pacific mustang Posted November 2, 2008 Share Posted November 2, 2008 Just remembered I had put my name down for this GB, said I was going to do a Monogram UH1B as a RAN helo, well the huey has morphed into a Kiowa!!! and the required sprue shots!! As the kit is a bit of a jetranger/kiowa hybred, some mods will be required, so that it may better reflect an Aussie built kiowa, the major one being the engine cowling side vents. here are the stock kit parts with the louvred cowlings, really only seen on Jetrangers and very early kiowas and one side with the correct pattern vents cut out, using photos as reference, they were drawn onto the cowling, chain drilled then opened up with needle files actually I mucked up a little with the placings of the holes as you can still see the remainders of some of the louvres, next will be the other side cowling and the cockpit To Be continued Regards Bruce Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pacific mustang Posted November 3, 2008 Author Share Posted November 3, 2008 got a bit more done today, vents have now all been opened out and backed with some brass mesh I had lying around cockpit has been started, first by opening up some lightening holes in the centre console, that are quite prominent in photos of the real machine I have, then some copper wire was twisted together to represent a wiring loom and passed through to a hole drilled in the underside of the instrument panel console, the bulkhead behind the pilots seats was skinned with thin plasticard to hide all the ejector pin marks and the otherside, central column and rear bulkhead faced with wine bottle foil that had been embossed with a diamond pattern to represent the sound proof quilting. this was doe by laying the foil over some diamond pattern plastruct sheet I had, then rubbing the foil with the handles from a pair of scissors until the pattern showed through. The foil was then glued to the bulkheads and trimmed to size. I'm off to drink the rest of the wine now!!! Bruce Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Doppel Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 I like what I see so far Bruce! Keep the progress shots coming. Regards Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marine4 ever Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 this thread i'll pay attention too as i have a few of these that have been on the back burner! Semper Fi Dan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rocat Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 nice start! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Nice start Bruce. I like the use of the foil. :) Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avus Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Great start! I like the mesh and the wiring you added. Keep it up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pacific mustang Posted November 19, 2008 Author Share Posted November 19, 2008 thanks for all the comments so far, got a bit more done on her, this week. first off cockpit painted and drybrushed. I also realized that you could see through the mesh that there was no engine so i crafted a deck for a bit of tube to sit on, It looks very rough I know, but the whole idea was to just give the idea that there is an engine behind the grills. I have several pics that show a orange pipe through the cowling mesh hence that detail added. the doors were then added to the respective halves, nothing was a great fit,the gaps were filled with Mr Surfacer, the avionics/baggage bay door was a particularly poor fit requiring filling with gap filling super glue and then the door rescribed, I also scribed in the cooling louvres. Plastic strip was used to represent the intake slitter as the kit part was too short the fuselage halves were then joined and a MV lens added to represent the landing light in the nose finally the top of the fin was cut down and squared off to better represent the kiowa fin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marine4 ever Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 keep it up Semper Fi Dan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pacific mustang Posted November 20, 2008 Author Share Posted November 20, 2008 thanks Dan! regards Bruce Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Anthony in NZ Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Fantastic job so far. I really like all the extra touches you are putting in this bird, it is really bringing her to life Cheers Anthony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Doppel Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Lookin good Bruce. Regards Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doupnik Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 Nice work on the interior, looks great. I like the details you are adding behind the mesh. mason Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avus Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 How'd I miss your update?! It's proceeding very well. B) Your engine mock up is very simple but very effective considering what you'll be able to see through the mesh! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pacific mustang Posted December 9, 2008 Author Share Posted December 9, 2008 final details added before it heads for the paint booth. Australian kiowas were unique in that the left hand rear door could also hinge rearwards to allow a stretcher to be carried, these hinges at the rear of the door were added from thin stips of card, the whip aerial has been added from piano wire and the HF antennas either side of the boom came from an old italeri huey kit, also from the huey kit and added under the nose is the ADF antenna housing. the rear section of the boom was cut off and replaced by clear sprue sanded to shape. As the Navy helos had the low skids the footsteps were removed but the mounting plates and stems remained next up, its off to the paint shop, sorry about the poor quality pic Bruce Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avus Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 You keep proceeding very well! I like all the tiny detail you added. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doupnik Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 Looks really nice. Looking forward to seeing her painted up. mason Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marine4 ever Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 she's purdy. semper fi Dan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pacific mustang Posted December 10, 2008 Author Share Posted December 10, 2008 Thanks for all the encouragement Fellas, have just given her a coat of Mr Surfacer. Of course I completely forgot about masking my taillight!!! so will have to give that a sand, also a few blemishes need a visit from the putty fairy Bruce Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rocat Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 good progress, I like it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pacific mustang Posted December 23, 2008 Author Share Posted December 23, 2008 and its a race against the clock worthy of any TV episode!!!! Model now decalled and painted with just the finishing touches to go and a final semi gloss should be done in the next day or two Regards and Merry Xmas to All Bruce Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doupnik Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 Looking really nice. Cool paint scheme. mason Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pacific mustang Posted December 27, 2008 Author Share Posted December 27, 2008 FINISHED!!!!!! more pics in "completed" thread Regards and thanks everyone for the comments Bruce Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rocat Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 Wow. Really cool looking Navy bird! Bravo! roberto Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rocat Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 (edited) ...today I got double posts ... maybe Admin can delete this one? thanks! roberto Edited December 27, 2008 by Rocat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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