Old Collingwood

Very nice rope work   - that serving looks just about perfect.

OC.

1 hour ago, Canute said:

That kit has some serious panel lines. Maybe they're betting the paint will get laid on so thick, we wouldn't notice? Surprising, since it seems to have been released in 2006.

Yep,  its  one of the flaws  with it  - shame really  as everything else is about right with kit  - takes some fiddling with the fit, but gets there in the end.

OC.

I'm the same with flying  - ok if I dont look down out the window  and have been ok when going through clouds as the obscure the ground  - have flown in a C172 (4 seats)   then a B707  (180)   then a B737   (130)   and last a DH Dove  about 10 seats I think, the dove didn't help at the pilot said  one of the engines had a slight miss-firing problem  at the time  (my face then)😵😨

OC.

Evening all,    more progress  - not much content  but some good improvement,   I painted the inside cover of the rear fuselage  rotor area, then it was glued inplace and then a few gaps were filled and sanded,  then  on the same general area  - the kit makers decided to make an acess cover panel lines be engraved  - but in true life the gap would be about 2-3 Inches wide, so I had a go at filling the gap with my vallejo filler - hopefuly  this will look ok  when primed and painted.

OC.

1 hour ago, Canute said:

I flew with pilots who would not stand near the edge of a high building. Didn't want to look down. Had no issues flying. Go figure.

I was once asked to do a bungy jump  -  I replied  "Not on your nelly"

OC.

4 hours ago, lmagna said:

I once knew a gunner who claimed that he got launched out of the open door of a Huey and played at being  a trapeze artist for a few klicks. I always had my doubts about the story.

 

At least in the D and H models we were pretty boxed in and had a solidly mounted M-60 to hang onto. Even though I can remember a couple of times where I didn't get back in quite fast enough and was more hanging on than riding inside I never actually fell or was thrown out. Also like Mark says you get used to being up in the air free with the wind blowing and nothing much to block the view. After the first week or so it becomes almost routine and you think nothing of being at 2000 + feet and doing 70 Knots. It was probably more dangerous being at 100 feet and still doing 70 knots. (But also MUCH more fun). I missed it all when I got out and was grounded overnight. It's not a job, it's an addiction. 

I couldn't have done it as I suffer from vertigo  when high up, I can't even look down from a high building, I was up the top ramparts of a castle the once and nearly got stuck as I froze from looking down over the edge.

Nope can't do hights.

OC.

5 minutes ago, Egilman said:

Nichmo, Monogram, Hasegawa, Fujimi & Airfix all made one..... Lotus Esprit-- Scalemates

 

The Hasegawa was a Monogram release pressed by Hasegawa.... ie. a knockoff.....

Dont want to derail  this thred  but No Esprit 2.2 Turbos models have ever been made for some strange reason,   you can get the Mk1's  and Bonds  Esprit - Sub   and  the later version with the GM motor,    just No  mk2's  - S2.2,  S2.2 Turbo.

OC.

Some nice masts there mate  - and very tidy serving.

OC.

I will be  watching this with interest  - I had been looking for a Lotus Esprit Turbo  for years  - but they just dont do one   - this will be good.

OC.

Superb finish mate  - made even more special by your  work on those decals.

OC.

Evening all, I got some really good progress on this today  - Including a pic I promised from yesterday, after completing the bottom I then worked on the rear tail rotor panel  that is at the extreme rear  and goes from above the ramp roof  upto the rotor head,  its a  One piece molding but had to be sanded to get it to fit, then a couple of gaps was created  these needed filling with my filler  and smoothing after,  also the area where this piece joined needed some quite drastic sanding  - this wiped out some of the panel lines, so I got my little flex straight edge and sriber  - and set about re-scribing the lost panel lines.

I then turned my attention to the front of the  rear rotor area  where there is some kind of machinery  that is enclosed  save for a small opening in the front - this was assembled painted/weathered and glued in place  - then the cover was assembled and dry fitted  (as in the pic).

So here is the current situation -

OC.

1 hour ago, Roger Pellett said:

I hope that this is not too much off topic.  It ‘s about things that fly with large drop down tail gates.

