is definitely better, but you can still see some issue between the rivets of the horizontal frame. It's hard to get in there with a sanding stick and not damage the "glass". Anyway...

 

IMG_20200113_222826

 

Next, as I mentioned before was my weighted resin wheels. They have some good detail on the back, showing the caliper and brakes, but unfortunately 4 of them face each other and the 2 at the rear are tricky to photo, 

 

IMG_20200114_175514

 

Back

 

IMG_20200114_175251

 

lastly, for this update, I tackled the lamps on the front. These came with no clear parts and while I could've painted them silver and added a blob of canopy glue, I thought I'd use a silver backed lense instead.

 

IMG_20200114_175327

 

It means the shape is not quite right because they bulge forwards too much, but I think the effect is ok. You can tell what they're supposed to be. Hopefully?

 

Next is the PE that should've gone on the ramp at the rear and the hydraulic ramp struts.

 

Edited by chrislowe
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  • 2 weeks later...

It's been a little while since the last update. These last few bits are taking time to get done. 

 

In an effort to handle it as little as possible at this point, I decided to do all the bits around the underside. 

 

First thing was to replace the horizontal part of the towel-rail antenna. The long end had broken off so many times I needed to do something different with it. Happily I have some brass rod that's about the right diameter.

 

Here it is in place, printed and ready for top coat

 

IMG_20200119_144111

 

Readers with long memories may remember that I glued the rear ramp in before I'd added the PE. This was the next thing to get attention along with the ramp hydraulics.

 

IMG_20200119_113100

 

There's a nasty edge where the PE stops short on the vertical part at the rear, but this will be hidden by the ramp extensions, so it won't be visible in the end. I may still try to improve it.

 

SACRUs were next up. The moulding wasn't super detailed but painted up and with bit of spare PE, and they're passable.

 

IMG_20200121_214346

 

The rear one fitted with the addition of some cables / hydraulics to the locations I added before spraying.

IMG_20200124_220448

 

And the front, again with lines.

 

IMG_20200124_220458

 

Finally, in the BM walk-around section, I see some white cables connecting to the countermeasures (flairs I think). Again, some thin wire did the trick.

 

IMG_20200124_220305

 

To wrap that all up, here's an overall shot of the underside that shows pretty much all the recent progress.

 

IMG_20200124_220835

 

Happy modelling! 😶

 

 

 

Edited by chrislowe
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The countermeasures you out the white cable on are a pair of flair packs and also the cables on the hooks, there should be just one electrical cable per hook. Only the centre hook has hyds to operate it. 

 

Got to say its looking really good soo far, alot cleaner and better painted than the real thing tbh 😂😂

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10 hours ago, chrislowe said:

Finally, in the BM walk-around section, I see some white cables connecting to the countermeasures (flairs I think). Again, some thin wire did the trick.

 

9 hours ago, Motley said:

The countermeasures you out the white cable on are a pair of flair packs and also the cables on the hooks, there should be just one electrical cable per hook. Only the centre hook has hyds to operate it.

It's flares, chaps - although firing them off for demonstration purposes can be done with a certain amount of flair... 🎇

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10 hours ago, Motley said:

there should be just one electrical cable per hook.

While I don't doubt you're right, because you're very familiar with the type and also with 712, it looks on this photo (not mine, credit and rights to the owner) as if there's a cable that connects to the body of the cargo hook, and one that comes out of the "leading edge". 

 

CH-47D_Chinook_helicopter_89-00138_Accid

 

Is that "leading edge" cable an optical illusion, or is this a US version of the cargo hook perhaps? 

 

12 hours ago, chrislowe said:

flairs

 

1 hour ago, andyf117 said:

It's flares, chaps

Well, of course you're right. I have no excuse except the 12yo whiskey. Obviously @Motley was just trying to save my blushes and not highlight my obvious mistake. 

 

As penance, my next build will be a Kitty hawk Jaguar.  😱

Edited by chrislowe
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@Motley Well, I've answered my own question. The cable that I thought was plugged in to the leading edge of the sacru in that pic is plugged into / part of something directly behind it. Thanks  for the heads-up.

 

As the old man said in Life of Brian, My legs are grey. My ears are gnarled. My eyes are old and bent

 

Off now to make a correction, or two :) 

Edited by chrislowe
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You are correct with the 2 cables, week of late nights has not helped my head 😂 the thin cable you can see going into the hook near the red circle is the manual release cable and the thinker cable you can just see behind the hook is the electrical cable connecting the hook to the cab. 

