zaktwist Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 (edited) Hi folks, been posting my progress with this kit on another forum since ARC has been down... This'll be my second attempt at this frankly terrible kit, my first attempt being in 2014 when it beat me into submission....second time lucky. I've started gathering info about the inaccuracies of the kit which are well documented across the net. I don't think I'll be attempting all of the fixes but the main ones I'm aiming to correct are:1-correct the nose shape2-level off and adjust the height/shape of the dog house3-add werner wings corrected canopy4-correct the tail heightSure they'll be plenty more to do along the wayAdjusting the nose shape with milliput http:// dog house http:// Detailing the oil cooler shroud, still lots to do http:// Some adjustments to the cockpit to make it resemble an nts. Not going over board here with detail or quality of painting etc as the canopy will be closed http:// Edited October 14, 2016 by zaktwist Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 http:// Added a few extra consoles and gubbins that resemble what's in an nts cobra http:// Quite a number of scratched elements here, screens, buttons control stick etc http:// The cannon. Entirely scratch built and the only thing I've salvaged from my last attempt at this kit. Ignore the wonky, oversized barrels. They'll be replaced with master brass at somepoint http:// http:// And finally I made a milliput plug of the werner wings vac canopy incase I screw up the original! Not that I'm any good at vac forming... http:// Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 Finished the exhausts, I used a thin plasticard, thin brass stock and 0.3mm tubing to detail according to my ref pics. Painted with gunze super metallic silver and alclad burnt iron for the staining http:// http:// Bit more work on the pit, scratched the collective and added seat belts (a mixture of HGW fabric belts and eduard PE) http:// http:// Next the FLIR camera thingy. I bulked this up a little with plastic stock and milliput as the kits version appeared under scale and thinned down the nose area so it sits back a little more. Quite happy with how the lenses came out but my crappy camera doesn't do them justice! Trust me there's alot of detail in there!😁 Still alot to do here tho, panel lines and the left side camera http:// Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 Additional hatches added made from annealed brass stock http:// http:// Fuel filler cap was amended as lacking a panel line and detail http:// Surgery time! I took some measurements of the tail from the refs I have and scaled them to the kit, may not be perfect but certainly looks more accurate to the mk1 eyeball.... http:// http:// Next began cutting the engine area to attempt to make the vent that's not present on the academy kit http:// http:// Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 http:// Detailed the sensors http:// Another missing panel added, I've been spotting and adding alot of these. And missing panel lines.... http:// Added some brass around the nts unit, this is my second attempt, still not sure if this is good enough yet. http:// Adjusted shape and thinned the cannon faring. Added thin plasticard around the top to replicate what I've see on my refs http:// OK finally got it buttoned up, kit is now 90% milliput. I reduced the fuselage height by around 4mm, which isn't really noticeable but seems more accurate to my eye anyway. Slapped together some bits from the spares box to fill the void that was there before, not at all accurate but won't be that noticeable. http:// Drilled out a hole to accommodate the alq, I'll be using fireball models 1/32 one which is lovely and fortunately an acceptable size for 1/35. Added doghouse access panels and scribed in locks, they should be almost flush to the doghouse so may change at somepoint http:// Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 More milliput work on the exhaust vent thing, going to be fun sanding that when it's dry.... http:// Cut out the turret and thinned to an inch of its life http:// Bit more eduard PE http:// Made a boom access panel from brass as it's slightly raised on the real deal, just tacked on to check size http:// Thanks for looking guys Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crushkill Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 Looking great so far! I do not envy that sanding job up on the exhausts. Good luck! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 Thanks for dropping in and commenting crushkill! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
midnightprowler Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 Wow! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Nice looking Cobra so far! Love those seatbelts. What size are they? 1mm or 2mm and where did you order them from? Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 15, 2016 Author Share Posted October 15, 2016 46 minutes ago, hawkwrench said: Nice looking Cobra so far! Love those seatbelts. What size are they? 1mm or 2mm and where did you order them from? Tim Cheers Tim! Seat belts are 1/32 HGW fabric belts set, U.S navy (I think), I think they're around 2mm, the PE parts are from the eduard AH-1W interior set. Thanks for looking! Zak Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eastern Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Hi Zak, Very serious approach to the build. It's gonna be one super detailed and amazing! Cheers and happy modeling! Alexander Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 (edited) 9 hours ago, Eastern said: Hi Zak, Very serious approach to the build. It's gonna be one super detailed and amazing! Cheers and happy modeling! Alexander Thanks eastern! This kit is fighting me every step of the way but I'll hopefully get there in the end, I love the cobra! Zak Edited October 16, 2016 by zaktwist Quote Link to post Share on other sites
