YF65_CH53E

I feel like I can grab my toolbox and just walk out to the flightline and start working on this bird. It's amazing....thank you Rotorman for sharing this incredible build! Gunny Dan

Oliver, Was this price quoted from Shapeways? I have done some 3D printing with them before and have found them very reasonable. I am sure there are guys on forum with much more experience with 3D printing them me. But $6400 is outrageous! For 1/32 scale figures?

OUTSTANDING idea!!

I bow to the greatness of this detail!! Absolutely stunning Sir!! r/Gunny Dan

Ahhhh....full face PVS-5's and the scuba weight on the back of my helmet....felt like I was back in High School football with how my neck hurt after a flight!. Then PVS-5 "cut-aways".....just as bad..but, the ANVIS-6's were the bomb when they came on the scene. Lightweight, good image intensification, look under capability, as a crew chief that was key, I could do things in the back of the cabin with out having to completely de-configure my helmet. Great stuff, here and pictures I have never seen, or not seen in a very long time! Thanks all!! Gunny Dan

WOW!! Thats digging right there!!!! Now that would be a COOL PAVELOW paint job Thanks Andy!! BZ!! Gy

Susaschka, My CH-53 crew chief instructor was on that mission and he survived. I have talked with him many times about it. A couple of things, first, the RH-53D's used for the actual mission had the Engine Air Particle Separators (EAPS) barrels removed prior to the mission execution. the degraded engine performance that these EAPS caused was deemed unacceptable and they were left on the ship. So your models of the RH-53D's will need the EAPS barrels removed if you want to depict the aircraft on the deck of the carrier. The aircraft were painted in the hangar bay of the aircraf

Out of curiosity, are you doing a "Desert-1" depiction? the attempted Hostage rescue? r/Gunny

Andy, This is just fantastic footage. I had never seen it before. The early shots of the CH-53A are shot in at the time (LTA) Santa Ana Marine Corps Air Facility. LTA - Lighter Than Air, and you can see hangar no. 1 in the background of the aircraft being towed. To include the Helium storage tank!! And then on cue, a CH-34 comes roaring in...so cool to see my old base way back when!! Beautiful glossy green and high viz markings as well. Then you see the transition to Warminster as the crew are getting ready to turn up and begin flight tests. then we transition ba

Fantastic to see an update Elmo, I too am very new to the black basing, and I am watching and learning from your build! Gunny Dan

Super looking Fury, love the Dark Sea Blue!! I am about to embark on the Kittyhawk 1/32 Texan, glad to know its going to be a challenge......UGH! I was hoping it would be a straight forward build for once...I guess not Oh well "Fights On"!! LOL Dan

Here are a couple of shots of the CH-53K rotor blade, brand new of course, but it gives you an idea on how the nickel strip is incorporated into the leading edge of the blades.

Jon, Yes the nickel strip needs to be silver colored. Unless you want to assume the blade tape has been installed to slow the erosion down, but with in a few flights this tape shows erosion as well. Hope this helps. Gunny

Jon, As a Marine Helicopter mechanic I hope I can shed some light here for you. The blades on Marine CH-46's whether they are fiber glass of metal blades were always painted black. The forward area you are seeing that is "metallic" is the nickel abrasion strip used on the blades for sand/rocks protection from erosion in high dusty environments. NAVAIR Spec calls out FS38078 Flat Black for the rotor blades. As they erode, or get dirty they may appear to turn grayish over time. But they start out black. The pictures you have above of the CNATT CH-46 is a good example

Croaker53, What years were you in 463? I flew with all the D-squadrons when they were in Kaneohe. I was with MAWTS-1 from 1997-2003, would come out and do TERFI, NSI, stuff all the time. Semper Fi, Gunny Dan