Jump to content

1/48 AC-130U - back on the road.


Recommended Posts

Have you seen the lazer mods in person? I have been wondering how much cargo floor is left with it in... I have also wondered how near the max 3 engine climb weight she is with it inside. The giant hole in the floor that looks required tells me that the lazer would be a stand alone weapon and not a Gunpig addition for the future.

Curt

Link to post
Share on other sites

Curt...It's a 50 inch hole in the floor up front in the pallet position 1 area. It retracts up into the cargo compartment like the Talon 1 IDS ball. You know how prototype stuff is...really big and bulky but with the developed technology it will get smaller. I think the ultimate goal is to put it in the gunship where the old 20mm guns were in the AC-130H but apply it to the future gunship. Just a few weeks ago they flew down to White Sands Missile Range and actually killed a target truck. So it did work and I think they are working with the ABL folks out at Edwards. It is kinda funny looking...a C-130H with a drone nose and a ET tail code. They keep it in the old ABL hanger on the southside of the runway. :thumbsup:

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well I've had another go after a short break (various Air Cadet activities, helping at airshows, flying etc), and had a go at doing some DIRCM pods today. Now they are no where near the standard of yours Dez, but I'm pleased with them (as I said before, I've never used putty on a model prior to this one!). I used the templates Dez put up, and built the putty up on top of a piece of Plasticard cut to shape and stuck to the fuselage. I'll post some pictures tomorrow when they are all sanded down and done.

Also been working on the cockpit, adding various wiring and whatnot, so pictures of that to come as well.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Curt - I'd love to indulge you and put up some amusing in progress pictures showing my now completely milliputted room and a very frustrated me, but I didnt take any. Only pictures here are before and afters - didn't want to get Milliput all over my camera!

Using the templates from Dez, I cut some thin Plasticard to shape:

1-7.jpg

2-9.jpg

This was then stuck onto the side of the fuselage as a baseplate:

3-8.jpg

And the Milliput was added on top. I also resculpted the shield for the 105mm cannon, as Italeri have produced it as a blocky box shape instead of the sleeker shape of the actual shield. Whilst I was at it, I filled the gaps of the shield with Milliput, as well as the gap underneath the main FLIR turret (It probably isnt a FLIR turret but that's what I'll call it!). I've also stuck the other side of the fuselage together, and built the DIRCM on that side too whilst I was at it.

4-8.jpg

5-8.jpg

And the progress so far on the cockpit (this is going to have to be pretty inaccurate, as there are almost no shots out there of the inside of an AC-130 cockpit, apart from shots of the main instrument panel.). I'm now ready to be roasted by you C-130 Gurus on what the pit should actually look like (go ahead and tell me I'm wrong, it would be better to know now than after the pit is installed!)

6-8.jpg

And thats it up till this evening! Putty should dry fully overnight, so tomorrow I can sand it all down. Next thing to do are the final few lumps and bumps on the fuselage, and the cockpit seats (making belts and buckles etc for those).

Ben

Edited by OriginalMonty
Link to post
Share on other sites

Anyone able to help on another little conundrum?

Looking at my photos of 89-0510 at Mildenhall, I;ve noticed a little image on one blade of each propeller. It looks a little like a black and white version of the nose art? I cant find any pics on the net of it, and my shots are not too clear. Anyone?

IMG_2614.jpg

In other news, I've progressed further in the cockpit, scratchbuilding seatbelts, maps and wires/oxygen hoses. Thats still a WIP though.

Ben

Link to post
Share on other sites

Cheers for that Helo! If different guys use different markings, I might just make up a B+W version of the nose art for each prop and use that!

I've moved onto the rear of the gunship today, whilst waiting for the putty for the DIRCMs to dry (first lot didnt, so had to start again). Looking in from the rear, there is a big bulkhead forward of the 40mm, the rear wall of the sensor op suite I think. Lots of pics I have seen have writing on this wall in big letters, but it's always partially obscured in photos. The one I have been able to read is (I think), "Killer Instinct". Is this the name of the Gunship? Can't think what else it would be!

