CH-53 Sikorsky by mtaylor - 1:48 - Revell - FINISHED

[Old Collingwood]

You could do a door gunner  mark.

 

OC.

[lmagna]

Those guns in the #2 picture look pretty nice Mark. If the ships I flew in had .50s, (Some did) I would gladly use them. Too bad on the crewmen. I saw some fairly nice standing figures in flight suits in 1/35th that would have looked good standing outside in pre-flight conference., but went for the inside seated instead. At least that way some of them will be enclosed and a little harder to make out the details on. At least I hope so. There is a lot of window on Hueys and even bigger open doors! 

[mtaylor]

You have the advantage with a bigger model scale and more open crew area.  I've looked at this pretty thoroughly and at this moment, crew is not the picture.   I'm really just happy to have the guns option.  I've seen builds while doing my homework where the builder has basically scraped just about everything and scratch built it to add detail.  I guess they're as fanatical about detail as we scratch ship builders are.... 

[Canute]

All the modeling genres have their scratch builders.  Take a look at photos of IPMS meetings or in model railroading Railroad Prototype Modeler (RPM) meets. Guys are willing to cut up and rebuild parts to match pictures of actual equipment. The RPMers are sometimes called rivet counters by the "ready to run" folks. We just invite them to come over to the Dark Side. <evil grin>

[popeye the sailor]

those guns look good Mark......hopefully they come with ammo belts.  if not, I'd incorporate the ones from the other gun set {I like the way they look in the first picture}.

[popeye the sailor]

the train medium was the last group to embrace the model kit.......they have always scratch built their layouts and pieces    when I got into wooden ship.....it was so easy to develop scratch building as a method to obtain the parts I wanted.  plastic was no different really........I recall many getting cut by chopping plastic    if a car fell out of favor with the way it looked,  it turned into a race car   

 

that's always been the problem with planes....once closed up,  all the hard work is gone.   that's why I love the larger scale kits......you get to see more  

Edited February 12, 2020 by popeye the sailor

[lmagna]

7 hours ago, mtaylor said:

I've seen builds while doing my homework where the builder has basically scraped just about everything and scratch built it to add detail.  I guess they're as fanatical about detail as we scratch ship builders are.... 

I can see why. In my case I keep running into stuff that I know is not right, or is not there at all!  Right now it is stuff located by the pilots feet and the instrument panel. Not all that big of a deal as these things will be hard to see when the cockpit is fully assembled and only I will probably know. On the other hand my kit has NO detail of the inside of the pilot doors, both on the kit  and on the aftermarket parts! The same is true for the armor of the pilots chairs, both sets are not accurate. Even the PE stuff has some issues. And in my case, my model is supposed to be one of the better modern kits! Your model has been around in one box or another since 1981.

 

2 hours ago, Canute said:

We just invite them to come over to the Dark Side. <evil grin>

I have no idea which camp I belong in Ken. My skill set probably says i should hang out with the OOB guys. But my minds eye cannot help but see the inaccuracies and omissions of the kit and want to rectify them. 

[Jack12477]

37 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

the train medium was the last group to embrace the model kit...

I remember my Dad sitting at the dining room table back in the 1950s building HO scale rolling stock from Athern kits. I remember him putting the tiny springs in the trucks. There weren't a lot of ready to run HO scale cars back then, mostly engines, but no cars. I still have his Athern heavy railroad wrecking crane with all its moving parts, it is all heavy cast metal. His brother had the largest collection of HO scale boxcars and cabooses I ever saw as a kid. He had them on shelves on the walls of one bedroom, filled two walls. Never built a layout tho. Dad built several layouts, Lionel O scale, then American Flyer S scale, then HO scale. He skipped the TT scale tho. I got the modeling bug from him and his brother, my uncle. 

[Canute]

Lou, don't sweat it. We're mostly kit bashers, modifying kits to greater or lesser degrees. Scratch-building is cutting all your parts from stock, whether its plastic, wood or metal. At least by the definition of the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA). The IPMS folks may have a different definition. The more we do the modifying, the better we get at doing it. It's good you see where the modifications are needed. Some kit makers take shortcuts to get parts out of their molds, do less than stellar research or use lesser materials. The folks on this site are attuned to doing good research and using the best materials they can afford. And they support each other.  That's why this is such a great site.

[lmagna]

That was the word/title I was looking for. I feel most comfortable wearing the title Basher! Fits most of my skill level to a T.

[Old Collingwood]

3 minutes ago, lmagna said:

That was the word/title I was looking for. I feel most comfortable wearing the title Basher! Fits most of my skill level to a T.

A kit "Basher "  defines anyone who is prepaired to do their best with a kit  and try  anything they come up with.

 

I think its a great title.

 

OC.

[mtaylor]

I guess I'm bashing this kit then with the guns and mods to accept them.   Cool.    I'm still cleaning up the fuselage exterior.   Seems that are some things that would only apply the German version.   So.. got to make them gone.

 

I have to admit.. I'm as happy as a pig in a waller.  My parts that I ordered yesterday were shipped out this morning.   Excellent service is wonderful after that last batch of problems and all the excuses.

[mtaylor]

Have a quick memory that hit me this morning....   I wasn't on the bird or even flying that day, but was part of the team that was sent to inspect it after it got back.

