MH-60G Pave Hawk

[Adam Baker]

Ok, last update for the weekend.

Didnt take any pic's of it, but I shimmed the area underneath the troop doors, so that the floor doesnt move, so that I can putty the gap w/o having to worry about it moving around & flaking out the putty. Added a piece of .030" styrene along the lip of the floor, and it works like a charm, I was very surprised that I'd get it done w/ a single piece of styrene but it went right in, the perfect size on the first try.

Here you can see the bottoms of the troop doors are even w/ the interior floor. This was taken after the fuselage was glued together, and the floor was glued down to the strips that I added.

Once that was done, I started gluing the fuselage up. I got lucky, I almost forgot to add the tail wheel, but I got it in just in time. Would have really sucked to have remembered that after the glue had been dry for a couple of days, haha.

Now I guess on Tuesday I'll start working on cleaning up the seams. I'd imagine that alone will take all of hte time I'll have available on Tuesday, so it'll be next weekend before I can start working on painting the exterior. Im still trying to decide whether I want to go w/ the 3 color European scheme, or the 2 color Desert Storm scheme. I think the DS scheme is really cool, but I think Im probably going to go w/ the Euro scheme, but I dunno. I dont have the paint for hte Euro scheme, and Im pretty sure Ive already got bottles of the Sand & Tan paint for the DS scheme.

[Avus]

Despite all the "gaps" you're proceeding very fast ... and clean!

I like how your cabin floor sits even.

Keep it up.

[marine4 ever]

Good work Adam!

semper fi

Dan

[charles]

very impresive adam!

[Adam Baker]

Thanks guys. I started working on the seams this past Tuesday. Only worked on it for a couple of hours, b/c after awhile I got sick of dealing w/ it, hahah. there are a lot of pretty bad seams on this thing. I think that pretty much any and all detail on the belly is going to be gone once I get it all cleaned up.

And for the paint scheme Im going to be doing the Desert Storm scheme, since I already have the paint for it, so its going to save me some money. I went looking, and I dont have any green paint at all, so I'd have to buy paint to do the OOB scheme.

[Adam Baker]

Ok, here's my progress. Taking care of the seams in this thing has sucked, hahaha, but I think Ive got it taken care of. Im hoping to shoot some primer on it this week, to check the seams, make sure they are gone. Unless Ive got any really glaring seams, Im probably going to leave it as it is. This isnt built as a show winner, just a fun relaxing build.

Here's how she stands as of now:

The front wind screen is only sitting in place right now. I got all the clear parts dipped in Future last night, and overall Im happy w/ the results. Found some small specs of dirt in a couple of 'em, and one or two have a spot where the future pooled a little bit, but not enough for me to be concerned w/ it.

Was able to fill the small gaps left along the bottoms of the troop doors. Just used some Squadron White, and it worked out pretty good. Again, unless there's a glaring seam thats visible after paint, Im done w/ these.

The next step is to take care of these huge gaps. Im going to use .010" styrene for the gap at the troop door. Going to use my contour gauge to get the shape of the interior piece, and then just butt the styrene right up against them, and glue 'em in place and call it done, hopefully I wont have any problems.

The gaps around the gunner windows is whats going to cause problems, Im sure. Its a huge gap, at least .020" - .025" I think, pretty much all the way around, so its definitely going to require using styrene to fill the gaps. Once those are done, Im going to carefully respray the interior color to cover my surgery where it was needed.

Once the interior is resprayed, then I'll start working on the exterior. Ive decided to go w/ the Desert Storm scheme. I got a can of Tamiya Light Sand, its the rattle can, so its lacquer, which will work out fine. I also got Humbrol Light Earth, which will go over the Tamiya w/o any problems. Still be a few weeks at least before its done, but this one will definitely be done before the deadline.

[Avus]

As I said in "my" thread using styrene is the best option.

Anyhow you're proceeding bery well despite all the "flaws" of this model.

[Adam Baker]

Ok, another update. This week should hopefully be really good for progress. I dont have to go to class again till next Wednesday, so Im working first shift the rest of this week, so I'll be able to hopefully get quite a bit of work done.

Spent this evening working on filling the gap around the port side troop door & gunner window, and I have to say that Im very pleased w/ the outcome.

Just as a refresher, this is what the gap's looked like before I started.

