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Italeri 1/72 Boeing–Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche - Completed


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Tentatively this will be my first entry, but its running along side the Corsair GB that started a month ago.  I'm giving priority to the Corsair as I only have one entry for that and it came first, but in 4 weeks I've only managed to paint and assemble the cockpit.  When I signed up to these GBs all that time ago I obviously had no idea the world would be where it is now, and even if I did know it was coming I wouldn't have predicted my modelling mojo would have gone.  Probably because I now spend all day at my modelling desk working from home, so I don't want to sit here all night and model.  I'm hoping this GB pulls me out of the hole though, no offence to the Corsair GB as I did want to build at least one in my time, but this GB was one that really piqued my interest which is why I ended up with a choice of three entries.

 

A good indication of where I'm at though, when I bought the Sea King a few months back I was real excited about it.  Now I look at the size of the box compared to the Comanche and it just feels like too much to take on.  So hopefully I can get back in the swing of things soon, as I was hoping to maybe get all three choppers built...

 

Anywho, back to it.  Box and sprue shots to start off with.  I'll bu building OOB, and in whatever colours I can mix to the closest match.  Though the box art is no help there, on the front it looks black, on the back it looks brighter and very army green.  The plastic however is a real nice colour, its almost black with a noticeable green cast (but just look black on the photos).  Might try and match to that as best I can.  Might try and find out what colour they actually are IRL.  Might just freestyle it to whatever takes my mood, not sure yet :)

 

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Stay safe and happy building people :) 

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Hi there,

 

mojo, by its sheer nature, has an extremely high evaporation rate... So nothing to worry about. It often goes, but it always comes back with a vengeance.

We've all been there, and we should all be wearing the same t-shirt: "modelling mojo matters!"

 

This obvious physical fact having been stated, the Comanche is a fascinating bird, and a shame it never went into production. It will look stunning in a display case.

I am pretty sure the internet will have many photos of the beast that should give you a fair idea of the color it sported.

Have fun and I am sure you'll get it all back!

 

JR

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Very stealthy looking i must say.

 

You are in just the right place to get your modelling mojo back, i promise you will get lots of encouragement from everyone in this GB.

 

Good luck with the build 

 

cheers Pat 

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Thanks guys

 

3 hours ago, jean said:

...the Comanche is a fascinating bird, and a shame it never went into production. It will look stunning in a display case.

 

Yes, its design is what grabbed me when I was just browsing Ebay for cheap kits.  Having never built a chopper before, I'd been wanting an Airwolf kit at the time but they are like rocking horse poop it seems, and this just screamed "I'm cool, buy me!", so I did :D Then I found this GB and it all seemed to fall into place...

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50 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said:

Very stealthy looking i must say.

 

It does scream "Paint me black, or very dark grey".  I'll have to see if I can find a black/dark grey one :)

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Its up to Pat @JOCKNEY but since the Comanche’s never reached production phase and service officially* maybe you could give this a stealthy tiger stripe Whif scheme ? Maybe a semi gloss/matt black tiger stripe pattern. Possibly that or maybe grey/black matt/satin finish to give different reflectivity ? 
 

Dennis

 

* = I have my doubts these aren't in service in some form or other. There have been rumors of odd helicopters on the bin laden raid, and other special missions since these were supposedly canceled ? It wouldn't be to far fetched either as the F-117 served for over a decade before a crash caused the program to become public knowledge. 

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31 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Its up to Pat @JOCKNEY but since the Comanche’s never reached production phase and service officially* maybe you could give this a stealthy tiger stripe Whif scheme ? Maybe a semi gloss/matt black tiger stripe pattern. Possibly that or maybe grey/black matt/satin finish to give different reflectivity ? 
 

Dennis

 

* = I have my doubts these aren't in service in some form or other. There have been rumors of odd helicopters on the bin laden raid, and other special missions since these were supposedly canceled ? It wouldn't be to far fetched either as the F-117 served for over a decade before a crash caused the program to become public knowledge. 

After the trouble I got in over shades of Orange for my Renzan build, you paint it whatever colour you like sir !