 

We had 4 birds doing an insertion of grunts into the bush with Huey gunships providing air cover.   They dropped the grunts and the was light fire coming from the VC.  One of the 53's took several hits and then got a call from one of the Huey's that the 53 was leaking fuel.   Panic set in on the 53.   The Huey insists it's seeing fuel.  The pilot calls for an emergency at the base (the insertion took place about 15-20 miles from the base).  The crew chief runs to the rear and sure enough, he's seeing a large mist coming out from underneath.   He reports it to the pilot, who asks the Huey jockey where is the leak...?  Huey reports back... "middle of the belly where the fuel tank is."...    As I understand it, a lot cursing at that point took place along with an education for the Huey pilot.   CH-53's have their fuel tanks int he sponsons, not the belly like many of other choppers.   It was water.  We had heavy rains for about a week, the two windows where the guns hang out weren't put back (normal... if we had a hot call, it's get the guns on and go).  When I got out to the 53, they already had the deck up, and found the leak along with the slug from the AK.   We searched for all the holes and traced the flight path but just sheet metal damage, No electronics, electrical, hydraulic, etc. was hit.  As I understood it, the Huey pilot had to buy several rounds at the O-Club for that one.

[Old Collingwood]

38 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

I guess I'm bashing this kit then with the guns and mods to accept them.   Cool.    I'm still cleaning up the fuselage exterior.   Seems that are some things that would only apply the German version.   So.. got to make them gone.

 

I have to admit.. I'm as happy as a pig in a waller.  My parts that I ordered yesterday were shipped out this morning.   Excellent service is wonderful after that last batch of problems and all the excuses.

Bring it on fellow basher   - bring the bling.

 

OC.

[Canute]

Kit basher is a good title. Every time I start to hack some plastic I think of that title. I know of a few really good modelers who are kit minglers. where you can hardly see where the kit ends and the bash begins. Those folks are rare as hen's teeth.

 

Lou, you're growing as a modeler when you realize where you can make your improvements. When we can't see evidence of the changes, then you're a pro. I don't claim to be at that stage yet, but I'm improving. Don't let setbacks daunt you. Keep up the good work, brother.

[popeye the sailor]

that's right Lou.........there are "the time that tries men's souls"   we try to get as close to the real McCoy as we can........some are much better at it.  I've just had one of those moments {I should save it for the log,  but it seems fitting here}.  I want to put the walkway marking on the Wulfe Hound wings......I have the decals for them.  well....to sum it up.......I botched them    I was going to mask and spray some on,  but they need to be so thin,  that doing it seems like a fool's errand. 

 

but.......as a true basher,  I've assembled enough courage to do a half hearted attempt.........wish me luck         never give up Lou!

 

,,,,,or you either Mark!  cheering for you BOTH!   

Edited February 13, 2020 by popeye the sailor

[mtaylor]

We are bashers indeed.  Seems I always add or change something the models I build.   I'm still cleaning up fuselage.  Hope to have photos in a day or two. 

 

I thought I'd share this one....  It was played by the crew of the airliner (TWA I think) on the way back from 'Nam.  Just before we set down in the States.  I still listen to it to relieve stress....   It was also the closing song in the movie "Good Morning, Vietnam".   

 

 

[lmagna]

You remember more of your freedom flight than I do mine Mark.

 

All I remember was that for some reason I think we landed at every island in the Pacific on the way and the flight took FOREVER! The other part was looking at the stewardesses. When I came on board the first thing I noticed was that  there where more non Asian women than I had seen in a year! I think my mind was so boggled by the concept that it stayed in a loop all of the way home. I spent a lot of the flight trying to catch up on a year of truly deep and restful sleep as well. 

[popeye the sailor]

....and all that coming from a guy who couldn't see.........love the song as well.  

[lmagna]

2 hours ago, popeye the sailor said:

...and all that coming from a guy who couldn't see.........love the song as well.  

I think you may be confusing Ray Charles with Louie Armstrong Denis.  

[popeye the sailor]

no MAY about it ..........I'm such a doof..........DOUGH! 

[lmagna]

24 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

I'm such a doof

Welcome to the ward!

[popeye the sailor]

it's not my first time  

[mtaylor]

You mean they let you out, Denis?  You get to see daylight!!!

 

And don't confuse Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, etc. with Blind Melon Chitlin.  (And no... I'm not going to post the video.... I like my job).

[mtaylor]

The new guns came in and I like these alot.  Excellent price and service.  Pretty detailed but assembly required.  At the top is the link chute for ejecting the links down into the bag we had under the guns.  The brass ejected out the bottom of the gun and went into the same back.   I'll make an ammo can to hang on the left side of the gun.  Later versions had a much larger ammo box sitting on the floor with a system link the fighters in WWII had on the wing guns:  metal chute that actually little rollers it in.  It even has cover that opened up for loading the ammo belts so they can be open or closed.   Now to go sort out the mounting.

[Old Collingwood]

Those look super  - should look  a real treat  installed.

 

OC.

[CDW]

Guns are very well done.

Holy mackerel, that's a HUGE dime!

 

[lmagna]

Glad you finally got guns that you can be happy with Mark. It would have been a shame to have to do without like you were thinking for a while.

[mtaylor]

Just having one of those days... parts flying around, breaking. I think I've ended up with 2 guns that'll work.  Once there mounted to the gun racks and installed, I'll do some photos.  Also, fuselage is now painted but needs some touch-ups which I'll do once I glue the halves together.

To be honest, I don't understand how RGL and others work with stuff so tiny. 

[Old Collingwood]

56 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

Just having one of those days... parts flying around, breaking. I think I've ended up with 2 guns that'll work.  Once there mounted to the gun racks and installed, I'll do some photos.  Also, fuselage is now painted but needs some touch-ups which I'll do once I glue the halves together.

To be honest, I don't understand how RGL and others work with stuff so tiny. 

They have tiny tiny hands  and  20/20 vision   unlike the rest of us.

 

OC.