And this is how they look now.

I used my contour gage, and pulled out the round interior parts from the UH-60 kit I have, so that I could get the correct shape. I then glued it in place, and worked at sanding it smooth. Its going to take just a little bit of putty to get it completely smoothed out. I used a piece of .010" styrene, b/c I didnt want it to be thicker than the interior piece. Thankfully it worked out almost perfect.

For the window, I used the same method I used for the troop door, on the side of the window closest to the troop door. I did this b/c of the huge & irregularly shaped gap. B/c of the kick out for the landing gear strut, there was an extra large opening about halfway down, so I knew that just putting styrene into the gap wouldnt work. Again, the contour gage was pulled out, to make sure I got the shape as close as possible when I started, that way I had less work to do inside the fuselage, lessening the change of damaging anything thats already inside the fuselage.

For the gap across the bottom, and up the forward side, I sandwiched 2 pieces of .015" styrene, and carefully put them into the gaps, and then flowed Ambroid down both sides. I then went back & carefully shaved them even w/ the window opening.

Now all thats left is to do the same to the other side, a couple places to putty, and I'll be good to paint the interior color again.

I do have another build question for anyone that can help me out. Ive never had to put windows into a model like Im having to do w/ this one. I have all of the forward windows masked off now for painting, and like I said in a previous post, all the clear parts have been dipped in future.

I use Ambroid Pro-Weld, and a Touch-N-Flow to apply it. Do I just put the window in, and just very carefully flow the Ambroid in around the window? I just want to make sure I dont kill my build by screwing up one of the clear windows.

Edited October 7, 2008 by Adam Baker

[Avus]

Excellent work!

But have you tried to fit the sponsoons on top of the gunner's window?

I'm asking since you added 0.01 styrene on each side, increasing the width of .02.

[Adam Baker]

I thought about that, w/ adding the styrene, but Im going to have the windows open, so the added material inside the window shouldnt be an issue. Also, w/ the added material, its only on the exterior of the window, on the side closest to the troop door. On the side closest to the pilots, its wedged in between the fuselage half, and the interior part.

[Rocat]

really good progress.

[Adam Baker]

Ok, progress, haha.

Got the interior repainted, after getting all of the windows filled in, and for the most part Im very pleased w/ the outcome. Have a few still visible seams, and a couple things didnt clean up quite as much as I expected. It always ends up that you dont see the problems till after they've been painted. So right now Im trying to decide if I want to go ahead & fix the issues I found, and then have to repaint it, or just live w/ what Ive got now. This is just supposed to be a good fun easy build, so Im not extremely concerned w/ seams & that sort of thing.

Ok, here are the pic's.

Troop doors, filled the seam w/ putty, and it came out really great, no sign of the gap that I can see

Gap at the front of the troop door on both sides, this came out pretty good, but a slight seam is visible in a few places on both sides. Not sure if I want to bother w/ putty to clean 'em up at this point or not, as Im not really sure if I feel like going through the hassle of having to repaint both sides.

And then the gunner windows.

On the port side, I filled the bottom & forward gaps w/ pieces of sandwiched styrene that was put into the gap, glued in place, and then cut & sanded down smooth, or at least that was the plan. The forward side of the window didnt clean up flush like I thought it had. Another spot that Im trying to decide whether or not I want to fix & then repaint. The side of hte window closest to the troop door had .010" styrene put over the gap, and then glued in place. It came out really good, Im very happy w/ how it looks.

On the other side, instead of filling the gaps w/ styrene, I just covered them w/ .010" styrene, since the gaps werent even like they were on the port side. I wasnt sure how I could go about putting sandwiched styrene in this side b/c there was a pretty big difference in the width of the gap. So I just put down the .010" styrene, and glued it in place, all the way around the window.

[Adam Baker]

Ok, had to make 2 posts b/c its telling me I was trying to post too many pic's at once, haha. Guess I have too much progress to show, haha.

Now Ive just been working on assembling things to start prepping to get the first coat of paint down on the exterior of the fuselage. This is how she looks right now.

There's a really bad gap around both engine intakes, not sure what method Im going to use right now to try to solve that. Thinking Im going to try sanding things down a little bit, and then either go w/ putty, or try blending it w/ some styrene strip, but Im not sure yet, dont want it to be too noticeable a fix.

