anvil6 Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 (edited) So I know a guy that does a lot of good for a lot of people (especially for veterans), despite having issues of his own to deal with. Once I found out he was a former Chinook Flight Engineer, I decided I had to honor him in the only way know how - I will build his aircraft. He doesn't know I am doing this, and I asked around to make sure this build would be ok and not pick any scabs that might still be healing. Since this is a surprise build, extracting info is going to be tricky. What I know so far is that he was in Iraq during the early years of Operation Iraqi Freedom, I think with 1st Cav, and his aircraft was tail number 187 (I have narrowed it down to two possible serial numbers) so he called it his "killer bird". If there are any Hookers following this thread, I would love to pick your brain, since I am not Chinook savvy like I am with Black Hawks. I would also like to give a special thanks to tobiK, without whose help this project would not be getting started. The kit I am building is the Italeri 1/48 scale CH-47D Chinook, with the Italeri Chinook Detail Set to boost. This looks like a beautifully detailed kit out of the box, and the Italeri detail set enhances what is already in the box. So far, I have cut out a few pieces, glued the two pieces separating the cabin and cockpit and sprayed a coat of black enamel as primer (not yet pictured). A lot more to follow in the next few days... -Ramon Edited August 3, 2016 by anvil6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 Nice idea for a build. Good luck with it. LD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
salvador001 Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 Im watching this build up for sure! Please keep that great work Ramon! Rod. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 This is going to be a cool build. Kudos to you Ramon for this surprise build for the vet. We had a hooker on here that goes by the name hookdriver. He's a SPECIAL guy if you know what I mean, but he's been real busy as of late. He'd be a brain to pick! Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anvil6 Posted August 3, 2016 Author Share Posted August 3, 2016 This is going to be a cool build. Kudos to you Ramon for this surprise build for the vet. We had a hooker on here that goes by the name hookdriver. He's a SPECIAL guy if you know what I mean, but he's been real busy as of late. He'd be a brain to pick! Tim Good to know! I hope his landings logged are equal to his takeoffs, i would love to get hookdriver's feedback! -Ramon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 I haven't seen him post in a long time. Good luck on your build! Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Koen L Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 Ishthe47guy here on ARC is a great guy to ask about all things Chinook related as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anvil6 Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 Ishthe47guy here on ARC is a great guy to ask about all things Chinook related as well. I welcome all the help and advice I can get. I have lots of questions about ASE, weapons configuration, weathering... And a lot of questions about things I don't even know I should be questioning! -Ramon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 Better watch out. He could tell you, but then he would have to kill you!!! 😁 Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 Cool subject, looking forward to more updates! If it was an early OIF helo, I think it would just be a standard early spec Chinook (just the original fit of 1-2 dispensers and RWR antennas). No extra flare buckets, no missile warning sensors or extra cockpit armor. If was very early in OIF, they might have had M60's instead of M240's mounted. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anvil6 Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 Cool subject, looking forward to more updates! If it was an early OIF helo, I think it would just be a standard early spec Chinook (just the original fit of 1-2 dispensers and RWR antennas). No extra flare buckets, no missile warning sensors or extra cockpit armor. If was very early in OIF, they might have had M60's instead of M240's mounted. YES! this is EXACTLY the kind of info i am looking for, thanks! so in early OIF, it was M-60Ds, APR-39 and 1 or 2 M130 chaff buckets, correct? Was the ALQ-157 installed? last question for now - is it safe to assume black seat cushions in the cockpit due to NVG usage? Thanks again! -Ramon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 I'm far from a hook guy, but my guess Ramon, that yes on the black cushions. It was early 86 and NVG's were just becoming used for flying ops and the hawk cockpits were already all black. Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anvil6 Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share Posted August 5, 2016 Thats kind of what I was thinking Tim, I think i will go with what we know... So tonight's progress involves mostly primer and paints. OK here is a question for anyone in the know: what goes inside those holes in the aft ceiling, are they ever covered with soundproofing, and also, is the avionics closet typically exposed or also covered with soundproofing? -Ramon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anvil6 Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 Progress on this build has been slow and distracted. I went over the cabin grey colors with a lighter grey, and installed the cyclic and collective controls. I also masked off and painted the non-skid areas on the cargo floor and tail gate with the last of my bottle of old formula Testors flat black. Next I will be installing the yaw pedals, and adding wire to represent all the hydraulic plumbing connected to them. -Ramon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Cool looking build so far Ramon. I love the shades of grey (No, not that one either!) 😀 Those walls look so real Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anvil6 Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 Cool looking build so far Ramon. I love the shades of grey (No, not that one either!) 😀 Those walls look so real Tim Thanks Tim! I am not Chinook savvy like I am with Black Hawks, but I am starting to find enough decent reference pics online that I may be able to dress this up a bit considering what will be visible when its done. I am still looking for good pics of the forward holes in the cabin ceiling though. If anybody can shed some light on what is in that cutout and what it looks like, that would be really helpful! Its so tempting to just ask the FE I am building this for about it, but that would ruin the surprise so I am going to keep researching this without giving it away... for now! -Ramon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
