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Turning a 1/72 Airfix AC-130H into a HC-130P?


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I have a somewhat luxury problem: I couldn´t resist to buy some Vacuform parts to build a HC-130P

1280_3633623235333935.jpg

Since I already have 2 unbuild AC-130s in my stash (one Airfix, the other one an AMT "U-Boat") and don´t want to buy a seventh C-130 (4 are already completed) I´d like to know if the Airfix Spectre can be turned into a normal C-130 without problems like having missing parts due to Spectre-sprues or something.

I admit I could wait until saturday when I´m back home and take a look in the box myself, but hey... <_<

HAJO

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Hope this helps. This a review about how the Airfix and Italeri standard C-130 kits would have to be worked on to make an accurate kit.

http://www.72scale.com/aircraft/Lockheed/C-130.htm

The problem with the Airfix AC-130H kit is that they redid the molds to add the extended left landing gear housing. You would have to basically cut it out and either make your own or make a mold from the Italeri kit. I got one a couple of months back and thought it doable, but it does need some work. But the bottom fuselage is more accurate than the Italeri kit.

Best wishes,

Grant

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Sorry Jeff, but the U-Boat was hard to get and I will never let it go... :cheers:

I checked the Airfix AC-130 myself this weekend and came to the same conclusion gmat had: It would be very hard to convert the Airfix-kit. So it looks like I have to buy a 7th C-130... Anyone in the european area wants to get rid of his?

HAJO

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Hajo,

Perhaps this might be an interesting scheme.

hc130p.60222.jpg

HC-130P, 60222, NY ANG when they went from F-102As to HC-130s. Only one painted like this, I've heard. Credit USAF.

Look at the Monogram Camo F-102A kit with the NYANG markings on the tail for details and color. Small letters above the sea gull probably says New York. New York Air National Guard probably added to the landing gear housing.

Best wishes,

Grant

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Grant, great pictures! I was short of asking you if you could provide me some nice painting options. The WC and the ANG Herks look nice, but I´d like to do a SEA-camo HC-130. Do you have any pictures of that camo? Were there more and differently camoflaged HC-130s during the 80ies? I don´t want to make a grey camo or a lizzard camo.

HAJO

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Hajo,

Most of the Viet Nam rescue birds were rather plain, but the tail numbers would make them significant. Perhaps one of the birds that refueled the choppers for the Son Tay raid in 71. You might post a message at Hercules Headquarters to ask for the tail number of a significant or famous or perhaps infamous HC-130Ps and if there are any photos that you could use.

I've noticed some variation in the demarcation line between the lower white and the upper camoflage. There were different sized scalloping and for at least two birds the white extended almost to the top of the engine nacelles. 50992 and 60217 were both seen at Tachikawa in this scheme. USAF 50992 in small numbers and a single line on the tail. No nose numbers.

Another option would be an ARRS bird with the MAC markings, (MAC band and badge) this would be until the late seventies and a bit later for ANG or Reserve birds. Is there a unit that is of interest to you? The 79th ARRs out of Anderson AFB, Guam is almost unknown as well as the 76th ARRS out of Hickam AFB. The 71st ARRS had arctic International Red markings. They had N models. I don't remember if they also had Ps. HC-130H, 50968 still had the red under its gray when I saw it at Keesler AFB in the late 70s. It was ex-71st ARRS.

One of the most colorful were the 6594th Test Group, "The Satellite Catchers" flying out of Hickam AFB, especially the final scheme of white top and gray bottom with the stylized falling star on the tail. AFSC badge on the nose. They had HC-130Ps and JC-130Hs. WC-130H 980, 815th WRS had a temporary "Spirit of Mississippi" on a yellow band on the forward left fuselage. Look at Detail and Scale's C-130 book.

Any requests? I can't promise that I can find what you want, but Hercules Headquarters might be able to help. If I have a print, I must scan it first. I don't have a scanner, so would have to go outside for it.