 

It’s always a problem for my wife and me to agree on a NETFLIX movie.  She likes “chick flick” romantic comedies and I like mysteries and some of the better military themed movies.

 

Last night after getting my daily fix of The Blacklist I agreed to watch Operation Christmas Drop with her.  It’s a boy meets girl romantic comedy filmed against the backdrop of the USAF’s actual annual Christmas Time present and supply drop to isolated islanders in Micronesia.

 

The thing that separates this from the usually schmaltzy Christmas Movie is the fact that it was actually filmed on an active USAF air base on Guam and features a lot of live shots of military hardware, particularly C-130’s.  There are also a number of great shots of a US Navy helicopter ( a current single rotor one).

 

The last fairly lengthy scene of the movie shows the squadron of C-130’s dropping boxes by parachute to the islanders.  Much of this was shot from the rear of the plane out of the dropped tail gate.  

 

My my wife agreed with me that the movie was surprisingly well done.

 

Roger

Thank you Roger,  what also supprises me is the  guys who stand so close to the  rear ramp  - tethered, buy  "wow"  must take some guts to do that  and a head for hights.

OC.

That is Brilliant with the figures.

OC.

We used to live in a haunted 17th century cottage  with that exact same sagging roof  and old leaky windows.

OC.

Evening all,   I have the bottom piece in place now  "Boy" did it take some positioning  -  its kind of cross shape long and narrow-ish  tucks under where the nose section touches the frame and goes back as far as the tail gate, it sits on a few lugs  but requires gluing the whole length along the edges, but first I  had to do dry fitting and sanding to get it to drop in place  - then the glue,   while setting I had to manipulate it into shape correcting its hight - it had a few dips and highs, but after leaving it over night I was today able to sand the high spots and use filler on a few gaps and dips  - then more controled  sanding and wet sanding.

I think it will be ok  after primer and paint layer/s from my rattle can.

Tell you what - the whole thing is quite sturdy now  with some weight to it.

Pictures tomorrow.

OC.

Can't get over how you managed those decals on those complex curves  - looking fab mate.

OC.

1 hour ago, lmagna said:

No problem OC Your build your choice. I was just saying that it looked odd to me for some reason. All of the CHs I have even seen had window frames that matched the fuselage color. Most had a black anti glare upper nose but not all of them. I don't even pretend to be all that knowledgeable on the CH anyway, especially a more modern English version. They could be pink with purple Pokka dots and fly like a Flamingo for all I know. You are doing great work, possibly one of your best, and I am enjoying following along. 

Thanks Lou,   they will be the same colour as the  rest of the chopper  when I spray over the whole thing,   thank you for  your praise  - will have to see how the paint finish turns out.

OC.

Denis with the props  (Lou /  Mark  help me with this)     I would imagine are set up to only  go into the fully  flat 90deg  position  when in flight off the ground, I wouldn't be supprised if there is some kind of  auto safety  device  where on the ground the props can only be set at  certain limits of movement.

OC.

6 hours ago, lmagna said:

Nice work in getting what appears to be a poor fitting clear section to fit properly OC.

I don't think I have ever seen a CH with black window frames. Somehow looks strange to me for some reason.

Hi lou,   thats the  reflection of the grey painted frames I did on the inside  -  they will be Green on the outside the same as the rest of the fuselage, I have masked the glass  so I can prime then paint without worry.

OC.

Yep  - those lights look Superb mate,   you could almost imagine they are real units.

OC.

Re- windows, could be some spares incase you  goof them like i did on my Wokka.

OC.

Thats some great progress Denis, I understand you with hick up  - bet it was less than clear destructions  - I swear they expect us to be mind readers, keep up the great work   should be a stunner when built.

OC.

When they brought out these kits  I wouldn't imagine for one minute they would imagine them being super detailed  to the level you have  -  you have transformed  these kits into a thing of beauty.

OC.

37 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

Nice work, OC.   Seeing the front glass brought back memories of seeing the choppers where I was stationed being repainted for various reasons.

Thank you kindly Mark,     got the bottom to fit next, as Italeri in thier wisdom  made it a seperate piece.

OC.

Excellent work mate.

OC.