Hooker169

Those are pretty interesting suggestions. Ive got 2 for the Acad Viper, hmm I have the two bobs fighting fulcrums sheet in that scale. I think those are block 30 or 32, can the Acad kit be made into one? Interesting, this is helping to get me thinking in different directions. Maybe I SHOULD take advantage and jump to something more challenging like a 1/32 kit! I'll just need to keep motivated. But Dave's HH-65C suggestion was interesting also. Oh BTW, Phantom this is for you! I finished this one 3 or 4 years ago. 509th ARW Pease AFB NH

I was looking at the B-2 also but I heard about the seam work required and it turned me off, well I guess it couldnt be that bad, it does look straight forward. I'll put that on my finals list. I do have some new markings for it. As far as the HH-65 Dave, I have the C model conversion and the rotor update sets from Joe Osborn along with his decals but I've been waiting for Chris over at Cobra to get better so I could order the interior set. Maybe this is the kick in the pants I need to get going on it. I did buy chevy engine red two weeks ago for some reason. Hmm, this will go on the lis

I'm in the zone boys! B) I just knocked out a Revell Beagle, which I might say was SWEET! But what is sweeter is that I've still got the bug! Usually I'm torched after a build but man I just dont know if it was the kit or something else. Everything went great. Fit was nice, not much putty and sanding, painting was easy ( ya I know, its hard to jack up gunship gray) but I did try pre and post shading which turned out subtle but nice. Spent some time on the decals to get them right and within two weeks I was done! Anyway, with that said what should I build now? I would like to keep thi

Check this site for Hooks http://www.chinook-helicopter.com/standard...rotor_head.html You should find anything you need. As far as the blade weights are concerned. There are core weights in the blade ends and also weights attached to the inside of the blade tip cap, nothing external. The rest of the blade adjustments are done on the pitch change links and the trim tabs. Markings are on the pitch change housing on the rotor head only and not on the blade itself since they are interchangable. There is one small white marking in the middle of the blade approx 1/3 of the way down the blade

I sent an email to Chris regarding an order and his wife Jeanie replied for him saying he was sick and in the hospital and would start dealing with new orders when he started feeling better. I have no idea what it is just hope its not serious and that he is ok. Mike

Plastruct brand acrylic rods are available from hobbylinc.com, good prices too

Thanks Frank

Thanks jennings, after reading your post I read jefropas post without pronouncing the "s"

Here are a couple of pics. I recall a thread discussing the potential loss of sheen when applying future over an natural metal fisnish and I can solidly say that I lost a significant amount of sheen on mine. I used baremetal foil for the lower fuselage and sealed it with future and I say a marked loss of sheen. Maybe using polished chrome foil would produce less of a loss? Anyway, here ya go. Its my first rodeo when it comes to airliners so I'm learning alot. I can see me using these lessons on my KC-135E and R in the future.

Thanks Frank, I may try that trick. Who is the manufacturer of the window frame decals?

Well Frank, I work with a guy who's father flew DC-9-30's and -50's for Republic and then North Central. So he asked me to build him one of both. It just so happened that another guy at work collects airliner kits and decals and had two copies of the airfix kits and both sets of decals at home. Ya, talk about luck! Anyway, got the whole lot for $20 and started building. Well, the North Central kit is coming along quit well. Its definately different that what I'm used to, helo's and fighters. I found that you cant get away with poor seem work, painting, decaling or really anything with ai

Thanks Frank, you da man! Mike

PM sent, thanks

Opened it this morning and started it only to find that P/N 23 was MIA. Would anyone have a trashed -9 that would be willing to part with a horizontal stab? Not sure how easy it would to get replacement parts from Airfix. Thanks in advance guys. :unsure:

Its really the only game in town in 1/48 scale other than the old Fujimi kit which is even harder to find IIRC. I guess it all boils down to what you or other people think its worth to have one of these kits. If you think those prices are nuts, keep your eyes peeled for the 1/144 Otaki or Revell C-5a kits. Those go for $70 to $100 every time. :blink:

Snake has it right. Early C's would have metal blades and later would have composite. Only thing to add is that the C's only had one main center hook. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm not a -53 guy but my guess is a mounting bracket for the rotor track and balance optics. Anyone else?

Looks like standard 60 degree with the "117" and "E" being 12 inches, "Navy" 6 inches, "serial" 4 inches, and the "TH-xxx" 2 inches. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

As long as I can remember the cockpit seat cushions were black,BUT..... I know at one point they had red cushions. We used to sit on old red ones in the back while we were crewing. "Softer than those hard troop seats" But Im not sure when the red ones were replaced by the black. They could have possibly been left over C model cushions which would have been around the time frame you are suggesting. In short, you are not wildly off base but I just cant't say for sure.

I use Chuck's Simple Green method also, just don't know if it would be available across the pond.

Nope no gold, so I guess its the later scheme. I did see some pics with the gold circle around "Herman" the goose but this is not that scheme.

Frank, Ya I see that now that I spend a little more time on it. But it seams that in some of the photo's that the gray starts at the leading edge of the wing root and up to the demarcation line THEN continues aft but on others it begins aft of the wing like David had mentioned. Man, it seems now that I should have started the Republic -31 first, simple white with a thin bare metal patch down the keel beam! Anyway, thanks for the help gents. Mike

David, I was going to just follow the Liveries Unlimited sheet A4-024 with ship number 919 on it. N number is N941N. Any ref's you have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again. Mike

Thanks David, thats a huge help. I guess I'll add some A/C gray to some white and see what I get. As far as everything being gray aft of the wings I was mearly going off the decal sheets instructions. I'll search around to see if I can find the scheme you are talking about but it seams that North Central DC-9's are hard to find on the net. Anyway, thanks again for the help. Mike

Well I may have answered my own question thanks to the mighty "search" tap on this forum. Anyway David Hingtgen suggests using aircraft gray and lightening considerably to get to douglas gray. I think I'm going to try this since I have a ton of A/C gray on hand. If anyone has another suggestion feel free. Thanks guys.