AC-4A GhostRaider (or Porcupine as the crews call it)

[John Howling Mouse]

That is one nasty flying piece of business you got going on there, BrittMac!   

[BrittMac]

I don't know if the AC-4B will be ready for its roll-out by the end of the GB, but either way.........IT is coming.
Thanks for the kudos Gents.  I will probably start putting up some shots of the AC-4B soon.

Well, I probably need to ask if it is even able to be in the GB.  I bought the kit used, got it in the mail last week.  Fuse is together, which isn't saying much, and a horrible bit of paint is on it.  I am sanding it, redoing pretty much everything, and modifying it so I think it won't be a problem.  Either way, IT is still being built!

Thanks again!

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

I don't know if the AC-4B will be ready for its roll-out by the end of the GB, but either way.........

There's a 90% chance that folks will be asking for a time extension....... and a 99% chance it will be granted !

Ian

[BrittMac]

Well, that is good news.  I am gonna be busy the next two weeks with work and airshows so I won't have any time for the -B model.

BUT, I have gotten a bunch of PSR done on it.  Not happy with it, so more PSR for me, but it is almost done.  After that, it should come together pretty quickly.
I really like the changes on the -B.  Simple, cheap, and effective.  This one is gonna be more of a....um....people oriented craft.

I will give you a hint.  Four guns, two have spinning barrels, two don't. 
Shifting the focus and ability of the craft from heavier targets, to lighter targets.

[rallymodeller]

I don't know if the AC-4B will be ready for its roll-out by the end of the GB, but either way.........

There's a 90% chance that folks will be asking for a time extension....... and a 99% chance it will be granted !

Ian

Chances may be higher considering I might need one...

Gorgeous work. One of those "Wish I'd thought of that" models. 

[BrittMac]

Me too Jeremy.  Today was my only "off" day in regards of not having to work and not having plans, but it turns out I had plans and stuff to do to prepare for this weekend.
I am going to Tyndall for the show this weekend.  Got my new and old camera rigs ready, and a buddy is riding down there with me.  It should be fun if the weather holds out.
I will put up a pic or three if I get some good stuff. 
I should be able to work on the -B model next Weds or Thurs, but then I have the Tuscaloosa show the next weekend.......argh.  I can get nothing done it seems.

And thanks for the kind words Jeremy.  I hope I will justify those words with these two whifs.  Off to bed for me, 5AM to get up is really early when you work nightshift.
Take care,
Brandon

[JayBee]

SOOOpermodel
A question though. Why the C in the designation, surely that indicates that the basic design is a transport?

[BrittMac]

SOOOpermodel
A question though. Why the C in the designation, surely that indicates that the basic design is a transport?

Ah yes, that is an excellent question.  Now if you will just look into this little pen with the red light at the tip.....
*BrittMac puts on his black sunglasses just before the flash from the red light*


Actually, I was just going along with the other gunship designations......following the crowd, so to speak.  I have no clue what the designation would be since it already starts with an A.  Heck, if I can think of something else I may use it.  Until then I will just say that it carries a cargo of bullets and shells.
I will be working on them some in the next two days, so keep your fingers and toes crossed!

[Weaver]

Hey Brittmac - is this finished yet? if so, remember to post it on the finished builds thread!

[BrittMac]

Hey Weaver, got your PM.  Don't worry, I have done a little work on the twins.  They are not "identical" twins, but close.

The second Ghostraider got painted with an initial coat of grey last night.......found some imperfections that are glaring at me though.  Need to fix those.  Unfortunately, I didn't realize how nasty the kit I got really was.  I sanded ALOT of the crud off of this model (it came painted on the sprues), and I truly failed at some of the modding I tried, but with some innocent trick photography (read: different angles) I can overcome some of the faults I hope.

I am gonna fix the biggest fault right now, then spray a new color on her.  The base is gunship grey.  I am thinking about dark sea blue on the upper surfaces.  You will see why..........

Oh, no markings on either of these birds.  You don't need to know where they fly from.  I could tell you, but then ninjas would fall from the ceiling and shave all the cats in your neighborhood.  Not a pretty sight!

[Cobra]

Cool Model!!!!! Small Suggestion:add a Shark's Mouth and Nothing More. Can You think of a Btter way to Scare the Shorts off the Enemy? stay Cool & Keep up the Great Work!!!!!!!!

[BrittMac]

Cobra, I would put a sharks mouth on it, but there are two reasons I am not.  First, these are really subdued paint jobs and the sharks mouth would be a bit bright.  Second, I don't have one to put on there, or I may have done it!  I really would have liked to put a grey "outline" style mouth on it. 