 

And Dennis, I think you are right about them being in service, I can't say anymore.....😉

 

Cheers Pat

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That looks to be a nice kit you've picked. Hopefully a fun one as well to get you back enjoying time at your workbench.

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OK, so even though there are no pilots with this kit, and I have no spares to fill the seats, I feel like this kits needs to be in flight.  I think it will look rather cool on a stand with the nose tipped slightly forward.  So if anyone asks, its a highly classified drone version of the Comanche :P 

 

Gonna make a start on the cockpit tonight.

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Got a bit side tracked on the Corsair, as the wing roots needed some work to close some bad gaps.  But I did get the cockpit pieces clipped and sanded last night, and primed tonight

ZhZcHL9.jpg

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Using my new headset magnifier thingy, I painted the instrument panel detail last night.  Well happy with that, even up close on a photo.  Just awaiting its clear coat now.

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Well the cockpit is finished.  Well happy with the results using my new magnifier headset.

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And I'm glad its turned out as well as it has, as the cockpit is surprisingly exposed when in place :)

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20 hours ago, neil5208 said:

Nice work on the cockpit, the panel line look a bit trench like will you leave or fill in ?

 

Thanks, I hadn't noticed the panel trenches.  The macro photography exaggerates them somewhat, but they are quite bad.  I feel like I should fill and re-scribe them shallower, but I'm not that good at scribing yet even with my Tamiya scribing tool.  Maybe this will be practice though.  Something to ponder while i wait for the paint to arrive...

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1 minute ago, HoolioPaulio said:

 

Thanks, I hadn't noticed the panel trenches.  The macro photography exaggerates them somewhat, but they are quite bad.  I feel like I should fill and re-scribe them shallower, but I'm not that good at scribing yet even with my Tamiya scribing tool.  Maybe this will be practice though.  Something to ponder while i wait for the paint to arrive...

Ive heard and seen some builds use PVA to fill them in. Applying a few layers of PVA to each panel line shallows them out. Ive personally used Mr.Surfacer to do this as well, then just a quick run over with 1000 grit wet sand to remove any that isn't in the trench. If you have a hypodermic you can inject it into the trench and avoid any spillage out on the skin. 

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Those panel lines are rather reminiscent of a Matchbox kit and not at all stealthy. After you've filled them in I'd be tempted to not bother rescribing to continue the stealth look ;) 

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10 hours ago, Col. said:

Those panel lines are rather reminiscent of a Matchbox kit and not at all stealthy. After you've filled them in I'd be tempted to not bother rescribing to continue the stealth look ;) 

 

Yeah to be honest looking at the pictures of the actual chopper, only one panel line really exists, then there is one thats more of a thin panel riveted over the top of the skin, and the rest don't even seem to exist even as visible marks let alone actual panel lines.  So yeah, its makes it a whole lot easier that most of them just need filling, as scribing lines isn't my strongest skill...

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I began filling the panel lines in on one side tonight.  Will buff it flush with the plastic and refill any gaps with a second application.

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And got the tail rotor painted up

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  • 2 weeks later...

This is coming along a treat, great to see the canopy is so clear as you you done a superb job on the interior. 

Have you done any more on it since we last heard from you ?

cheers Pat 

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Thanks Jockney.  Unfortunately this and the Corsair slowed down a bit due to both builds hitting tedious bits.  But I finally kicked myself into gear on the Corsair to get the markings masked and painted.  And this morning I did some more filling on the other fuselage half, and gave the first half its first run of sanding.  I really dislike filling and sanding, so I'm gonna have to keep motivating myself to get through it, as I'm really keen to see this one finished.  Once the panel lines are gone I can get back to enjoying the build :) 

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Still not a lot of progress as I've been focusing on the Corsair, as that GB came first and I want to get it off the deck.  At which point, I aim to start a second chopper alongside this one which should be a simpler quicker build that I've really been looking forward to, as this one ambles along.

 

But I did however nip to my LHS today for some AB cleaner, and picked up a 1:72 Hunting Percival Jet Provost, which came with a pair of pilots.  They aren't perfect, but in flight its going to look better than with no pilots

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