 

Also that picture is really confusing, rear wheel at 90 degrees to the cab and what looks like a blade touching the floor

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15 hours ago, Motley said:

 

Also that picture is really confusing, rear wheel at 90 degrees to the cab and what looks like a blade touching the floor

 

14 hours ago, perdu said:

Confused me too

I believe the Chinook in those pictures had suffered some sort of structural failure, quite possibly as a result of an energetic landing.

 

Here's the link if you want to read more...

 

http://www.chinook-helicopter.com/history/aircraft/D_Models/89-00138/Serbia_Accident/89-00138_Serbia_Accident_Page_8.html

 

15 hours ago, Motley said:

You are correct with the 2 cables

Fab, thanks! In that case I can declare the underside complete and move on to the rotors.

 

HC mk2 had composite blades I believe, so I'm guessing they're something like NATO black rather than XF-1.

 

Onwards!

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1 hour ago, chrislowe said:

I believe the Chinook in those pictures had suffered some sort of structural failure, quite possibly as a result of an energetic landing.

 

Here's the link if you want to read more...

 

http://www.chinook-helicopter.com/history/aircraft/D_Models/89-00138/Serbia_Accident/89-00138_Serbia_Accident_Page_8.html

The first pic on Page 1 does indeed show one blade tip resting on the ground....

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  • 2 months later...

Well it's been some time since the last update. So long, in fact that the world has changed in ways we wouldn't have imagined.

 

Hope you're all doing ok.

 

Last time I was trying to finish off the underside and correcting some of the sacru cables / hoses. I bit the bullet in the end and did my best to match the reference pictures which show the hydraulics on one side and the manual release cable on t'other. Here's a picture of the finished underside.

 

IMG_20200416_214533

 

That done, I was basically left with the rotors and the miniguns. Again turning to reference pictures of the rotor head, they showed that the moulded plastic didn't really represent the way the rotor was attached at the vertical hinge pin. One half of that part of the head was moulded with the blade, so I tried to carve in some detail that would at least give the illusion of correctness to the casual observer. 

 

IMG_20200127_210836

 

And a similar (even worse) shot with some panel line wash so you can see it more clearly

 

IMG_20200201_170850

 

The other thing I wanted to do was cut away the rather clumsy moulding of the hydraulic actuator and it's mount. It was just a big lump of plastic but with a bit of care

 

IMG_20200201_170946

 

It looks like the actuator is secured between two mounting plates. Hopefully you can see that in the picture. The whole thing was sprayed some sort of black. I can't quite remember which,  possibly rubber black and the head itself was given a dusting with a dark steel pigment to give it a metallic sheen, and make the distinction between the head and the rotors

 

IMG_20200206_224416

 

One last shot of the hinge pin, so you can see it nearly finished.

IMG_20200206_224545

 

Once I'd added the coloured bands around the blades it was time to do the other rotor except...

 

IMG_20200206_225652

 

The miniguns were more interesting 

 

IMG_20200206_225729

 

This is the port one before recieving any pigment, but you can see the proper bend in the spent cartridge chute that I got.

 

IMG_20200229_221509

 

I had to hold it over the flame from a lighter to get it to bend that much, but I think it looks better.

 

So that was it. Repeat all the work on the aft rotor and we're done. Here's a couple of pictures of the finished article that will have to do until I can post an RFI.

 

IMG_20200416_214637

 

IMG_20200416_214742

 

IMG_20200416_214834

 

Oh, that last picture reminds me, the last thing I did was to spray a coat of aqua gloss over the lower front windows to try to secure the glass mounted sensors. First time using aqua gloss and I'm definitely happy with it.

 

So all that remains is to say thanks to everyone who kept me going over the 11 months it took to make the best model I've ever made. @perdu @andyf117, @bar side @Motley and @Ex-FAAWAFU to name but a few. I gave a hint along the way about my next build, unfortunately.a fixed wing thing, but I've definitely got the helicopter bug and I've got lots to choose from in the stash.

 

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That looks great a Chris.  Really got that constantly modified & updated look with lumps & antennae everywhere.  Plus Wokkas do mad things too

 

Owxjtyn.jpg

 

Found this shot from Clacton air show of one being thrown about.  I have a video clip too but it won’t download at the moment.  And my camera zoom wasn’t great!  Not sure if this link will work

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3AZYd6Z5Ggp7HftU7

 

I keep thinking a nice little Lynx would be good, while plodding on with the Herc...

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