Alan P Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 Better late than never! Still have a couple of months to go... The Academy/MRC kit (1992 issue) - The NTS upgraded version was released in 2008. These were superb kits for the time and still highly regarded. Lots in the box! Nice surface details and option to display the engine (I won't be) Crisp detail and sharp moulding after all these years! Very good selection of armament - Hellfire, TOW and 7-shot M157 launchers. Shame there's no option for the 19-shot M200, but I have some stashed in the spares drawer already. Instructions are pretty good, typical turn of the century design. I'm adding the Big Ed set from Eduard - it has the intake filters on the Taiwan Whiskeys: https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2873/10248557854_36f221f288_o.jpg The Taiwanese decals came from Heli-Scale Quality in Germany - they look very sharply printed as ALPS continuous film prints: Anyway, that's the kit...hoping for a nice result, the Whiskey looks good in Helo Drab! Alan 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 Nice snake and a kitchen sinker as well! cheers, Pappy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81-er Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 I'm looking forward to seeing this one built up after the result you got with the 1/24th Hellcat James 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 No Master gun barrels with the aftermarket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted March 24, 2022 Author Share Posted March 24, 2022 6 hours ago, Stephen said: No Master gun barrels with the aftermarket? No, I didn't think of that 🤔 might go for those in due course. 6 hours ago, 81-er said: I'm looking forward to seeing this one built up after the result you got with the 1/24th Hellcat Thanks James, unfortunately it won't be in the same league as that one 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 Was looking at this kit in my local model shop yesterday. It seemed a decent one and a good basis for your project with all that extra aftermarket goodies added 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted May 16, 2022 Author Share Posted May 16, 2022 Well, I haven't a hope of getting this in for the deadline, but it's worth keeping the thread going! The Eduard set for this kit is particularly good. Really enhances the detail without needing a massive overhaul of the kit parts. If you look really closely, you can see the pedals even have BELL and COBRA etched on the footrests! Cockpit detail enhancement is good in the tub and seats. To be honest, I'm not going to bother with the seatbelts, too fiddly. I might change my mind though! The pilot's panel and coaming is unrecognisable from the bland kit original. I applied glue to the wrong bit of the instrument coaming, so the sides will need some attention. Wait till it dries fully then just scrape it off. It's a lot of PE, but the results are indisputable. Particularly as the whole thing will just be shades of black, the added details are well worth the effort. Alan 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 That's an impressive upgrade to the kit parts Alan. Since you're not rushing towards a deadline give the seatbelts a go - they may be worth the effort 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted May 16, 2022 Author Share Posted May 16, 2022 7 minutes ago, Col. said: That's an impressive upgrade to the kit parts Alan. Since you're not rushing towards a deadline give the seatbelts a go - they may be worth the effort I agree 😎 thanks a lot Col Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81-er Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 As Col says, that's one heck of an upgrade! I didn't notice the lettering on the pedals until you mentioned it, but I can now. Is that something found on the real thing, or just an artistic touch by Eduard? James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted May 19, 2022 Author Share Posted May 19, 2022 Thanks James. On 5/17/2022 at 10:28 AM, 81-er said: Is that something found on the real thing, or just an artistic touch by Eduard? No, it's really real. It seems to be a tradition among manufacturers to put the OEM name/logo on the pedals. Specially for @Col. , here's the PE belts: I always say 'never again!' after struggling with the metal origami frustration of putting these things together, but they do look very nice in the end! There's a LOT of PE in this cockpit! The front instrument panel has unfortunately fallen forward into the footwell, but you get the idea Painting next... 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted May 19, 2022 Author Share Posted May 19, 2022 Finally got to the paint stage... Seats and belts complete! Obviously a major improvement on the moulded on belts. Front seater's panel with the TOW optical guidance sight. It's cunningly positioned in the vertical position to facilitate the crewman getting in and out of the cockpit. Once he's sitting comfortably, he can rotate the optics to the horizontal (binocular) position. I also adapted the blobby kit part to add the trigger grip on the left side. I used little-cars lenses from modellingtools.co.uk to make the binocular lenses. The kit part was a bit of a joke in this respect. Cockpit completed in different shades of black! Extra wiring is made from EZ-Line. And finally with added seats: Can't really praise the Eduard set more highly in this case. Some of these sets a re a bit hit'n'miss with the type and quality of added detail. but this one is really good. The dramatic improvement over the bland kit interior is substantial! One big omission in the details of both kit and PE is the thick aircon hoses that fit down the back of the seats. I'll have to come up with something for those Next step - getting the fuselage together! Cheers, Alan 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted May 19, 2022 Author Share Posted May 19, 2022 There might be a short break from this as I'm waiting on some brass barrels for the M197 20mm cannon - not only are the kit barrels a bit soft, one is broken in half which kind of rules that out. While the Master set seems pretty scarce, DEFModel has released an excellent version for the Zulu which should do the job. I'll try to keep the build going (as well as the Vietnam G) even though there isn't a hope it'll be finished by the GB deadline. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81-er Posted May 20, 2022 Share Posted May 20, 2022 That cockpit looks really superb with the paint on, Alan, excellent work! James 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Keep these updates coming as you make progress Alan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted July 21, 2022 Author Share Posted July 21, 2022 Oh man. Still dragging this one in, long past the end of the race Haven't been able to get near this as temperatures in my shed soared past 42C! Tail rotor, with the intricate PE attached: This Eduard set has some excellent added details - here's the tail rotor gearbox and GPS antenna: Lots of airframe details: The underside also has some great panels and extras: Stub wings and pylons are very well represented now: Blocky detail on the main rotor has also been enhanced: So far, so cool! Alan 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted July 21, 2022 Author Share Posted July 21, 2022 The most challenging bits of PE are now ready... The intake guards and exhausts. Very pleased these went well. Used a variety of strange tools, compasses and various pens to get the curves right! Looks very effective in situ. Need to be careful with painting so as not to clog the mesh. Next: my crowning achievement, a mammoth effort to create the superb TOW missile launchers using PE, chopped kit parts and plastic tube: I nearly went crosseyed doing these, but couldn't be prouder of the end result. I'll be mounting these as a four-block on the left stub wing, the right will have Hellfire rails with two missiles loaded. Hope to do some more over the weekend now the temperatures have calmed down! Also starting my new job on Monday so time might be scarce for a while. All the best, Alan 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serkan Sen Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 Your build progress is simply awesome Alan. Serkan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfa1983 Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 That is incredible and made to look so easy! I was hoping you'd continue this and the other thread. (There is another thread right?) Good luck with the new job! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 That's lovely work Alan. The results of your efforts are making a huge different to this kit. Best of good luck with the new job come Monday. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81-er Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 I thought your efforts were looking pretty spectacular, then I got to the TOW launchers. Holy cow!!! Those really are amazing, Alan, sensational work on those! Good luck for the new job as well James 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted July 10, 2023 Author Share Posted July 10, 2023 I've moved this over to the Go Large Or Go Home GB, where I will definitely finish it! Honest! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serkan Sen Posted July 11, 2023 Share Posted July 11, 2023 21 hours ago, Alan P said: I've moved this over to the Go Large Or Go Home GB, where I will definitely finish it! Honest! Maybe I can also open a new topic for 1:32 Oxcart there... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted July 11, 2023 Author Share Posted July 11, 2023 33 minutes ago, Serkan Sen said: Maybe I can also open a new topic for 1:32 Oxcart there... YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now