The Duke's Helicopter Group Build

[BlackSheep214]

Looking good Duke. I haven’t done a chopper kit in years. They’re fun to build and not all that complicated to do. Chopper kits I’ve done were Apache, Blackhawk, Cobras, and a Huey or two. I do recall doing a USN Sea King at one point too.

[Duke Maddog]

Lookin' good, Duke. I checked out the instructions—Is it just me knowing next to nothing about helicopters... or are these instructions harder to follow than most? What is your take on this kit? Is this for advanced modelers? What happened to the missing decals for the IP? Lots of questions, I know

Thanks Bruce! Yes, these instructions are hard to follow. So far, every Special Hobby kit I've built has had difficult instructions. As for the kit, It is borderline advanced, mostly because of the delicacy of many of the small parts. Assembly seems quite straightforward. The only part I had the most difficulty with was the shroud over the forward instrument panel. That may be overshadowed by the canopy when I get time to assemble that! I have no idea about the missing IP decals. Maybe they were supposed to be on a separate sheet that got lost. Either that or the instructions were for another G-model Cobra that had the decals where this one doesn't. Only the company knows.

That cockpit does look miles ahead of the Italeri Cobra. Maybe you can keep one of the windows open to show it off?

I had considered that but my fear is that the open part would end up breaking off on my crowded shelves and disappear. I'd rather be safe and close everything up. It is already going to be difficult to get everything to line up properly already.

Blacksheep, I highly recommend chopper builds. They are fun. I think I have done all the ones you've done too, except or the Sea King.... so far. Maybe you can join this Group Build with one of yours.

[speedgraflex]

Thanks for the answers, Duke. The instructions threw me for a loop—the diagrams, too—it may be tough to design a good set of instructions, but this company could use some help here. Was it your conversation with Stuart about these kits that touched on fit issues as well...? I think so. I have not thought in “1/72 Scale” in awhile, but I did note the instructions mention a brass PE set available from CMK; perhaps I misread this but the instructions listed this as a further detailing option...

[Duke Maddog]

You're welcome Bruce. Yeah, I believe Stuart and I mentioned fit issues, but so far this model has not had too many.Yes, the instruction sheet did mention the extra detail sets; I see it as an advertisement trying to entice the modeler to get those extras to add more detail to this model. Personally, I don't care to spend my money on those kind of extras, especially when the model is already pretty complicated to build. This is supposed to be fun and stalling on detail parts does not make this a fun hobby for me. Besides, if they wanted an improved model; they should have designed this model so that the main rotor turns! I'll be doing my own detailing there to see if I can get the main rotor to turn. The tail rotor I'll just place in place; hopefully I won't need to glue it either.

[speedgraflex]

I agree with you about overly complicated kits, Duke. I make kits over complicated enough on my own, thanks very much!

[BsYamato]

well well, good things till now
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[Duke Maddog]

Thanks Silvio. I don't super detail like you do; I have a tough enough time making things look good. I do need to figure out how to make the main rotors turn though. I did mask the canopy although I didn't transfer that pic here. Maybe later.

Stay tuned, more to come.

[Duke Maddog]

Well, it's about time I posted something here.

On my Marine AH-1 Cobra, I finished shooting the green drab on it and glossed it for decals:



I then saw how it sat on it's tail. The nose was still open, so I added some small BB's inside until it sat right and then I closed up the nose. It worked:



Then when I went to apply the decals, I noticed the paint color was all wrong. Back to the spray booth for this one.


Hopefully more to come soon. Stay tuned.

[Stikpusher]

Nice fix for the nose weight Mark. Marine Cobras, actually Sea Cobras, were overall Field Green FS 34097 before the adoption of the three color Temperate Land scheme followed by the gray TPS scheme after Desert Storm.

[Duke Maddog]

Thanks Carlos! Yeah, I saw that in the instruction sheet. The one I want to do is in the Field Green with a black tail. It was used to rescue someone under fire. I gotta read up on that action; but the instruction sheet gives the scheme for that one.

Stay tuned, more to come.