Was hoping to get the first coat of tan on tomorrow, but Im not so sure now, since I have to work on fixing the gap around the intakes. I also have to paint a couple pieces for the cockpit still, so I cant get the main windscreen in until thats done.

[Tank]

Why not throw putty a it than wipe it away with isp. alcohol so you don't have to sand it.

[Adam Baker]

Hmm, didnt know I could wipe putty away w/ alcohol. I guess I'll have to give it a try.

[Tank]

Hmm, didnt know I could wipe putty away w/ alcohol. I guess I'll have to give it a try.

Sorry not alcohol, nail polish remover.

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/tnt1...ding/tnt029.htm

[Adam Baker]

Ah, very cool. I'll have to pick up a bottle while Im out today & give it a go.

[Andrew Doppel]

Quote "Does anyone have any suggestions on how to bring out all the detail & such, and make the cockpit & interiors more realistic? My experience is pretty much limited to just basic dry brushing of the details on the IP & that sort of thing."

Hi Adam,

I can make a suggestion if you haven't already received any. When I did my 1/48 Blackhawk I found a pic of the door internals which shows door pockets and framing etc. I just used some plastic card and that gave more detail to a really plain door (refer page 1 of your build). I hope this helps.

Andrew

P.S. Nice build by the way!

Edited October 13, 2008 by Andrew Doppel

[Avus]

Looks like your surgery went well!

[Adam Baker]

Ok, this weeks installment of As the Pavehawk Turns, hahaha.

Got some done last week, but didn't get a chance to post it up, so I'll included it here.

Didn't take pic's of it, but I did end up adding putty to the gaps on the forward sides of the troop doors, and it looks pretty good.

Ended last weeks update w/ the foot windows installed, but not painted. Looking back at it, I really think I'd have been much better off painting the black on the windows before installing 'em, but oh well.

I worked on masking off around the windows, and then bagged the whole model, to keep from getting paint on it anywhere. Used a bunch of green painters tape & 2 1 gallon Ziploc bags and it worked out pretty good.

Here it is bagged up

Then I shot both sides w/ flat black. I almost didnt paint the windows like this, but when I realized how visible it would be inside the cockpit if i didnt, I decided that it was worth the hassle.

Thankfully all the masking paid off. Looks good painted, and didnt get paint anywhere that I didnt want it, which is unusual for me, haha. I usually end up w/ paint everywhere but where I want it.

Tonights work is getting down the first coats of the main color. Im using Tamiya rattle can lacquer TS46 Light Sand for the base.

Took time to make sure it was all prepped good, and everything was glued on that needed to be there.

First coat of paint. Making sure to go light, so that I dont get ham-fisted w/ it and end up w/ a pool of paint anywhere

Second coat

Getting ready in a few minutes to go in & put down the third coat. I'd imagine its probably going to take 4 or 5 light coats to get total coverage. Does anyone here use Tamiya paints when they build? A friend of mine is the owner of my LHS, and he was telling me when I was there tonight to get another can of paint, that I should wait about 3 weeks, before moving onto the next color. He said that Tamiya takes a long time to dry completely and that during that time the paint has the potential to shrink quite a bit. Fwiw, Im using Humbrol Earth as the camo color.

[charles]

Very very exelent!

[Avus]

SWEET!

Do you mind if I borrow your "window sealing" method? I never thought of that seems very effective!

[Adam Baker]

Hahaha, borrow away, doesnt botther me any. Not sure how effective it is, but Im pretty confident in it.

I used a dial caliper to get the dimensions of hte openings, and then used a razor saw to cut each piece, trying to leave each dimension about .010" long, so that it would be a very snug fit. I did pretty good, w/ only 1 side of one of hte troop doors being just a little bit short, but Im not overly concerned about it.

After posting this last night, I got 3 more coats of paint down, and I think Im good to go. I wanted to be very careful about not putting it down too heavy, and I think I did a pretty good job of getting it down as even as I could. Now I have to decide how long I want to let it sit before I start doing the camo over it. I also have to decide how & if I want to do any weathering on it.

Edited October 19, 2008 by Adam Baker

[doupnik]

I like the window sealing too, I will try that next time.

Looking really nice, I need to do some MH birds.

mason

[Rocat]

nice WIP, interesting sealing and masking tips, thank you.