Hajo L. Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 The USAF purchased several polish M-28 Skytrucks - designated as C-145A - for light transport and liaison duties. Their robust design and ability to operate from short landing strips madem them ideally suited for support tasks for AFSOC, the Air Force Special Operations Command. To fill the gap between the small, unmanned "Predator"-drones and the big AC-130U "Spectre" gunships when doing fire-support for SOF-missions, the idea of the "Mini-Spectre" was born: Transforming the C-145A into a Gunship, designated as AC-145B. You will see the building-report of such a model in 1/72. Ok, so much about my idea. In case you´ve never heard of a AC-145B - well, that´s because it´s an invention of my crazy mind. However, when I googelt for "c-145 afsoc", I got to this page...:https://warisboring.com/the-air-force-tested-a-mini-gunship-last-year-268759ea1348#.avo3boy1t Looks like there is nothing as crazy that haven´t been tried and tested before... ;) I´m using the M-28 model of Aeroplast. The cockpit itself is OK for a short-run kit. Some decals for the panel would have been nice, but you won´t see them after closing the fuselage. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 11, 2016 Author Share Posted October 11, 2016 At first I thought I´d do that kit without adding too much of interior details, but then I couldn´t stop putting more effort into it.That´s how it looked at first: You can see the opeing for the sensor-package. As a reminiscence to the AC-130U-kit by ESCI I will put the sensor from that kit into the opening. And the inside of that: Hopefully I will be able to build all the stuff in a way that it looks like a modular system, that can be put in the bird according to the mission. The console for the weapons-crew has been patched together using parts from a Revell Seaking. I also added a scratchbuilt ammunition-box. I hope putting the crew with the console on the starport-side will counter the weight by the sensor, the minigun and it´s ammo on the port-side HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 11, 2016 Author Share Posted October 11, 2016 Added some crew-members: Hopefully some details will still be visible when closing up the fuselage: The gun-mount for the minigun is another reminiscence to a famous Gunship-kit - the AC-47 Spooky-kit by Italeri! The gun itself was scratched using heated sprues.: The barrels are pretty long, but that should result in the necessary range an accuracy of the gun! :) HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 11, 2016 Author Share Posted October 11, 2016 Woow, quite long wings! Hopefully the rest of the needed ballast will fit into the radar nose. The wings, which don´t have the flaps attached yet, remind me of gliders or moder drones. I think this aircraft will have a pretty good range! HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 11, 2016 Author Share Posted October 11, 2016 I used a different nose, because it came with a mounted FLIR: I also attached the wind-dispensers of the AC-130U-kit by ESCI and added the flaps. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Silenoz Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 nice project and well done so far... When attaching the flir, will you add also a light guided bomb-load? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 12, 2016 Author Share Posted October 12, 2016 I have added pylons to the wings and plan to equip the aircraft with Hellfires. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Interesting whif :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 I am liking this build Hajo. Nice idea Quote Link to post Share on other sites
the_baphomet_00 Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Hey, nice conversion! Didn´t know about an injected M-28 kit in 72nd... It looks a very tiny kit... Is It available online at any shop? TIA and good modeling ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 13, 2016 Author Share Posted October 13, 2016 I bought it in an ukrainian online-shop... Armory Hobbyshop HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
the_baphomet_00 Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Thank you Hajo! Keep the pics coming... Regards.- Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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