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Posted

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I know I'm going to regret this, but since I' already did the "little" AC-47 "Spooky" I've figured it only nacheral thathis bigger though younger brother The AC-130A should have a place in this magnificent Vietnam GB. I don't know if I'll be able to get this one across the line before the end,  I'm still stripping the old paint from the fuselage. But what I'm planning, or plotting, is this:

Restore my aging Testors AC-130A to a proper correct Vietnam glory as an AC-130E

Correct inaccuraccies in the cargo bay including adding the fire control center

Extend the engine nacelles

Make better Mini guns, both the 7.62 and 20 mm

Improve the 40mm Bofor

Add 105MM Howitzer

Update and correct the flight deck and wheel wells, including new tires

Add correct ordinace racks for all the guns

Replace any missing parts lost through the years

 That doesn't sound too difficult does it? Heres what it looks like so far, please remember this is a REAL WIP....

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Before

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After

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Piece o' cake:mental:

 

 

 

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  • LorenSharp changed the title to "You can run, but you'll only die tired" Testors 1/48 AC-130A Spectre Gunship Restoration and Upgrade to an E
Posted

I built two of these and one transport version back in high school (late 80’s). They were only like $35 at the local hobby shop then and I got them for less because I worked there. I have the very same A/M decal sheet also. Sadly I need them in 1/72 though as right now I have the 1/72 kit. 

Posted

I doubt I'll be able to use much of the kit decals because of age. I not even a heavy coat of clear lacquer will help these, What I need after using the aftrer market decals I'll scrounge from my spares, The ship art I may make and print myself

  • Like 1
Posted
1 hour ago, LorenSharp said:

I doubt I'll be able to use much of the kit decals because of age. I not even a heavy coat of clear lacquer will help these, What I need after using the aftrer market decals I'll scrounge from my spares, The ship art I may make and print myself

If I was building an “E” Id ask you to downsize the artwork and buy it from you. 

Posted

Excellent project!  My first AFROTC Professor of Aerospace Studies (PAS) was an ex-AC-130 skipper in Vietnam; having started the war pulling crossbow bolts out of the belly of his C-123, he was happy to "fire back" on his second tour.  I also worked with someone more recently who flew them in the 80s and loved the mission; he was one of the back-up crews for the Iran hostage rescue mission, the plan being to orbit the embassy and Doshan Tappe Air Base during the raid.  

Posted

I'm a sucker for an AC-130, so I'll grab a pew (or should that be a pew-pew-pew-pew-pew?) for this one :popcorn:

 

James

  • Haha 1
Posted

Its more of a brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrip in 4 part harmony, with a 105mm base backbeat. Very accapella

 

  • Haha 6
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Speacking of which, here's s small update.

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All the big parts have now been stripped and sanded. I am definitly going to have to make a new Flight deck and cargo bay area along with the bulkheads and vacing a new windscreen. the kit parts are too far gone for salvaging. Bu t Now i get to add more detail, Yippie!, that will never be seen/ Not much but progree HAS been achieved! More to come....

  • Like 8
Posted

What I ( crossing fingers) want to do is make a hardened support from kids "bakeable" clay. I"ll test it with the damaged windscreen.If that works, then I'll use the good windscreen as a Master. Proper way would make a rubber mould first,cast it then use that to vac from, but I dont have any of that on hand.

  • Like 1
  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

With not much more than 3 weeks to go I best get on the stick and get some progress done on this enterprise.

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First order of business is joint the front and rear sctions together and filling in the substantial gaps.

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Filled in the gouge marks from the old glued external fuel tanks and ECM pods. and I removed the flaps in prep for adding a dropped set.

  • Like 7
Posted

THe bulk of my time has beenmaking new parts, either because they weren't accurate or because they were too damaged.

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In no particular order, new flight deck and seating, extentions for the engine nacelles, better detail for the main gear wells, and Navigator's station.

 At the moment I have a better cargo floor printing out in multiple sections because of the size. then new prop hubs and turboprop gearing. The next step after that would be  to make combat CIC consoles,and updates, new miniguns, 20,and 40 mm guns, 150mm howitzer, and Ammo storage,

  • Like 8
Posted

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Got the flight deck looking a little better, I still have to add the inflight rest area next to the Nav station, yep, it still retained  the bunk and for lack of a better word, sofa.

Not much, but I have gotten on the board finally. Now to see if I can get this done in time. More to come soon!

  • Like 9
Posted

Nice detail!  It looks spot on.  There's no need to go to town on the flight deck, because the windows don't allow much light to get back there.

Posted

There's not really much more that could be added. I could add some more bits around the instrument panel but like you said, most won'r be seen. I save the extra detail for the cargo area.

Posted

The flight deck looks fantastic

 

James

  • Thanks 1
Posted

Thanks James, It's a touch more accurate, though the seats probably should be a skosh bigger only because of all the empty space on the flight deck but they'll do for the main deck and eventually the CIC box. Iwill hve to mke harness' out of tape. I don't have enough of any on type in the stash to do all 8 seats.

Posted

But getting on with an update, 

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I masked off the cargo deck and painted the anti-skid sections then added the first of the interior parts.

 

  • Like 5
Posted

Next I cut the aft port hatch for the 105MM and moved the AN/APQ-150 Radar Set forward, eliminating one 40mm Bofors.

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Added the Port sponsion and infrared detector then filled in all the gaps.

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  • Like 4
Posted

Next up come the wings and engines, I did make new gear assembly ad ducted fans for the nacelles, but those I forgot to  get a pic of before I sealed them up'.

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The extension plug more of less works, I'll have to do some finessing to get the shape fight, but not much. I expected this since these were a "quick and dirty" fix and not something I really took time to get perfect because of the time limitations left on the GB.

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The first layer of filler for the gaps. I know I'll have to do this at least one more time to get the shapes properly corrected.

  • Like 5
Posted

Next I did some design work and came up with the making of the CIC station, along with the 20MM, 40MM, Bofors, and the 105MM Howitzer. I still have to add the additional supports, but those will be added when I finally install the guns. I still have to make the additional mounts, Gun belts and Ammo racks for the Bofors and Howitzer.

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 I may yet get this beast across the finish line yet, though  Hopefully if @DaveJL and @Enzo the Magnificent should decide to give a small extension I won't complain one bit.,

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Posted

Thanks Dave, Same here. Hopefully since it's so hot and humid today It it'll harden fast, but too hard. Either way I see a powdery time in my immediate future.

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