WAH-66 Crossbow Comanche

[PR19_Kit]

I starting to understand why this kit was panned by the reviewers..... 

I got the cockpit and fenestron glued into the port half of the fuselage and then started gluing the two halves together while NOT gluing the nose gun and sensor turret so that they could rotate. When the nose is fitted together the tail doesn't, and when the bottom fits the top doesn't. 

With mucho levering and prising and LOTS of clamps it's close enough for government work, but it'll need some PSR for sure.



In passing, while doing a search for my own thread I came across this one, that was posted a year before I signed up here. WELL worth looking at, and I hope mine turns out as well as AeroplaneDrivers did.

http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,17325.msg243801.html#msg243801

I also noticed I'd made a total screw-up of the rotor head! More repair work needed.....

[RAFF-35]

I was thinking of doing the very same concept a month or two back but my interest was diverted by something else before I could buy a kit... however there is this one that's buy it now on eBay

[PR19_Kit]

The Revell and Italeri kits are from the same moulds, lay in some putty if you do buy it.........

So far today I'm on my third PSR session on the fuselage joints, and it's still not perfect, but the main problem area is right under the rotor head so it'll be pretty well invisible.

I've cut out the basic framework for the mast mounted radar, and because the aircraft has a five bladed rotor I was moved to make the radar pod pentagonal, NOT a good idea as it's real PITA to cut out, but as before, it's good enough for Government work.

Next it's fine filing the BERP tips, which also come in fives. <sigh>



The whole assembly so far, PSR'd up to its eyebrows! The white thing sitting on the lens cap is the radar pod framework.

[Captain Canada]

And now for something completely different ! Always been a fan of this chopper. Small but mean !

[PR19_Kit]

Reports may be a tad slow for a while as my laptops PSU has smoked and the shops were closed today, so I'm on an old and very sloooooow laptop now. 

The main build is done now, the modified fin, the rotor, the canopy and landing gear are all aboard, plus the two weapons hatches. I'll be masking up the canopy and priming it later this evening with luck.

[PR19_Kit]

Here's the Comanche after two coats of primer and the essential PSR sessions. It's as good as it's going to get now and it's the colour coats next.





It's not obvious in the direct side on view, but you can see the crazy angles of the fenestron and the fin in the lower pic, even though it's out of focus in that one.

[Weaver]

Looking good Kit, despite it being a pig...

On the plus side, my reticence to cut one of mine up to make a 2000AD Rogue Trooper Hopper is rapidly vanishing...

[DogfighterZen]

Looking good indeed! I bought one of these with the idea of getting rid of the wheels and giving it skids...

[kitnut617]

You've done a good job there Kit, I've got one in the stash too  ---- just haven't seen it for a while      

[PR19_Kit]

Thanks for that gentlemen, I wouldn't say it was a pig to build, it just could have been a lot easier with a bit more effort on Italeri's party, or whoever cut the moulds in the first place anyway.

I've almost done the radar pod now too, pics later on if it doesn't need yet another PSR session......

[PR19_Kit]

Here's the whole assemblage so far, just the wheels and the weapons to fit, as well as painting the main colours and decals of course. AND cutting the blasted BERP tips, I'm beginning to wish I hadn't thought of that idea, I've still not got a good set of five. 

You may notice that the radar pod is not a 'regular pentagon'. That's because it's VERY difficult to get all five sides the same length when it's this small. If you don't believe me, try it............

[proditor]

Dang that's pretty. 

[PR19_Kit]

Dang that's pretty. 

You should see it now, it's green!

Maybe some more pics this evening.

[Captain Canada]

She looks mean in grey !

[PR19_Kit]

Even better in Green. 

As she is so far, with a few decals on, and the rotor unpainted, but at least I have all those darned BERP tips in place. The rotor still needs some PSR, thus the putty on the tip joints.