torchf4 Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 Hi Ramon, Nice build so far but..... not to rain on your parade especially since you're doing it for a vet but the box art shows a NethAF hooker with the radar nose and US Army do not fly those! Their Ds have the standard round noses with no radar so hope your kit gives options for both! Again sorry for bad news! Andy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anvil6 Posted August 16, 2016 Author Share Posted August 16, 2016 (edited) Hi Ramon, Nice build so far but..... not to rain on your parade especially since you're doing it for a vet but the box art shows a NethAF hooker with the radar nose and US Army do not fly those! Their Ds have the standard round noses with no radar so hope your kit gives options for both! Again sorry for bad news! Andy Hey thanks for looking out Andy! You are correct about the nose, and the kit does come with a non radar nose, so all is well... So far! :)/> -Ramon Edited August 16, 2016 by anvil6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anvil6 Posted August 16, 2016 Author Share Posted August 16, 2016 A bit more progress last night on the interior... I added the photo etched seat belts to the pilot seats, and I have decided to cover the avionics closet with soundproofing made from wine bottle foil. I placed a section of foil over the cabin side piece and embossed it using a pencil eraser. I might go over it again a few more times just to make the pattern stand out a bit more. Next I think I will start adding some of that spaghetti that can bee seen through thin chin bubbles. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anvil6 Posted August 29, 2016 Author Share Posted August 29, 2016 So I got sidetracked by a Hurricane but things are settled now and I am back on this tribute build. I glued the wall that separates cabin and cockpit to the floor. I also started weathering the interior but after test fitting the pieces, not much of the inside is visible so I will focus my efforts on the tail gate area... -Ramon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anvil6 Posted September 1, 2016 Author Share Posted September 1, 2016 So moving on to the cockpit, I have been looking at pictures of all that spaghetti mess under the yaw pedals and decided to have a go. I dug around through my spares box and found something cylinderish to put in front of the pedals. I am not going for accuracy so much as I am trying to suggest the idea of busyness - I intend to simulate, not replicate, and hopefully that will add cool factor without adding excessively to production time. Its going to take some extra care, but I will next drill into these cylinders and add the brake(?) lines and once that is done, I will add the wiring harness behind the instrument panel. I also drybrushed and weathered and painted the exposed framework at the back end of the airplane. However, after giving it some thought and looking at more reference pics, I think I need to carve this all down and rebuild it from scratch. This dude that I am building this for spent a lot of time back there and knows this area intimately, so it has to be right in the same way that the crew chief seats on my Black Hawk needs to be right. He does so much for so many others and he deserves my best efforts. This is a before picture. The next picture of this area will have a bit more personalization. -Ramon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anvil6 Posted September 2, 2016 Author Share Posted September 2, 2016 I started installing some hydraulic lines inside the chin bubble area, and I also created and installed some Power Control Levers, or as they are known in the hooker community, Engine Condition levers... -Ramon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Cool job on the hook there brother! I prefer PCL's-- it's a hawk thing!!! 😎 Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chief Snake Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 (edited) I just built two of the Italeri kits, the ACH-47A and CH-47C. With both I encountered the same problem, poor fit of the nose to the body. On one, there is a possibility of interference at the bottom between a portion of the floor and a section in the canopy. Carving out some of the lower canopy inside helps here. With both, I found it best to remove the side "door" panels. This is a delicate thing to do as clear can be brittle. Once the panels are out, the nose fits onto the body much better. The top will require some fiddling to set in a good fit. After the nose has set up ( I used clear epoxy glue) the doors can be trimmed a bit and set in place. Good luck with it. Chris M p.s. Those upper sections of the vertical nose panels are too high. The canopy will not even come close with them the way they are. The upper curve on each piece has to be eliminated in order to allow the sides of the canopy to meet the fuselage. Edited September 3, 2016 by Chief Snake Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anvil6 Posted September 4, 2016 Author Share Posted September 4, 2016 I just built two of the Italeri kits, the ACH-47A and CH-47C. With both I encountered the same problem, poor fit of the nose to the body. On one, there is a possibility of interference at the bottom between a portion of the floor and a section in the canopy. Carving out some of the lower canopy inside helps here. With both, I found it best to remove the side "door" panels. This is a delicate thing to do as clear can be brittle. Once the panels are out, the nose fits onto the body much better. The top will require some fiddling to set in a good fit. After the nose has set up ( I used clear epoxy glue) the doors can be trimmed a bit and set in place. Good luck with it. Chris M p.s. Those upper sections of the vertical nose panels are too high. The canopy will not even come close with them the way they are. The upper curve on each piece has to be eliminated in order to allow the sides of the canopy to meet the fuselage. Hey thanks for the heads up Chris,I will proceed with caution and test fit at every occasion. Cheers! -Ramon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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