Jump to content

Killer CH-47D in 1/48


Recommended Posts

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.

20160802_215817.jpg

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).

20160802_215731.jpg

20160802_215830.jpg

A lot more to follow in the next few days...

-Ramon

Edited by anvil6
Link to post
Share on other sites

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

Link to post
Share on other sites

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

Link to post
Share on other sites

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

Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

Link to post
Share on other sites

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

Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

20160804_213820.jpg

20160804_221619.jpg

20160804_221626.jpg

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

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

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.

20160814_171230.jpg

Next I will be installing the yaw pedals, and adding wire to represent all the hydraulic plumbing connected to them.

-Ramon

Link to post
Share on other sites

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

Link to post
Share on other sites

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

Link to post
Share on other sites

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 by anvil6
Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

20160815_233313.jpg

20160815_233246.jpg

Next I think I will start adding some of that spaghetti that can bee seen through thin chin bubbles.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

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...

20160828_223737.jpg

20160828_225342.jpg

-Ramon

Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

20160830_220059.jpg

20160830_224513.jpg

20160831_000749.jpg

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.

20160831_000735.jpg

This is a before picture. The next picture of this area will have a bit more personalization.

-Ramon

Link to post
Share on other sites

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...

20160901_215523.jpg

20160901_225309.jpg

-Ramon

Link to post
Share on other sites

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 by Chief Snake
Link to post
Share on other sites

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

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...