Wow, i feel like it is down to the wire!  I will try not to get this close to the deadline again if I can help it, but I couldn't help it this time.

Anyways...More pics, both birds are done....I think.  I may, in the future, add some underwing stores to the AC-4A, so it will look as deadly as the -B model, but I don't know what I will want to add when I do.  So that is a "someday it may happen" thing.  I left both versions belly tank slots open for the "just in case" idea that may pop up someday.

Anyways, I have to give you guys some more pics and stuff.

Sorry about using the flash for these pics.  It is almost 6 AM (0600), so no sunlight to take them in.  Sucks.
Here is the -A model.  I had her nice a mottled looking, then put a bunch of soot on her sides and underneath.  Then I dullcoated it.  Lets just say I learned how much the dullcoat will hide weathering/paint differences.  ALOT!


Here is the most obvious structural difference of the -B model.  Two 20mm and two 7.62 miniguns.  A mini-spooky if you will.  The -B variant was designed for a "soft-target" role in which it is more effective versus personell and soft-skinned vehicles, where the -A model is good for more hardened/armored targets.  The -B model is widened with off-the-shelf components (read: surplus WW2 droptanks cut in half), which greatly increased the internal area available for the weapons and their associated systems.

sorry bout the DARK pic (remember, it is 0600 for me, I am in a hurry)


In this pic of the bottom you can see the four guns, and a new sensor suite which is much different than the -A model.  There is now a FLIR, chaff and flare dispensers (a much needed option), and various sensors for the warning systems (basically gleaned/developed from the US Army's stocks.  Shhh, don't tell them.).  Also visible are the vents aft of the guns.  There is a vent on each side of the "side bubbles" that use the venturi effect to draw much of the spent ammo gasses from the airframe (crew loves this).  There is a small air inlet on the top of the dorsal that aids in the expelling of gases.



Another underside view.  You can see where the soot would escape from the vents.



And below is where the -B model really is different.  The -A model can carry some basic stores, but has no capability to guide weapons, or select targets for weapons carried on the hardpoints.  The -B model uses the FLIR in order to guide munitions or select targets.  Obviously, the US would not just give up weapons technology, so improvisations were made.  Surplus AIM-4 bodies were located.  Only the propulsion system is carried over, and the weapon is converted to an ATG munition.  There is a single fuel tank (four hardpoints are plumbed for fuel).  Also retrofitted is a bullpup.  It is for more substantial targets that the smaller missile would struggle with, or for longer range shots.
Last, but not least, are two torpedoes that are suited for attacking surface targets.  There is no capability of the -B model to detect submarines, so it is highly doubtful the torps would ever be used against them.



If you hadn't noticed by now, the -B model has a naval warfare angle to it.  What better for a small nation to get rid of those pesky pirates with?  I can't think of a more capable, cheap, and sneaky platform.


Not visible in these pics are the exhaust system mods.  There are new "baffles" that significantly reduce radiated noise, and also the IR signature of the GhostRaider-B.  This system can be retrofitted to -A model gunships, as are some of the other -B model systems.  (pics will follow later, I have to sleep now so I wont be dead at work tonight).
Cheers guys, thanks for the kind words.

[Ed S]

Wow.  Two for the price of one.  Nicely done gunships.



Ed

[BrittMac]

Thanks Ed.  The second kit, I got off of Ebay.......mistake.  Far too much work, and it is still pretty nasty.  It had TWO coats of paint on it, keeping in mind the parts were still on the sprues.  The seat was glued together (crookedly at that) and.....not any building was done to it, but it took a lot longer that I wanted to spend on it.  I sanded and sanded, and puttied and sanded.

Regardless, I like the -B model for the improvements over the -A.

Oh, turns out that I forgot to put the antennas on the birds.  Duh....I will do that.  Wife is pulling into the garage, gotta run!

[BrittMac]

I enjoyed building these two little birdies.  I have found out that I like tacking new and odd items onto airframes that were just sitting there and minding their own business. 
I haven't progressed to any type of serious surgery on the kits themselves yet, but there are still years ahead for that right?

In any case, I would have liked to have gotten some more pics of the birds up, but last Thursday I went to the Doctor to have a small bump on my shoulder looked at, and ended up having an outpatient surgery right then and there.  Recovering pretty quickly, but I wasn't able to put up any pics before the website went down for maintenance.  No biggie.  I still enjoyed it and I look forward to jumping in some more GB's!

The only thing I did last week was add a whip antenna on the tail of both birds, so no big loss on pics though.

Thanks everybody!  Lets have another one eh?