SteveV22FE Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 (edited) This time we have the old Revell MD500C kit.....which I am converting into an OH-6A. [January 20] The cockpit floor sits way too low in the fuselage. I built up the floor to raise it up and added the cross members in the cabin area. It needs a lot more work... Here is an overall pieces shot. Here is a mock-up of everything. The kit has all the doors molded in place. Since I am doing a Vietnam era ship, all the doors had to go. Careful scribing along the door lines opened the doors up. [January 23, 2010] I added the scuff plate and the foot rests to the cockpit. On the forward bulkhead, I cut out about an 1/8 of an inch out as it was too tall. I added the inertia reels to the top of the bulkhead. This is where the seat harness is attached. If you look closely there is some added detail on this part. I don't know exactly what that is called, but you can see some small bits of sheet styrene running from the top to the bottom. [January 24,2010] I noticed that the aft bulkhead didn't look the part. In the box what another aft bulk head that has a more correct overhead. The surgury will begin... More mock-up pics....the upper half of the instrument panel was filled with 5-minute epoxy. Once cured, it was sanded flat and pieces of styrene rod were glued to in place to give the look of the back of the instruments and holes drilled so wires can be put in. Edited January 25, 2010 by SteveV22FE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Aldrich Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 Very impressive looking so far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 Top-notch work! What tool did you use to scribe the doors out, a scriber, a knife, or? GIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveV22FE Posted January 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 Top-notch work! What tool did you use to scribe the doors out, a scriber, a knife, or? GIL I used a carefully placed X-Acto knife. I say carefully, because I didn't want my fingers to become part of what was being cut out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 Looking Good Steve....Keep up the great job your doing. Texas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewahl Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 Revell thought ahead when they designed this kit. It has parts for both civilian and military applications, with instructions to not use some parts depending on the specific version. The same pilot figure comes in every kit. #H-161 was issued in 1977 as the SWAT Police Helicopter in black plastic and generic police markings without identifying a jurisdiction. This version uses the front and rear bench seats and civilian instruments. #4101 was re-issued in 1979 as the Hughes OH-6A Cayuse in olive plastic and United States Army markings with sharkmouth and an emblem for the Outcasts C16 Aero Scouts. This version uses the front bucket seats, no rear seats, and the military instrument panel. Here you get to use the Gatling gun and side mount. #4416 was re-issued in 1981 as "Magnum p.i." T.C.'s Chopper to tag along with the popularity of that new TV series. The plastic was brown, almost copper looking. The markings were to be provided by decals, but they were incomplete and required some painting color matched to the printed decal stripes. This version again uses the front and rear bench seats and civilian instruments, not recommending the rotary cannon attachment. I think there may have been additional reissues, but not in my stash. I hope this little bit of history is helpful. Which of the various issues is the source of your kit? You seem to have white plastic in your version. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveV22FE Posted January 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 I think there may have been additional reissues, but not in my stash. I hope this little bit of history is helpful. Which of the various issues is the source of your kit? You seem to have white plastic in your version. Ed This is the Revell-Germany boxing of the kit. It comes with two sets of markings. One set is a civil set similar to the Magnum P.I. boxing, but with German registration numbers. The other is Danish military marks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weedeater Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 Steve, All of your work looks fantastic. But my curiosity is driving me crazy wondering why you didn't start with the DML/Dragon (and later Italeri) releases of the OH-6A? It is a superb kit. (Although, it's sister kits of the MD500, MD500E, and MD530, are cursed with huge molding flaws in all four clear door pieces, "Cold Shot" lines). Maybe you chose the Revell release because you wanted to build yours in 1/32 scale, not the 1/35 scale of DML? Or....???? Otherwise, great work, keep it up. We'll be looking forward to the additional IP pics. Model on, fellow Rotorhead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveV22FE Posted January 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 Steve, All of your work looks fantastic. But my curiosity is driving me crazy wondering why you didn't start with the DML/Dragon (and later Italeri) releases of the OH-6A? It is a superb kit. (Although, it's sister kits of the MD500, MD500E, and MD530, are cursed with huge molding flaws in all four clear door pieces, "Cold Shot" lines). Maybe you chose the Revell release because you wanted to build yours in 1/32 scale, not the 1/35 scale of DML? Or....???? Otherwise, great work, keep it up. We'll be looking forward to the additional IP pics. Model on, fellow Rotorhead. You hit it right on the head. I wanted a 1/32 scale OH-6, to go with some of the other 1/32 helo in the queue (Cobra, Apache, etc..) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewahl Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 The granddaddy of all the identical re-issues of the Hughes OH-6A and civilian choppers was Revell #H-146 first issued in 1970. The plastic was olive, same as the 1979 re-issue, but the decal markings were different. The 1970 markings were not decorative--just basic Army insignia. So, eleven years before Magnum P.I. hit the screen, Revell had a civilian chopper ready to license when the time came. So, this mold is now 40 years old. I just found two of them (still in mint condition with uncrushed boxes) buried in the stash. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveV22FE Posted January 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 [January 27] The panel/console itself is pretty plain. I filled the upper portion with 5-minute epoxy. After it cured I sanded it flat and cut pieces of styrene rod to give the appearance of the back of the instruments and the two radio heads. I then drilled holes in the components and used telephone wire for the harnesses coming off the back of the instruments. I added a glare shield to the panel as the one it had wasn't correct. The center console was cut properly to match the aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabow Posted January 29, 2010 Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 Hey Steve, Looking good. The Civilian versions had Hi Skid gear where as the OH-6 didn't. Cant' tell, have reduce the skid gear?? Got a Buddy that flew in VN. I can send you a couple pix, if you wanna. Bo Roberts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveV22FE Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Hey Steve, Looking good. The Civilian versions had Hi Skid gear where as the OH-6 didn't. Cant' tell, have reduce the skid gear?? Got a Buddy that flew in VN. I can send you a couple pix, if you wanna. Bo Roberts This kit has the low skid gear. It is basically the old OH-6 kit reboxed, Revell would update that kit like. It makes too much sense. Thanks for offering pics, but a buddy of mine in Alabama sent me so many Cayuse pics that I have a pethora of different option to choose from now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveV22FE Posted January 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 I added the inertia reel lock cable to the forward bulkhead and made some other adjustments. I got the fuselage glued together and started filling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimHortman Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 Great looking work Steve! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveV22FE Posted February 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2010 A tad more progress. I decided to do a new aft bulkhead as the kit one was completely incorrect. Sheet styrene is a great thing. Compare this with the other bulkhead pic further up the thread. There is also no exhaust detail. Brass tubing to the rescue. and test fit in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted February 3, 2010 Report Share Posted February 3, 2010 Creative gizmology...it's half the fun! Exellent work! GIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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