PK-43 Bell OH-58D AeroScout (or Kiowa) ---Finished

[Derek D.]

A second quick build to contribute to the Matchbox range completeness. This is my  5th and final build for this GB.

A small simple kit, which has a  single colour finish and also probably a kit I wouldn't have built outside a group build.

Since restarting the Hobby in April 2020 I had ignored my Helicopter stash, this is now my second chopper build for this GB, having completed the Huey Cobra. Getting to like them again.

This will be a weekend bash together with the Hawk 200 due to time pressure caused by travelling.

This is another 1987 tooling, never released in the old box type. Revell have re-issued it as the Kiowa.  The plastic feels less robust than usual but the panel lines are all there. Moulded in 2 greens for absolutely no reason.

 

 

 

Edited March 11, 2022 by Derek D.
extra sentence

[Derek D.]

A quick start in paralell with the Hawk 200.

 

A rudimentary cabin build, painted black. There's an instrument panel decal but i used white and silver liquid ink roller ball pens to outline dials and screens, draffing a slightly damp cotton bud a dry brush effect. Centre console dotted to give the impression of instruments and switches.

 

 

 

The primary issue with these small helicopter kits tends to be the glass cockpit fit and jointing. Having masked the 2 pieces of the front. I connected the top carefully using thin on the kit plastic. I connected the bottom section again using thin at on the plastic, the two clear sections were jointed using Revell Clearfix. There was filling required at the points of contact between the clear and plastic. AK filler is my current preference at the moment as it can be easily removed with a damp brush or cotton bud but dries hard with little shrinkage.

 

 

Having done some filling and sanding to the fuselage, I then applied a coat of Revell Aqua Colour Nato Olive by brush, this will be a hairy stick finish, for a change and the Revell Aqua are good for hand painting.

YES I did forget the Rotor shaft before closing the fuselage up. Not a real issue as given the height everything will be glued in place, so I will retro fit it.

 

 

 

[Rabbit Leader]

Great to see this little chopper thread up and running Derek and I'm sure she'll turn out a treat even as a quick weekender. 

Cheers and best of luck.. Dave 

[JOCKNEY]

Great stuff Derek 

I have to agree with Dave, it's unusual to see a Chopper in this GB, which just makes it all the more enjoyable. 

Best of luck 

Cheers Pat

[Derek D.]

Still moving forward,

 

No indicated anchor point for the skids.... just estimate from box art and paint instructions, another brush coat of olive, nearly dry brushesd

 

[Derek D.]

Not exactly the quick weekend build I planned for, football, rugby and golf on the TV were all too distracting. Finishing this off involved lots of tiny sticky out pieces with no obvious anchor points.

This is my fourth build in the GB and was my first decal failure.  There aren't too many decals but the 2 x United States Army ones just wouldn't come off the backing paper. I had some in the spares but they silvered a lot and I tempered them down as much as possible.

 

Still haven't figured why there's a giant C3PO head on a little chopper.

In retrospect I should have built the rotor shaft and assembly separately and attached at the end. The steps are designed so that the rotors and the camera/sensor dome can move independently....not something I would care about and something a 12 year old in the 80s would absolutely struggle with.

I struggled with aligning the 2 halves of the dome and getting a clean joint. I eventually detached it all  for filling and sanding and reattached using a metal pin.

 

These modern camera phones are way too high def..... it looks much better with the naked eye...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 choppers ----1 GB---- a concept of relative size, don't know if the muscled pilots from the Cobra would fit the Kiowa!!!!!

 

[JOCKNEY]

Congratulations Derek

That looks the business and blooming quick as well 

Cheers Pat

[bigbadbadge]

Great quick work   looks good,  the two together look great.

Chris

[Rabbit Leader]

Matchbox made a good collection of chopper kits, so its great to see two of these built and displayed side by side. You say its not a quick build, however believe me it’s lightning fast compared to my slow progress. She looks great. 

Cheers and well modelled.. Dave 

[Derek D.]

I have the Dauphin and Lynx unmade,  a nearly finished BK-117 on the shelf of doom and a Wessex, 3/4 finished in its box 30 years with a bad enamel job, missing one rotor blade but probably recoverable. I just need to re-mortgage to buy the Chinook to complete the 1/72 set 😏😜

derek

[stevej60]

Smashing job,it's a lovely little kit often overlooked.