Best wishes,

Grant

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Grant, I have to admit that I tend to not care for details like serial numbers or units... ;) Very often I just paint my model in a camo scheme I like (and that is accurate for that kind of A/C), put on some decals and finished is my new love.

Sorry, I feel its a bit of abusing your great knowledge for an ignorant fun-builder like me, but my main interest would be some HC-130Ps with a SEA camo or any other interesting camo-scheme. "Special" version with bright colours are definitely cool, but since I only paint with a normal brush those white or red colours will never finish with a decent coating, so I stay with camoflages. Even painting a white underside will be hard for me...

Thank you for your help so far!

HAJO

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Hajo,

Don't mind me, I was just trying to cover all the bases. I will see what I can find.

Perhaps someone who does decals might be interested in printing a sheet that can help you.

Best wishes,

Grant

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  • 1 month later...
... Another option would be an ARRS bird with the MAC markings, (MAC band and badge) this would be until the late seventies and a bit later for ANG or Reserve birds. Is there a unit that is of interest to you? The 79th ARRs out of Anderson AFB, Guam is almost unknown as well as the 76th ARRS out of Hickam AFB. The 71st ARRS had arctic International Red markings. They had N models. I don't remember if they also had Ps. HC-130H, 50968 still had the red under its gray when I saw it at Keesler AFB in the late 70s. It was ex-71st ARRS.

OK, I´m starting my HC-130. Grant, are those above mentionend ARRS-birds in SEA-camo?

HAJO

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Hajo,

Pictures of the 79th and 76th ARRS are very rare.

Go to Herkybirds.com and post a query on their historical forum. Say you are looking for a SEA camo HC-130P. You may break it down into the following types;

1. an SEA bird. You might ask for the tail number of one that was on the Son Tay raid to rescue the prisoners. Alas it was not successful.

2. a SEA camo bird with full MAC markings. This includes MAC tail band and shield on the rear fuselage. The 33rd ARRS out of Kadena had one painted like this, circa 1976. Ohters probably existed with the 67th ARRS and with the CONUS ARRS units.

3. any guard or reserve HC-130P with MAC markings from the late 70s to early 80s era.

Ask if they have detail pictures of the HC-130P. Ask if someone has scans from the HC-130P dash one (pilot's flight manual)or dash four (illustrated parts breakdown) to illustrate the details.

Only the 71st ARRS at Elmendorph AFB in Alaska had arctic red on their aircraft. The red was only on grey painted birds. They only had HC-130Hs and HC-130Ns. N models did not have the hog nose but had the refueling pods.

If you can, look for the Osprey Air Base series on MAC. They have some nice pictures of HC-130s, including a HC-130P in SEA and a HC-130H in grey with arctic red.

When you do a P model, these are some of the things that need to be done.

1. the fulton recovery nose and tines. (the tines or whiskers are the two thin rod shaped things that are on the nose.)

2. the dorsal dome that covers the beacon tracking antenna above and behind the cockpit.

3. two rectangular scanning windows, one on each side behind the forward crew entrance door.

4. the upper cargo door has two rails to carry and drop the life raft packages.

5. between the two rails is a horizontal row of flare chutes. They are the round tubes sticking out of the cargo door.

6. The refueling pods. They are pretty much tear drop shaped and are larger in diameter than the under wing tanks. This also means that the widest part is before the mid section and that there is no constant diameter mid section.

I don't think that they had the wire from the nose to the wing tips to prevent the balloon wire from snagging the props like the MC-130Es would have.

FYI,

Internally, there were;

1. at the front of the cargo bay attached to the forward bulkhead was a fold down table. (at least I remember this from the WC-130Hs)

2. there were seats at each scanner window. They were similar to the seats in the cockpit. I would guess the Nav and not the Pilot or Flight Engineer chair.

3. there were two to four large Bensen fuel tanks that took up a good deal of the cargo bay. These were similar if not the same as the fuel tanks carried on the KC-97.

4. there would be paratrooper seats for the PJs and life raft containers and other air droppable supplies.

