Justicebringer Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I am about to start a 1:48 AC-130 that I intend to build as tail number 69-6568. My question is are there any good after market decals for the AC. I am building this for a buddy of mine who worked on the guidance and control for the AC-130s and he used to complain about this particular bird constantly. Any help would be appreciated. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skull Leader Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I am about to start a 1:48 AC-130 that I intend to build as tail number 69-6568. My question is are there any good after market decals for the AC. I am building this for a buddy of mine who worked on the guidance and control for the AC-130s and he used to complain about this particular bird constantly.Any help would be appreciated. No aftermarket decals for "Night Stalker" so far as I know... but I suppose anything is possible. if I may ask, how are you making the H model AC-130? Kits only exist for AC-130As and Us in 1/48 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Justicebringer Posted December 5, 2008 Author Share Posted December 5, 2008 No aftermarket decals for "Night Stalker" so far as I know... but I suppose anything is possible. if I may ask, how are you making the H model AC-130? Kits only exist for AC-130As and Us in 1/48 Converting the U kit. My buddy is assisting me with the details he just doesnt know that its intended for him. Im going to place it on a tarmac along with the dagger and coins he received when he got out of the Air Force. His wife just has to get the dagger anc coins out of the house without him noticing =/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
C-130CrewChief Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I remember that plane well. It was alright. We did call it Sick eight. You will have to do alot of scratch building to make an AC-130H out of any C-130 kit. I Noticed you said it was a U model Gunship. 69-6568 is a H model gunship and it is vastly diferent. I am not aware of any decals for current AC-130H aircraft. Curt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Justicebringer Posted December 5, 2008 Author Share Posted December 5, 2008 I remember that plane well. It was alright. We did call it Sick eight. You will have to do alot of scratch building to make an AC-130H out of any C-130 kit. I Noticed you said it was a U model Gunship. 69-6568 is a H model gunship and it is vastly diferent. I am not aware of any decals for current AC-130H aircraft.Curt Thanks for the info. I may just have to build a U boat if it comes down to it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skull Leader Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 Thanks for the info. I may just have to build a U boat if it comes down to it. Even the armament is vastly different from what the U boat has. -Get rid of the 25mm from the AC-130U and replace with 2 20mm vulcans (or just two square windows if you're doing a more modern one) -Remove the circular mount for the 105mm and replace it with a door mount that is rectangular in style -depending on the time frame, there are various lumps and bumps that have been added to the AC-130s (both H and U models), and at some point in recent years, the long antenna on the nose of the AC-130H was deleted. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ikar Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 What time and base did you want to build? If it was stationed at Korat in 1974 it would look like this: black with red numbers, no tail code or personal markings, or: Gray with black numbers, no personal markings, color national markings Or like this: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skull Leader Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 nice collection of old gunship photos! I love those early E/Hs in the overall black... I notice in the last photo an AC-130A is parked next to it also in overall black... I thought they were in SEA over black until their grey days, thats cool to see. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ikar Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 If you look closely near the top of the "A" model you can see the lighter colors of the cammoflage. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fiddler Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 (edited) Was this an aircraft which had previously 'WP' tailcodes above the serial on the tail? where the now different shade of black is painted? Love these pictures!! Thanks Edited December 7, 2008 by Fiddler Quote Link to post Share on other sites
C-130CrewChief Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 Even the armament is vastly different from what the U boat has.-Get rid of the 25mm from the AC-130U and replace with 2 20mm vulcans (or just two square windows if you're doing a more modern one) -Remove the circular mount for the 105mm and replace it with a door mount that is rectangular in style -depending on the time frame, there are various lumps and bumps that have been added to the AC-130s (both H and U models), and at some point in recent years, the long antenna on the nose of the AC-130H was deleted. The Long antenna was actually a boom with a pitot at the end. I was told that it was an SR-71 Pitot tube. I don't know if this is true or not. The pitot boom fed information to the mission computer. There are also Pitot booms on the wing tips. The boom made marshaling at night interesting when I was a young airman; it was right at my head height! Curt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ikar Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 When they arrived at Korat they had no tail codes, but I had previously seen a gray "H" model with "WP" . I also got a picture with a "FT" code in red. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Justicebringer Posted December 9, 2008 Author Share Posted December 9, 2008 Well it looks like Ill just be building an OOB U boat. I think I'd rather just nail the build as is rather than f it up trying to modify the kit. Thanks for the input though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fiddler Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 (edited) nice collection of old gunship photos! I love those early E/Hs in the overall black... Hi, The black AC-130 '572', is it a H or have there been E fuselages also used for conversion? what's the full serial for this bird anyway? that will solve both questions :) Seems that these are early hercs (like our Belgian Hercies). Also The window, with the modification around it, anyone know why it's there? I have the Airfix AC-130H which is an early fuselage also, would love to rebuild it, and the black airframes are nice subjects... Thanks in advance!! Edited December 10, 2008 by Fiddler Quote Link to post Share on other sites
C-130CrewChief Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 (edited) Hi,The black AC-130 '572', is it a H or have there been E fuselages also used for conversion? what's the full serial for this bird anyway? that will solve both questions :) Seems that these are early hercs (like our Belgian Hercies). Also The window, with the modification around it, anyone know why it's there? I have the Airfix AC-130H which is an early fuselage also, would love to rebuild it, and the black airframes are nice subjects... Thanks in advance!! The H model gunships are E model airframes with H model engines and wings. 572 is aircraft 69-6572. The midified window is for the right scanner, there is a crew seat and all the required equipment. The scanner has the ability to pop flares if he sees a SAM launch. The window is often removed in flight and has an air deflector foward of it. The line painted around the area is where the blasting cord is. You can blow the entire area away in an emergency. It has never been used and if it is the airframe will be a wright off. H model gunships can not pressurize. When you build your Spectre gunship ensure you don't mix up your references. They mod them all the time and each one is slightly diferent! Even when they initally made them some of them simply had a hole cut in the left paratroop door and are still like that, while others had the door blanked out. So look for diferent windows above the 105. If I recall correctly 6572 has the door with the hole and still has the springs etc for opening the door, even the mount for the emergency exit light. 6573 had the bombrack inside it for airdrops still even though it never ever did one! I guess I'm rambling here. I hope it helps. Curt Crew Chief on 69-6575 from 1998-2001 Edited December 10, 2008 by C-130CrewChief Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rattler Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Curt, Wanda sure had a pretty paint job on her. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dez Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Well it looks like Ill just be building an OOB U boat. I think I'd rather just nail the build as is rather than f it up trying to modify the kit.Thanks for the input though. Oh come on! Go for the custom build! All you need is the A model gunship and then scrounge up some 4 blade props. Depending on what time frame you build it in will determine the severity of the scratch building you'll need to do. :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dez Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 The biggest thing you would have to do in the "minimum modification" option from an "A" is to scratch build the 105 and rearrange stuff back there to accommodate it. The more modern you get, the more work you'll need to do. When did your buddy get out? That would tell us what time frame you'd be building. There are people here FAR more knowledgeable than I am on what they looked like during a given time period. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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