Warthog Helo

[retro_seventies]

because if you wanted to make things that were smooth and natural and slippery, you'd be a fish modeler not a plane builder!

ugly is sometimes much better - there's something refreshingly "man made" about boxes and bumps and things that they forgot to put inside.

[Mossie]

Yes: that's the pic! And the VW is closer to the camera than the cannon!
Huge!  Thanks for the pic, the resourcefulness on this site is top notch.

Yes, the kit comes with four-bladed rotor----that's what I'll use.

Speaking of rotors, with one overhead, I guess it would be a bad idea to have a rear-hinged canopy, right?  I still want to retain the A-10 canopy as it will help further distinguish the overall look of the helo but I might paint frames on the A-10's teardrop canopy and make it appear to hinge more like a Cobra's real one. 

Landing gear?  What to do?  What to do?  Why do they design skids for one helo and wheels for another? 

Something like the Cobra, could it taxi forward like an Apache if it had wheels?  Have they ever put wheeled gear on a Cobra?

Can I do the management fence-sitting-thing and have a hybrid of skids with integrated wheels?   

Baz, how about a canopy something like the Ka-50-2 Erdogan?  Bit unconventional for a attack helicopter, rounded at the front like a fighters but still faired into the fuselage.  You could keep the windscreen portion but you'd need to form a new rear section.
http://www.military.cz/russia/air/helicopt...2%20Erdogan.jpg

I suddenly had a vision of Jaws 2 flash up!  How about a naval or Marines version with floats instead of wheels/skids?  Would increase the ugly factor by a good magin!  Even though it's totally-utterly-incredibly over the top I love that scene where the Shark drags the helicopter under!!!  

[John Howling Mouse]

You've probably already heard of the relatively new Hobbyboss model company (their factory is alleged to have been producing Trumpeter's kits for years).
I think my "Warthog Helo" just became the two-seater it should have been from the beginning (the single-seat idea was the only thing I had been worried about)!

Check this out:

http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=HB-80324

[B777LR]

And so JHM bought and chopped up another A-10, later asking what to do with the tail and cockpits he had left over...      

[blue520]

A Warthog Helo, that is 100% Gold.
Seeing it is a huge gun with a big ammo drum, how about you go for the ugly but utilitarian factor.
What about a Warty Tarhe, that is a A-10/CH-54 Tarhe (Skycrane) hybrid.

[John Howling Mouse]

And so JHM bought and chopped up another A-10, later asking what to do with the tail and cockpits he had left over...    

Ah, my young friend, but JHM will now do both a single-seat AND a tandem-seat version of the Warthog Helo....HobbyBoss NAV-10 kit is on the way!  Well, two of them, actually, since I really want to do a NAV-10 "as is."

And, since I had already bought THATNUMBERI'MNOTALLOWEDTOSAY of the Viper (Super Cobra) kits, I'll have what I need!

At 2:00 a.m. today, I suddenly started figuring out a new landing gear approach which will incorporate both skids and...

...wait for it:

...integral spatted wheels!!!

Oh, Mr. Moderator, Mr. Moderator, I said SPATS!

[cthulhu77]

Brian has to be foaming at the mouth right now.

[Brian da Basher]

Mmmmmm thank you Mr Howling Mouse, I enjoyed that so much I had to smoke a cigarette after reading it!

You will indeed see how spats add to the coolness factor of any aircraft by 1000%!

I love spats!

Brian da Basher

[John Howling Mouse]

Baz, how about a canopy something like the Ka-50-2 Erdogan?  Bit unconventional for a attack helicopter, rounded at the front like a fighters but still faired into the fuselage.  You could keep the windscreen portion but you'd need to form a new rear section.


I suddenly had a vision of Jaws 2 flash up!  How about a naval or Marines version with floats instead of wheels/skids?  Would increase the ugly factor by a good magin!  Even though it's totally-utterly-incredibly over the top I love that scene where the Shark drags the helicopter under!!!

All great ideas, Blue 520's as well.  I invite you all to jump into your own variant of the main idea!  Why should I be the only one cursing on a Saturday night?  
P.S. In keeping with "Cobra" and "Viper" snake theme, I'm calling this one "Python" like my handgun.

[Supertom]

I'm surprised he hasn't tried a T-tail A-10 yet.

[John Howling Mouse]

I'm surprised he hasn't tried a T-tail A-10 yet.

T-Tail?  

Awwww....back down to the dreaded basement crawlspace.  

Nah, easier just to BUY a new A-10 kit!  

I did have a pair of 1:48 Monogram's under the bandsaw that were getting a fuselage reversed and I was going to turn the four engines, etc. into an "X-Wing" of sorts but I thought that might get me in trouble with our local law enforcement...     Crystal-Meth ops in this area are okay but that kind of kitbashing will undoubtedly land one in jail!    

[Eddie M.]

Any new photos?
  Eddie

[John Howling Mouse]

Any new photos?
  Eddie

Funny you should ask....I just e-mailed you at home:

I got those HobbyBoss kits of the 1:48 N/AW 2-seat version----------outstanding!!!!  I can now build this concept with the preferred two-seat configuration.

Haven't built the HobbyBoss yet so I cannot vouch for the fit of this kit but, out of the box, this product would easily give Tamiya, Trumpeter, and Hasegawa all a run for their money.  In fact, I'd guess the same factory that makes a lot of Trumpeter kits did this Warthog.  Same style of detailing as, say, Trumpeter's 1:48 Wyvern and Vigilante.

Oh, you also easily get as much ordnance/stores as you do with one of the Hasegawa 1:48 "Weapons" kits.  The big GE cannon is complete, right down to ammo belts with molded cartridges snaking their way into the weapon.  Will be nice to have one displayed in a rolling mount/stand next to the completed model.  Beautiful full-color print of the aircraft is supplied.  Rubber tires/tyres, everything nicely packaged up separate plastic bags, even wheel chocks with very realistic thread for "rope"!!  I'd say the injection-molded cockpit/IP's and ejection seats are as good as most resin aftermarket sets.  Landing gear struts have molded-in dual lines where appropriate.  I have no idea how they molded them but the engine intake fans have fins that are just barely separated...not the usual overlapping approximation you normally get----you can actually see sliver of light through the separate fanblade fins.
The canopy parts and other delicate items come in a separate inner box like the high-end Trumpeter kits.  Instructions are fantastic.

All for about $35 USD.  Seriously guys, this was one of those kits where I had to go lie down for awhile after going through the contents.  It was THAT good.  

In the end, the Hong Kong "Lucky Model" company didn't even charge me as much as they were supposed to for the kits or shipping.  If the fit checks out, I'll be buying several more and seriously hoping this HobbyBoss mfg stays in business.  Check this out:

http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=HB-80324  

[Shasper]

The HB kit is a scaled-down Trumpeter kit, so I'm not surprised that its got the goods.

Still awaiting the rumored 72nd kit thou  


Shas B)

[tanktastic43]

Sorry to dig this one up from a long time ago, but please JHM, tell me you finished this beastie, and if so, any pics?