Moments of Zen

[PR19_Kit]

They certainly look like guns, yes, but will you now have to convert some guns into F-16 landing gear legs so you can build the F-16s? 

[DogfighterZen]

They certainly look like guns, yes, but will you now have to convert some guns into F-16 landing gear legs so you can build the F-16s? 

 
Thanks, Kit!
Luckily, i have more Viper spares than anything else and these were from the Revell F-16 i used to build the F-16W, which is up on a stand, in flight mode so, i won't be needing them for F-16s.

So, i ended up working a bit more on the Gazelle and i can say that the cockpit is almost finished.





I dug up an instrument panel decal and cut it to get something similar to some pics i saw on google and also managed to find a couple of bits to bend and turn them into cyclic sticks, which i've painted after i took the pics.

The pilots are weird, i won't be using them... I think that the Elhiem white metal figures Fred was talking about look better than these two, who look like they're crossing their legs cause they need to go to the bathroom in a hurry and, at the same time, they're giving us thumbs up...



Also painted the interior of the fuselage and did some work on the exhaust, which had a lot of flash and needed some careful clean up work... won't be the best thing ever but it'll do...





And this is turning out to be a very fun build so far, i may end up building another chopper after this one is finished. Tomorrow i'll try to close up the fuselage halves and maybe get something else done.

[TheChronicOne]

Stumbling in with the relevance here..    

It could just be me but I see the similarity!  I'm a big Trek nerd though so I'm always seeing Trek in things. It's like how when you purchase a car... and all of a sudden you start noticing everyone else's same model of car...   can't help it..   

[DogfighterZen]

Dude, that has to be one of my favorite spaceships ever... i should've remembered... And yes, i can see the similarity. The problem with my guns is that those are supposed to be six barreled M134 miniguns but instead of spending a whole day trying to build the barrel section of one gun, i chose the easy way and just settled with those bits to have some detail and have the two guns done.

[Old Wombat]

Only thing to do to make them look more like mini-guns is scribe half-a-dozen lines along the barrel section(s), so that once they're painted they'll look multi-barreled.

[DogfighterZen]

Only thing to do to make them look more like mini-guns is scribe half-a-dozen lines along the barrel section(s), so that once they're painted they'll look multi-barreled.

Well, i actually tried that just after i finished gluing the bits but i used the x-acto blade and it was so hard to do a straight line that i gave up... should've used the scriber blade instead...
But i guess i can give it another go, i'm just a bit scared of screwing up the tiny bits but i'll try...
And another thing i was forgetting, the ammo boxes. From what i've seen in pics of armed Gazelles, the back seats are removed to make room for the boxes so, if this one is to carry guns, it will need those boxes in there. Back to scrounging the spares bag to see what i can find for those.
I'll also have to find something for the ammo feed chutes so there's still a few bits of detailing to do on the guns.
Tonight i have band rehearsal so i'm not sure if i'll have time to play with plastic...

[DogfighterZen]

Well, could be better but could be worse... not totally satisfied with them but i guess they'll do...

[PR19_Kit]

They still look like guns, go for it!   

[DogfighterZen]

They still look like guns, go for it!   

Will do, sir! Next step is to drill the front end and then find something suitable for the ammo boxes and feed chutes.

[Old Wombat]

They still look like guns, go for it!   

Yep, look good enough for the scale to me!

[DogfighterZen]

They still look like guns, go for it!   

Yep, look good enough for the scale to me!

Glad to know, you made me do it! 
I think they'll look ok, although some of the lines on one of them are a bit crooked, the ones that will be easier to see are more acceptable.
Still haven't drilled the muzzle section, birthday weekend was spent relaxing with my girlfriend and family so no bench time.

On the purchase front, i've received the Falcon set of canopies for the Banshee and they were damaged... besides being squashed, one of the 2 canopies in the set, has a big crease right in the middle of it... have no idea of what might have caused this but it had to be heavy or very sharp because the plastic bag in which the canopies come was wrapped in bubble film, and that was shipped in a paper envelope and still had enough force to score a deep line into the canopy... i can imagine that posting an envelope is cheaper than a box but is it worth the risk of having an item damaged in transit and having to refund the buyer?
It was very disappointing, i'd really like to finish the Banshee... first time this happened in over 140 orders i've had delivered so far...
In the pic below you can clearly see where the canopies were crushed, on the right side one, there's even a sunken line or crease where it bent, seems like something very heavy or sharp-edged was laid on top of the envelope in which it was posted.



This morning i had to go leave my dad at the hospital for an eye surgery on a retinal tear. It was quick, he's already at home and we're now hoping for it to heal up as best as possible..
Also had to go drop my car at the workshop for the necessary repairs, the engine's cooling system is not working properly so, that's another good one, i could even say i'm on a streak... of bad luck!
Still, not all is bad, my girlfriend got me a really nice gift for my birthday...



Will try to sit down at the bench this afternoon so i can chill for a bit...

[DogfighterZen]

well, after being disappointed for the second time with my Banshee build, i've just kept working on the Gazelle. Ammo boxes were installed on top of the rear seats cause i just didn't want to have a lot of work with the interiors, which will hardly be seen after the clear parts are installed and the fuselage is closed up. A little bit of extra detailing was the addition of control sticks for both pilots.



Guess i'll keep working on this one, the Banshee has been put back in it's box again...  Guess that i should really start building the Revell F-4...

[TheChronicOne]

You can take your Banshee and my BAC 111 and throw them into a volcano as a sacrifice, man, I swear...   

[DogfighterZen]

You can take your Banshee and my BAC 111 and throw them into a volcano as a sacrifice, man, I swear...   

Yup, i agree, both seem to be cursed...

[zenrat]

Not cursed.  It is just that their time has yet to come...