Newf36 Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 I can't believe this started a year ago, and I'm still not finished. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I started building a 1/35 Scale Academy MH-60L DAP for the Special Forces Group Build, thinking that 6 months would be MORE than enough time for me to complete a single model. Fast forward 12 months and I'm making headway, but am nowhere near finished building. Along the way, I have taken my first real stab at scratch building, kit-bashed some figures, and (most importantly) bought an Opti-visor and managed to avoid the compulsion to go back and re-do everything I had built before I bought the Opti-visor. I'm looking forward to improving my scratch-building skills, my figure painting, and am glad that I finally took the plunge and got my eyes a sorely needed boost. I'll try to bring you all up to speed, and provide some photographic proof that I am actually building this kit: I started out with the following: The 1/35 scale academy A(M)H-60l DAP, the Cobra Company UH-60 correction set, and the MH-60l conversion, their terrific stencil and decal sets, as well as the M-230 chain gun. I also have the Trumpeter Chinook Crew (PLEASE, Somebody come out with a better helmet before I finish this build!) some Trumpeter M-4 cqb and M-4s, Eduard MH-60 interior and UH-60 exterior kits, as well as the UH-1 weapons set for the ammo belts. Here's what I've accomplished in the past 12 months I started out with the cockpit using a combination of Eduard and CC bits to make it look the part Next I reconfigured the Ammo box for the M134 mini-guns according to information I found on the internet from previous builds The rear of the ceiling needed to be busied up, so I copied plans that "Intruder Bass" provided in a previous build-a significant improvement over the kit offering! Here's the new roof attached to the kit roof, busied up and dirtied up. The M4s are Trumpeter, and the Coke came from a sheet of printed material I had on hand, cut to size, and fitted around a piece of styrene cut to size. The levers on the overhead console are from Eduard's UH-60l interior kit. The Black boxes are the M230 gun control system from Cobra Company's M-230 chain gun. Here's a better look at one of the M4s, the Coca Cola, and the scratch built cargo holder, based on a photo I found on the internet. The rescue hoist control is scratch built based on pics and operators manuals I found online-I actually think it came out pretty good! Here's a look into the aft of the cabin. The tie-downs are from the Eduard interior set, the auxiliary fuel tanks have been detailed and the non-skid tape is pactra 1/16 (I think) trim tape painted model master black and laid down to look the part. Here's a look forward into the cockpit, which now has seats, some weathering, and a roll of duct tape on the co-pilot's seat. I'll post more tomorrow night. It's getting late, and this old man needs his beauty sleep. Hope you enjoy. Until tomorrow night! Marc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 (edited) Nice, looking hawk my friend! Looking forward to seeing more. I especially like the m-4's on the ceiling and your hoist control assembly. Do you still have those pics showing the rifles stored up high and the hoist control? If so, will you post them? I for one would like to see them! Great job so far! Tim Edited September 11, 2014 by hawkwrench Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Wow... You are off to a great start. Don't forget a layer of dust on the glareshield and the ubiquitous green three ring binder (which I assume is the aircraft log book). I know a lot of special ops guys sprayed their M4's with tan / brown, not sure if that was a standard practice for the 160th flight crews or just the guys on the ground. Regardless, I really like the ceiling mounted M4's. Never seen that before. Looking forward to more updates! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Newf36 Posted September 11, 2014 Author Share Posted September 11, 2014 Here's some more pics of what I've cobbled together so far: Here's the interior with the chain gun ammo can, the mini gun ammo cans, and an igloo cooler, complements of the DEF models cooler set. I also used several water and soda bottles from that set to busy up the cabin. Here is another look at the cabin. The hold -downs on the auxiliary fuel tanks are. Trim tape painted with hardware from the MH-60g interior set from Eduard. I've also started to add some stowage here and there.. Here's a peek inside the cabin after I buttoned up the fusalage. Much CA gel and sanding followed... Here is the other side of the cabin with 2 of the 4. Figures that will occupy the completed bird. The NVGS are Live Resin, the figures are a combination of Trumpeter Logistics crew and Chinook crew bits. The head on the seatd figure is from a Verlinden set with the helmet scratch- built. The mics are also scratch built from wire and bits of styrene (tThank you Opti-visor!). Here's the tail with Edurard exterior bits, and micro mesh added where appropriate. More to come later as time permits. Thanks for looking, Marc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Newf36 Posted September 12, 2014 Author Share Posted September 12, 2014 This brings the build up to date (now I can get back to building,) Here's progress on the cockpit area-I cut the doors out as most of the DAP photos I have seen have the doors removed. It also provides a better view of the interior. There are some fairly substantial gaps in the nose that will need to be buttoned up with styrene before the " glass" goes on. The same for the co-pilot's side. Here's the AN/AAQ-16d AESOP I put together. I cut the academy kit one in half, added styrene in between, sanded to shape and added AFV reflective lenses from their Stryker lens set. More pics after I build more! Marc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chief Snake Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 (edited) Sure would have liked to have one for this project. Chris M =141397350&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0"]My link Edited September 13, 2014 by Chief Snake Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 This has to be the best use of figures in a helo model that I've ever seen. Great work! Are you going to put any grunts in the back or just populate your helo with the flight crew? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Newf36 Posted September 14, 2014 Author Share Posted September 14, 2014 My understanding is that the DAP don't typically carry more than a crew of 4. I have heard that the Mike version of the DAP has gunners seats again, but I was not able to find any photos of a Lima DAP with seats for anybody other than the pilot and the copilot. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Newf36 Posted September 14, 2014 Author Share Posted September 14, 2014 Sure would have liked to have one for this project. Chris M =141397350&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0"]My link Chris: Aren't the Mikes being fitted with the new AN/ZSQ-2(v1) FLIR units? I think I've even seen some Lima birds with this on the nose in place of the AESOP I cobbled together. I used my Mk II. eyeball guesstimator for dimensions and lens placement. Anything resembling accuracy on the FLIR model is coincidental. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