midnightprowler Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 That ip is incredible! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 3 hours ago, midnightprowler said: That ip is incredible! Thanks dude! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HeavyArty Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Very nice. With all the work you are putting into this one, it should turn out awesome looking. Great job so far. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 1 hour ago, HeavyArty said: Very nice. With all the work you are putting into this one, it should turn out awesome looking. Great job so far. Thanks dropping by HeavyArty! Zak Quote Link to post Share on other sites
usmcski6502 Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Following this one closely, looks fantastic! By the way, you're doing us all a favor. If experience tells me anything, it's that as soon as you finish your amazing AH-1W, somebody will release a new tool, accurate SuperCobra. Keep up the good work! Semper Fi, Ski Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anvil6 Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 beautiful work! you got a lot of nice attention to detail and it looks great. this one will be something to be proud of when you are finished with it! -Ramon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 18, 2016 Author Share Posted October 18, 2016 3 hours ago, usmcski6502 said: Following this one closely, looks fantastic! By the way, you're doing us all a favor. If experience tells me anything, it's that as soon as you finish your amazing AH-1W, somebody will release a new tool, accurate SuperCobra. Keep up the good work! Semper Fi, Ski Thanks for dropping by! Hopefully I'll do it justice when it's done, still got a long way to go... I've got a feeling kittyhawk may release a Cobra at somepoint, here's hoping it's a 1/35 zulu.... Zak Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 18, 2016 Author Share Posted October 18, 2016 2 hours ago, anvil6 said: beautiful work! you got a lot of nice attention to detail and it looks great. this one will be something to be proud of when you are finished with it! -Ramon Cheers Ramon! I recon you'll be pretty proud of your hook when it's finished aswell 😉 Zak Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 19, 2016 Author Share Posted October 19, 2016 Hey chaps. Re-made brass access panels to replace the plastic card ones I'd made previously. Filed in curved notches on the boom panel, tiny attachment hooks fit within the gaps which I'll make out of brass and attach when I'm closer to painting stage Continued work on the vent, not convinced this is entirely accurate but I've very little reference material to work from. Good enough for me anyhow Scribed numerous missing panel lines and begun general reshaping of the tail This is in need of some serious reshaping to match the real deal, quite a few complex curves which I may not be able to create.... Gonna have to strip back the layers of Mr. Surfacer aswell shortly due to the panel lines getting a little clogged from spraying and checking for errors. Thanks for looking people! Zak Quote Link to post Share on other sites
salvador001 Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Great work Zak, i love it. Will you re-rivet the fuselage? Rod. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 19, 2016 Author Share Posted October 19, 2016 3 hours ago, salvador001 said: Great work Zak, i love it. Will you re-rivet the fuselage? Rod. Oh yes, I've got a stash of archers and microscale rivets, going to take a while! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaktwist Posted October 20, 2016 Author Share Posted October 20, 2016 (edited) Another update, man I'm enjoying my time off! I've got a pretty full schedule as of next month so I'm hoping to get the bulk of the work done in the next few weeks. Focusing on the belly details. Im using a mixture of eduards PE and scratched stuff here. Eduard calls for this piece of etch to have the raised bumps convex but on looking at refs, they are concave. (it's the panel directly behind the search light) The PE is also too large so it was cut and the concave detail added from the other side, contrary to eduards instructions. Next plastic was cut away from the belly to fit the PE section, necessary so the concave detail can sit inside it. Also Drilled out the two cooling vents (think that's what they are?) and added brass mesh then drilled an opening for the search light. Test fitting (photo was taken before I cut the PE to the correct length) Made the oil cooler fan, still needs tidying up Test fit. Also made something with milliput, don't know what it is but I made it! Added brass panel to the 'thing' (if someone wants to chime in with what it is that'd be cool 😁) Made another thing (seriously, someone chime in here!!!). Just the rough shape at the minute, it'll be removed and sanded when dry. Scratched the exhaust housing aerial Scratched the nose radar dome, thing. This protrudes from a hole in the nose on the real deal so I Drilled a hole which is slightly larger than the dome itself, looks much better than if I'd just stuck it on Another missing panel added (keep finding 'em.....) Added tiny piano hinge decal from archers, handy to have a sheet of these around.... Finally, test fit the nts unit and cannon faring just to check overall profile shape. Looks a lot better than the standard kit if I don't say so myself! Cheers for looking, more soon Zak Edited October 20, 2016 by zaktwist Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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