Ben

Link to post
Share on other sites

You are doing great on the outside of the plane but that cockpit is a work of fiction by the model company. It is your kit. That is a fact but if you want a real interior, I suggest you get some more reference photos. I know for a fact that FS245 doesn't have what looks like a vertical pipes. I don't know what the hell that is. The co-pilots side panel doesn't look anything like what it does in the picture. The FE sits up higher than the other crew positions, etc. But if you feel that it just isn't worth all the effort for something you can not see that well when it is closed up, well I have to agree with you. Let me see if I can find some interior shots.

Link to post
Share on other sites
You are doing great on the outside of the plane but that cockpit is a work of fiction by the model company. It is your kit. That is a fact but if you want a real interior, I suggest you get some more reference photos. I know for a fact that FS245 doesn't have what looks like a vertical pipes. I don't know what the hell that is. The co-pilots side panel doesn't look anything like what it does in the picture. The FE sits up higher than the other crew positions, etc. But if you feel that it just isn't worth all the effort for something you can not see that well when it is closed up, well I have to agree with you. Let me see if I can find some interior shots.

I thought it was bad, but didnt know quite how bad! I've only been able to find some reference pictures of the main control panel, and even that is wrong. I've been working off some recent photos of an MC-130 (next best thing - I assume they are quite similar?). However if you have some shots of the AC-130 cockpit that would be fantastic!

Thanks

Ben

Link to post
Share on other sites
I thought it was bad, but didnt know quite how bad! I've only been able to find some reference pictures of the main control panel, and even that is wrong. I've been working off some recent photos of an MC-130 (next best thing - I assume they are quite similar?). However if you have some shots of the AC-130 cockpit that would be fantastic!

Thanks

Ben

I'm just taking a wild guess here, but wouldn't the cockpit interior be black since the flight crew would be on NVG's?

John

Link to post
Share on other sites

Next update - been working on the 40mm. This is another new thing for me, never tried to build such a complex shape before so I'm quite pleased with it.

40mm as it stands - more to be done at ATC tonight.

IMG_6485.jpg

And next to what it should look like (photo from Aircraft Resource Center):

IMG_6486.jpg

Where it will be -ish (without so much blank space around it):

IMG_6487.jpg

And the completed DIRCM turret:

IMG_6489.jpg

Ben

Link to post
Share on other sites

OriginalMonty, Im really enjoying your progress. I will be starting this model soon (I hope), and this is a great inspiration. One thing though, can you provide a link to Dez's build you are referring to? I did a search but cant seem to find it.

Thanks!

Edit: Someone was nice enough to bump Dez's build so it ended up at the top of the forum, so nevermind :cheers:

Edited by djenkins72968
Link to post
Share on other sites

Cheers guys!

Here's another question for you C-130 afficionados - what kind of lighting would an AC-130 have? If Im putting the effort in to get some detail in the back, I thought I might as well light it up. The cockpit and external lighting are also on my to do list, but I'll tackle the inside (and the cockpit) first I think.

Any ideas - I assume its just ceiling lighting in a long strip down the middle?

Thanks

Ben

Link to post
Share on other sites

Check out todays ARC Main Page. There is a 1/48 C-130 complete with interior lighting. Link: http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal1...undmann/00.shtm

Its been so long since I've been on a C-130 I don't remember what the lighting was like. I do remember it wasn't as bright as in the above.

The AC-130 may have had different interior lighting.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Is the booth door going to be open? if it's not then all you need to worry about is what you can see down the left side and above the booth. I think it's called a battle management center on an U model instead of "the booth" like on an H model. The light is dim . It's like the inside is lighted by 30 back up lights on your car. If you can picture that. Above the ramp are two loading lights that can be turned around to face forward. I always made sure mine had enough wire to face forward. They are like having two head lights shining into the cargo compartment.

Curt

Link to post
Share on other sites
I thought it was bad, but didnt know quite how bad! I've only been able to find some reference pictures of the main control panel, and even that is wrong. I've been working off some recent photos of an MC-130 (next best thing - I assume they are quite similar?). However if you have some shots of the AC-130 cockpit that would be fantastic!

Thanks

Ben

Try here. It's under "cargo aircraft".

Everything's looking good! I'd caution you on going whole hog on the interior though, it's a beast and a half even just working around the cargo ramp. So much is lacking as far as the interior is concerned with that kit, pretty much everything has to be done from scratch.

Edited by Dez
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...