strikeeagle801 Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 (edited) Here's the version of the FLIR that is being fitted onto the Mikes. I'm not sure of the designator. This particular picture is from an MH-47G. Aaron Edited September 14, 2014 by strikeeagle801 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 (edited) The designator is correct. Both the MH-47G and the MH-60M share the same new FLIR, even the H-6's use the new attack version. The 47 and the 60 use the assault version while the LB's use the attack version. Tim Edited September 14, 2014 by hawkwrench Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Newf36 Posted September 24, 2014 Author Share Posted September 24, 2014 Hey all: Progress continues-I've been applying bits and Eduard exterior details to the skin to bring the exterior up to snuff. I'm also going to re-do the rivets a-la Jorge Oppenheimer's superb DAP bird that appeared here a few months ago-for anybody looking to build a 160 SOAR (A) blackhawk, his work is beautiful! More pics to come tonight. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Where's that link at? I'd like to bookmark Jorge's Blackhawk to use for reference! Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Newf36 Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share Posted September 25, 2014 Where's that link at? I'd like to bookmark Jorge's Blackhawk to use for reference! Tim Tim: Here's a link to Jorge's build. He also has photos of the finished bird posted in the Critic's corner section; Linkity Linkity Link Link Link Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Newf36 Posted September 30, 2014 Author Share Posted September 30, 2014 (edited) Happy Monday: I've added as much of the Eduard exterior parts as I care to, added the refueling boom, and have a few new pics to share. Next up: rivets-lots and lots of rivets. After that, I am going to tackle the LASS wings using pieces of the ESSS wings included in the kit. I would still welcome dimensions, drawings and/or data on these new wings cuz right now I'm going off dimensions I've guesstimated based on photos I've found on the 'net. Enjoy the pics-until next time! Edited September 30, 2014 by Newf36 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Can you post the link to IntruderBass's ceiling plans, please? Your MH-60 is coming along beautifully. I only wish my future MH-60M build would look as good as yours! Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sarathi S. Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Looks great! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Newf36 Posted October 20, 2014 Author Share Posted October 20, 2014 It's been 2 weeks and a day since my last post. Since then I have applied a LIBERAL coating of HO scale rivets from MicroMark. Here are a few pics to bring everyone up to date. Up next: primer, and building the LASS wings. I'll be using the ESSS wings supplied in the kit as a starting point. I am fully expecting a spectacular resin and/or 3-d printed version of these to become available about 10 minutes after I show you all how I built them (welcome to my life) . Enjoy the photos-I'll post pics of the wings and detail the building process once I'm done ( or have failed miserably, whichever comes first😛)!! Marc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Floyd S. Werner, Jr. Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 (edited) Your probably right. LOL Oh by the way great work so far Floyd Edited October 20, 2014 by Floyd S. Werner, Jr. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doupnik Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Great work, looks like a MH-60L. I like the rivets. I am looking forward to what you come up with for the LASS wings. mason Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Newf36 Posted October 20, 2014 Author Share Posted October 20, 2014 Can you post the link to IntruderBass's ceiling plans, please? Your MH-60 is coming along beautifully. I only wish my future MH-60M build would look as good as yours! Tim Tim: I did a few searches and no luck on finding the roof plan. I'll check my pile o'references when I get home tonight. Marc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
norbert Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Hi great work so far. By not doing the ESSS you reduce the chance of an aftermarket set to come out.... did you fill all holes before implementing the raised rivets ? in any case nice job Norbert Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Newf36 Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 Your probably right. LOL Oh by the way great work so far Floyd Well if anybody you know has something in the works, I'm pretty confident I'll be grabbing everything I need to build a Mike DAP-certainly wouldn't mind not having to build these buggers from scratch again. I would imagine, I wouldn't be alone either- this would give you a great excuse to make you Nightstalkers decals into a trilogy (ALL good things come in threes, it's the law)... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Newf36 Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 Your probably right. LOL Oh by the way great work so far Floyd Well if anybody you know has something in the works, I'm pretty confident I'll be grabbing everything I need to build a Mike DAP-certainly wouldn't mind not having to build these buggers from scratch again. I would imagine, I wouldn't be alone either- this would give you a great excuse to make your Nightstalkers decals into a trilogy (ALL good things come in threes, it's the law)... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Newf36 Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 Hi great work so far. By not doing the ESSS you reduce the chance of an aftermarket set to come out.... :rofl:/> did you fill all holes before implementing the raised rivets ? in any case nice job Norbert Thanks Norbert! Rest assured I pose zero threat to the fortunes of anybody who make AM parts. My lack of skill may actually encourage somebody to make the wings after they see what I come up with... As far as the existing rivets go, Based on how minute they were, I didn't feet that filling them in would be necessary. We'll see if that calculated risk was ill-advised when I put the primer on. Marc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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