AMT Airwolf 1/48

[Knb.1451]

I finally decided to snag myself the old AMT Airwolf kit after finding the show in Tubi. I started it and decided that the over sized window frames, huge raised latches on the upper engine doors, boiler plate rivets, and Desth Star trenches on the fuselage needed to go (I forsee quite a bit of parasitic drag) I've started the kit. It's a bit simple but it is Airwolf

 

[bar side]

And because it’s Airwolf it’s cool.  Doing anything fancy with it?  Lights or anything or a tidy up of the box kit?

[janneman36]

Got the kit here in the stash as well, bought it for a tenner last year!

So very interested to see what you make of it 😀

 

cheers and have fun, Jan

[Thom216]

Right now she's the less well know sister, Putty Wolf.

 

Always loved Airwolf and nice seeing you tackling it!

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday @Knb.1451, I loved the show, as unrealistic as the craft's capabilities were. I thought (and still do think) she (he?) was the best-looking chopper to ever take to the skies. My wife bought me a kit in 1/72 over thirty years ago. I can't recall the brand and don't know what ultimately became of the model. But I'll enjoy seeing this come together.       Regards, Jeff.

[busnproplinerfan]

I bet that anyone who worked on helos back in the 80s would refuse to watch the show, No chopper can go mach 1, but it's tv. To bad also that that all the stars from the show are gone except for Jean Bruce Scott. They had some good actors in the show. It is a sexy helicopter and the Bell 222 looks just as good. To bad the models have become super pricey. I did get one 3d printed in 1/72. I'm interested in seeing how this turns out.

[AlxBNE]

The tv theme tune is back in my head as I grab the popcorn and join the crowd to watch this build.

[Knb.1451]

To answer about changes to the kit, I've removed the extremely heavily molded panels around the windows to clean up the look, since the real thing is pretty slick aerodynamically, I'll add intake trunks for the real engines since you can see through to the other side and extend the original exhausts to give it more depth. Eventually I'll reapply the rivets with a riveting tool for some surface detail, modify the kit instrument panel with a fan design I found that fits the feel pretty well. I may even test my soldering abilities by scratching up a new ADF pod. I may motorize it, but I've yet to come to a conclusion on that decision. Thank you for your interest! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Thom216]

Nice display!

[Unfinished project]

I’ll tag along if you don’t mind. I’ve always been a sucker for this Lady 

[Knb.1451]

Well, after a week or so working on real planes, I can finally return to my favorite Lady. This morning I sat down at the desk and thought, how am I going to make these exhausts, I have it, I'll heat form some thin styrene. Well no dice, it heated and shrunk in strange ways, back to square one. This time I just took a piece of that same styrene and formed it around the handle of a paint brush, taped it on one side and then glue it, put it in a clamp to hold it till the sprue goo I glued it with cured, and that worked well. Next up was a new center console to go with the soon to be updated instrument panel, here I just stacked styrene to the desired thickness and sanded it flat, faced it with thin stuff and put sprue goo on a particular spot that was unsightly. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ArnoldAmbrose]

On 5/14/2023 at 10:14 AM, Knb.1451 said:

I'll heat form some thin styrene. Well no dice, it heated and shrunk in strange ways,

Gidday, yeah I've found that, heated styrene doesn't always behave itself. I found that thin styrene can be formed cold or I cold-roll (is that an accepted term?) styrene with my fingers to help it conform. And yes, she certainly was sleek.

Plus that galleon in the background caught my eye. She looks impressive too.

Regards, Jeff.

[Knb.1451]

This weeks update, I was able to paint most of the main rotor and painted the whole tail rotor. Instrument panel was thrown together a little quickly and painted since it will be so hard to see, but it's there as well as the over head console. Not pictured was the paint test of Tamiya smoke over gunmetal to get the right hue for the paint. The extendable guns were painted gunmetal as well. 

In a set backwards however I've removed the upper and lower windows since the lower were short shot and the upper were undersized for the 222 I'll fill them with UV resin when it comes in the mail later this week. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BKirwan]

Nice ! 

[Knb.1451]

I haven't forgotten, I've just been packing up house for a move this weekend. 

I got the fuselage halves together and have been trying my damnedest to fill seams and make it smooth. I've also scribed in the door for the ADF pod and added the incidentally real antenna with the same name. I keep watching the show for some good references unfortunately it seems I'm only watching the show.

 

https://flic.kr/p/2oHgkVu

 

 

[Thom216]

Nice progress. She's looking pretty clean with the primer coat on.

[Knb.1451]

5 hours ago, Thom216 said:

Nice progress. She's looking pretty clean with the primer coat on.

Thank you, it's pretty pleasing the first time you can get a uniform color on a model. 😎

[Knb.1451]

First update since I moved house, upon finding some really great frames in season 3 I was able to revise the belly of Airwolf to better portray the stiffeners and associated structure of the ADF pod, as well as some rather curious round exhausts on the middle lower fuselage. With those added and my well trained eye still seeing low spots it's back to putty sand repeat till I'm happy with it. I also ordered some rivet decals so it will be interesting learned to use them.  For those of you in the States, happy 4th of July! (Even if this post is two days early.)