Hajo L. Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Thanks to some creative modeller who thought in public about updating a Bronco to a modern COIN-aircraft (http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=191006&hl=Bronco) I started my newest project. At first I have to say that I admire those modellers that have the patience and precision to scratchbuild parts, preferrebly multiple parts of the same size. I can try to do 6 identical rods and end up with 6 that don´t look like each other. And this will be a problem here since I plan to do a lot of things that needs to be symmetric. Well... OK, the kit I´ve chosen is Academys wonderful OV-10D. Since the model will receive some updates I decided to first do some new engines, or, to be more precise, to enlarge the old ones. Here you can see what I did: So the engines now are 1cm (or 72cm "in real") longer and will hopefully give more power. Then I removed the side-sponsons. And the best of all (so far): New props! I dug out some old B-17 propellers and cut off the blades. Here you can see the gathering of 12 blades that will later form two 6-blade-propellers. The spinner is made of some old ECM-thingie of an Airfix AC-130. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChernayaAkula Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 This will be interesting to watch! What are you gonna put in place of the sponsons? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ice225 Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I´ll have to follow this! Nice project! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JMan Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Very nice. I love the way this plane looks! Cant wait to see the next one! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 17, 2009 Author Share Posted October 17, 2009 What are you gonna put in place of the sponsons? Hihihihiiiii.............. A 30mm M230..... :( HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChernayaAkula Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 ^ Yeah! Way to go! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
C-130CrewChief Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Hummmmmm........ Interesting! Curt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 18, 2009 Author Share Posted October 18, 2009 (edited) OK, some more pictures. The first one shows the parts I´m very happy with: The props. I used some kind of form to give each blade the same angle and it turned out quite good I think. Then up to the new designed engines, dryfitted to the wing. As you can see I glued the motor-front-plates upside down. This time I did it for purpose, last time I did so was when I built a OV-10A as a contest model and had a major brain malfunction... And the new gun system. As you can see it´s a M230 stolen from an Italeri AH-64, but the mount is coming from a Revell Tiger-helicopter. This will also be one of the few fixed-wing aircraft that get a crew (I usually don´t spend my few figures to jets and other aircraft to have more for my helos). I had to cut off the legs because otherwise these two guys won´t fit. It´s strange, they remind me of my grandpa who lost both legs when he stepped on a mine at the eastern front in 1942. HAJO Edited October 18, 2009 by Hajo L. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChernayaAkula Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Nice work on the props! The cannon will look mean slung under the fuselage like that. Where are the pilots from? Will you put some "flesh" on the engine nacelles? How about some extended wings or wingtips like those on the Do 228 or P-8 POSEIDON? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 18, 2009 Author Share Posted October 18, 2009 Hmm, I´m afraid I don´t dare to touch the wing-tips... As for the engine-nacelles: I´m still looking for good ideas, so far haven´t found much... The pilots are from Italeris Pilots & Ground Crew set, I corrected their arms a little bit to make them sit in the cockpit. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Thorsten Wieking Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 (edited) Hi Hajo, once again quite a project you are wokring at (as if you didn't already start quite a big, long term project this year - as I did ;-) ). Remember the old Airfix OV-10D NOGS.... they actually tried fitting a gun in a turret beneath the fuselage which was reflected in that kit. Thinking about the airframe itself - how about something with the rear cargodoor? Maybe some rearfiring guns or some sensor/damage assessment equipment? Since you are already using the long-nosed OV-10D, what about going a little bit over the top and doing a "nose-job" to the nose. The OV-10D itself being approx 20-30 years old, a new form of sensor turret might be optically interesting. I am really looking forward to what you are doing with the kit. Cheers Thorsten Edit: As for those engine nacelles - I would try to sculpt something out of 2-part epoxy. Either white milliput or something similar from the home improvement store. Edited October 18, 2009 by Thorsten Wieking Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Hajo.. DELIGHTFUL little build ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Nice ! I always enjoyed seeing the Bronco fly at airshows of the past ... I like your upgrades ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ice225 Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 How about a FLIR-Nose? Some radar-warners, chaff/flare-launchers, tons of antennas, some armor plates around lethal areas..... But it might get ugly - just think about the super hinds: http://images.google.de/url?source=imgres&...2yMFD7v6vboJqAg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 19, 2009 Author Share Posted October 19, 2009 I already thought about installing a TADS from the AH-64 at the nose. Problem is, as much as I´d like to put a lot o sensors and stuff to this bird, these things are draggy as hell. I know I´m installing more powerful engines, but at a certain point all the lumps and bumps would slow that Bronco down - regardless of the power. Thorsten, of course I know that NOGS, I have built one years ago. This time I took the M230 because it´s quality over quantity. ;-) No rear-firing stuff, but I thought about doing some IR-disco-light analogue to the one on top. Well, I will keep you informed about the changes this bird will undergo. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 Some progress. I found a solution to upgrade the engine section with some details, pictures of that later. First some impressions of the main-section, with a new installed HUD, crew in it´s seats and a FLIR that I made a bit longer. I will also mount the TADS some time later, it will be behind the gun-mount and provide side-angle and back-view target acquisition. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 And the engines! You´ll never guess what I used for the additional intake and the new exhaust: I first planned to use plastic straws (OK, I did it for the suppressors) but then my view fell on the not used engine of an Alouette III by Heller. So I cut the two engine halfs in the middle and got a nice new intake (formerly the exhaust) and an exhaust (formerly the turbine section). HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Nice work on the props made that look easy! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 26, 2009 Author Share Posted October 26, 2009 OK, most of the construction is done, next step will be painting the beast! Until now I didn´t attached the gun-mount, I wanted to see how the bird looks "clean". I added an A-4 Skyhawk-style refueling probe and ESM-sensors on the tail. Also new are a pair of chaff/flare-launcher openings on each boom. I added an additional pair of pylons, so this Bronco has 4 hardpoints. I plan to add two fuel-tanks and two quadruple Hellfire-launchers. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 30, 2009 Author Share Posted October 30, 2009 Sorry, I didn´t posted the updates. The model has been painted, just watch the three steps: Gunship grey: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 30, 2009 Author Share Posted October 30, 2009 Blue grey, Revell 57: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 30, 2009 Author Share Posted October 30, 2009 And finally, green grey, Revell 67: HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted November 1, 2009 Author Share Posted November 1, 2009 Oh my god, my Bronco has small-pox... Love the camoflage, was a lot of work, but the effect was worth it! HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ed_s Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 I thought it looked good in the first paint job. But this one is terrific. A very well done digicamo. What did you use for masking? Ed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 No masking, all spots are brush painted. It´s one of those jobs where you say "Oh, it´s terrible, but I LOVE it!". HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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