82Whitey51 Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 I've been wanting to build this one for a while...like for the past 25 years or so. I used to turn wrenches and fly "unofficially" as a COD bubbah. One of these in '48 scale has always been a dream (along with the E-2C!), so, when it hit the streets I of course had to get it. I'd been putting off starting it in order to gather a few of the aftermarket items for it. Namely the wheels (Royale Resin) and the Eduard detail sets. That being said, OOB this kit builds into a great model! But being somewhat intimate with the subject I wanted to go all out...well, as all out as I can anyway. If I had to point out any "major flaws" in the kit they would be; 1. The APU exhaust, starboard side just aft and below the co pilot window. It is represented by a blanked off hole. 2. Hydraulic service panel. Located along the starboard fuselage, is a rather large rectangular panel that opens to reveal the hyd service connections. 3. Missing one of the overhead escape hatches in the aft fuselage. All easy fixes with a little scribing and a little scratch building. First thing I did was get on the APU exhaust port. I drilled out the hole and thinned the plastic on the inside. Then cut a piece of plastic tube at the correct angle. I put some heat to it and bent it appropriately. Fashioned the supports and was in business. If you do this, you will have to cut the aft cockpit bulkhead and part of the floor to make room. No worries, the forward electronics rack covers this area. The next area I addressed was the aft cargo/crewman area. The side walls are a bit bare and also the overhead on the real thing has an equipment rack and supporting structure not represented in the kit. Long and short of it, this is a pretty busy area to the eye but the kit provides the basics. The Eduard interior detail set provides a nice representation of the cargo ramp area side walls. I scratchbuilt the overhead support and used pieces out of the scrap box the represent pneumatic bottles and hydraulic filters, walk around O2 bottles, etc. There will be actuators in the overhead as well to represent the rudder and elevator controls. For the Radio faces I used Reheat p/e...love those generic sets they used to make. Next, I'll start on the passenger seats. My plan is to remove the solid plastic supports and replace with supporting rods to more represent the real deal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aurora Mark Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 This is going to be a lot of fun to follow! I'm loving the progress so far, and can't wait to see more. Cheers, Mark. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Awesome start so far, nice job. Looking forward to more. You don't see enough of these kits built. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chukw Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Nice stuff, Whitey! It's nice to see a build of this bird by someone intimate with the subject. I'll be takin' notes- I have one in the stash. Cheers! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rightwinger26 Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Very nice! I'll be following this one. Are you going to add all the dents and homemade repairs to the seat backs, and the carpeted shin smashers?? Lol. I always think COD's look like they are coal powered they way they smoke when they are turning Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spang Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Hi, Nice start. Cheers SPang Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wardog Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Looking good.........Although not one of my favorite aircraft, definitely one I'd like to build sometime just because of how different it is. good luck with the rest of the build......looking real good so far. Elmo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ST0RM Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Great work. Funny how OCD we get on building the aircraft we've worked or flew on. Your improvements are excellent. Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Just stumbled upon this one. Great work so far, really like the scratchbuilt upgrades. Looking forward to more updates. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rightwinger26 Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Great work. Funny how OCD we get on building the aircraft we've worked or flew on. Your improvements are excellent. Jeff Or anything we're involved with for that matter. Everytime I see a carrier build or dio, I find myself picking it apart without even realizing it. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 Still poking along on the interior of the COD. I added the step to the cockpit, just drill out an oval hole in the aft bulkhead piece before gluing in place: Then on to the passenger seats. They come with solid plastic base/supports and I didn't like that look so I removed and replaced with some Plastistruct cross member and Evergreen rod. My original intention was to do the first couple of rows, figuring you liklely won't see all the way forward...but AMS set it and I did them all; Note; There are holes in the cargo deck for 12 rows of seats but only 10 sets of seats. Not a big deal as configurations vary but, the aft two rows are the crewmember seats...so start at the back and work forward. next thing I added was the cargo ramps. They aren't included in the kit but fleet CODs have a pair stowed on the port side aft bulkhead. Made from Evergreen and Plastistruct and fashioned the stowage brackets from scrap photo-etch; My next task is to make the overhead survival equipment stowage area. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dadeo911 Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Great start to an interesting subject. Looks like you have some mad scrathbuilding skills. Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SERNAK Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Very interesting subject Whitey! I'm interested to see the aircraft's interior configuration as a COD. I have the ESCI S-3 as a COD but never dared to start building it. Especially since I don't have the Goffy Model cockpit. Good luck with your build!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aurora Mark Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) Whitey, you're COD looks fantastic. I've never really seen a COD being built up, but from all the reference pictures out there, I think you're certainly setting the bar high up! Cheers, Mark. ps. You should order that 1/48 Vac of the P-3 now... by the time you're wrapping up the COD, your straight-jacket P-3 will be ready for you! Edited January 5, 2015 by Aurora Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 Slow going on this one, I was out on the road for a week or so as well for some work business but back on it. Still plugging away on the interior. I finished up all the passenger seats and got them glued into place this afternoon. Very repetitive task...not fun. But hopefully worth it to a degree, not sure how much will be visible once the fuselage comes together. Prior to that I scribed floor panels and seat tracks into the cargo area floor then moved on to paint and weathering. I used the Eduard pre colored interior for the cockpit. I sort of feel like it's just a step above using decals, the side consoles are especially two dimensional but I'm going to knock out a few small discs to make a few knobs to dress it up. I do like the details they provide for the center pedestal. The E-2/C-2 center pedestal is a busy area of knobs and levers. I added the wing fold lever (co pilot side, lower) displayed in the "wings folded" position as well as the parking brake "T" handle ( aft, center lower) and "Cat Grip" "T" handle at the top in front of the power levers. I'm still painting the interior side walls and made the overhead emergency equipment/liferaft stowage area using some 1/48 "armor" accessories and strips of tape. I still have a lot of interior painting ahead but should be getting the fuselage buttoned up this week. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VMFA314Knights Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 82Whitey51 Brilliant work going on here. The interior detail looks great...that's a lot of seatbelts man... I do hope you'll be able to see some/most of the interior once complete! Cheers, David :cheers:/> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 WOW, amazing scratchbuilding skills there Andrew !! Everything looks really great so far, keep it up. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Metodi Metodiev Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Really nice build so far, detail looks great Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kurnass77 Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Andrew beautiful job! Gianni Quote Link to post Share on other sites
eraucubsfan Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Looks wicked good Whitey! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aurora Mark Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 This is some absolutely fantastic work you've got going on here! Really something else. This COD is going to look awesome. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RedHeadKevin Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Is there some reason why the passenger seats face backwards? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ST0RM Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Is there some reason why the passenger seats face backwards? Crash protection. The seats absorb the forward motion. Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Nice works on this interior, it looks great even the parachutes are looking top notch folded up Ramp down? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 Nice works on this interior, it looks great even the parachutes are looking top notch folded up Ramp down? Thanks for the compliment. Definitely ramp down after all that interior work. If I ever build another though, it's staying closed up! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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