5. there may be a double decker crew bunk for the crew to rest in.

This is all from the top of my head. I'll look through my stuff to see if I forgot anything or got something wrong.

There are two magazines from Japan from the 70s and 80s that have useful detail shots of C-130 variants. One is the Koku-fan Famous Aircraft of the World number 79, on the C-130 and the other was a thin monograph put out by Ottasuke Shashincho (not his name) and published and released through Hobbyshop Waku and Hasegawa. It is Volume 4. It is all black and white photos but with the modeler in mind. Good, large (generally 3X5 inch size or longer) and clear photos. Not easy to find now but well worth the effort.

If you want, I'll try to track down extra copies.

Sorry, I'm saving to get a new computer and a Nikon slide copier so I usually won't be scanning stuff for a year or two. I would be willing to make exceptions to help a fellow modeler.

Best wishes,

Grant

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Grant, thank you very much for your help, much appreciated!

I already have a Fulton nose, the dome and the refueling pods (all vacuformed), only thing missing are the "arms" of the FRS. But I also have the Flightpath MC-130E conversion set (already built) so it should be no problem for me to scratchbuild them.

I want to model the cargo doors shut, so I think the points 4. and 5. are not important for me.

Do you have any pictures of those scanning windows? You don´t need to scan those pics, if you have a digi-cam with makro, just make a picture of it...

Once again thanks for your help, be sure I will ask you more in the next weeks. ;)

HAJO

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Hajo,

I went back and looked at those two books and must say that I made a mistake in saying that the refueling pod's mid section does not have a constant diameter. It does. And there was only one Bensen tank in the rescue birds. Sorry.

Please look at my picture of 971. If you look at the rear, you can see that the rails are on the outside of the cargo door. So you would have to add it to your kit. The large black rectangles behind the crew door are the scanning windows.

There are ten flare launch tubes semi recessed into the outside of the cargo door. They are two rows of five.

If you know someone with the Koku-fan #79 book, page 24 has a photo of the flare launchers on a WC-130H. Page 34 has a color photo of a HC-130N that shows the launch rails. I don't have a good one that shows it in detail.

If you want, send me an e-mail your address and I'll mail you the two books. I'll give them to you. Sorry there is only one good photo of a camo HC-130P. There is another that shows a P model refueling an HH-3. You can see the upper surface details. Both of these are in the Koku-fan book. The other C-130 Hercules monograph has detail shots of a KC-130F refueling pod and drogue.

Forgot to mention these things. Look at the picture of 971 for the belly antennaes. Right behind the lower cockpit windows were stubs to hold the nose whiskers away from the fuselage. One on each side.

Hope this helps.

Grant.

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Grant, thanks for the hints! Did I understood you right, you want to send me the books via mail or do you have a copy as a .pdf and you would send it by email? The latter would be ok, the first could be a bit expensive since I´m living in germany. And, honestly, like I mentionend before... Wasting money to send me books via mail would be a bad idea since the outcome definetly will not pay off... :lol:

HAJO

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Hajo,

Yes, I will mail them to you in Germany. They are more like magazines than books, so it shouldn't cost very much. I will have to look for the picture of the HC-130P in SEA camo with MAC markings for you. I will also scan the HC-130P color pictures in SEA camo from the Osprey MAC book. I will try to send them out next week.

I already had an extra copy, so it is money that has already been spent.

Best wishes.

Grant

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Hajo,

Sorry, the rollers on the lower cargo door are not what I am talking about. The row of recessed tubes on the upper cargo door are the flare launchers. The rails would be outside of the tubes and run the length of the top cargo door. I believe that there was another set running along the ceiling of the cargo bay. It would attach to the pair on the cargo door so that they could lift and carry the rescue gear from the cargo bay and drop it out of the cargo door, perhaps to offer more accurate mechanical releasing by the cockpit crew, compared with using the load to push it out. I'm sorry that I can't find a decent close up for you.

Best wishes,

Grant.

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