Hughes OH-6 Egguse - Republic of Australia Egg Force

[zenrat]

In the beginning, there was the egg...
Hughes OH-6 Cayuse 01 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

This is a pre-painted Chinese knockoff of the Hasegawa Hughes MD-500 Egg Plane kit.  It was very cheap at expo.  Possibly because one of the landing skids was short shot.  There is a major flaw in the design of the kit - the glazing bubble  attaches to the rest of the aircraft with two locating pins.  The female bosses for which are clearly visible from the outside (see photo below).  Which is why I haven't built it yet.  I was going to use it for parts but then I realised I could do away with the problem.

Hughes OH-6 Cayuse 02 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

So first job was to remove the cockpit doors and the rest of the bosses (removing the bosses is always a good thing, in life as well as in modelling).  Being clear styrene I obviously cracked the bubble and broke of bits I wanted to keep but all the damage is in areas which will be painted and so could be glued or patched.  I added a rear bulkhead and some interior detail and discovered the hard way that the black styrene was also as brittle as buggery.

Hughes OH-6 Cayuse WIP 12-06-2021 01 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Finished. 

Hughes OH-6 Cayuse WIP 12-06-2021 02 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Not sure on the paint job yet but it is getting a pair of BFO rocket pods from a Gundam.

[PR19_Kit]

(removing the bosses is always a good thing, in life as well as in modelling). 

What is it about black styrene? It's always at the concrete end of hardness for some reason.

[Old Wombat]

How on Gods'* green Earth do you tell the difference between a regular OH-6 & an "egg" OH-6?





[*: I don't trust mono-gods, they don't know how to play nicely with others! ]

[zenrat]

How do you tell the difference between a regular OH-6 & an "egg" OH-6?

Not quite sure but if I can poach an answer from somewhere i shell scramble to inform you.

Masking and primer today. Plus more work on the rocket pods (not shown).  Bubble has crazed slightly but i'm hopeful s nice thick brushed on coat of acrylic paint will hide it.

Hughes OH-6 Cayuse WIP 13-06-2021 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[Weaver]

How do you tell the difference between a regular OH-6 & an "egg" OH-6?

Not quite sure but if I can poach an answer from somewhere i shell scramble to inform you.

I'd just crack on with it if I were you. Probably a bad idea to yolk yourself to answering every question...

[zenrat]

 

[Old Wombat]

Ah, puns!

[zenrat]

Painting has commenced.
Hughes OH-6 Egguse WIP 14-06-2021 01 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Hughes OH-6 Egguse WIP 14-06-2021 02 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[zenrat]

Exterior paint is now finished on the body and the bubble.  Working on the interior and all the other bits.

[zenrat]

Body is cleared.
I have had a rummage and found some transfers to use.  I will put them on tomorrow.
Rotor and tail rotor need metal tones on the mechanical parts.
Everything needs clear.
Seats need some simple masking tape seat belts.
Should be finished some time Sunday.

[zenrat]

Still going despite some issues with rushing successive coats of paint & clear, and with clear sneaking under the masking.
It's now all cleared and just needs some metalisers on the mechanical parts of the rotors (which are quick drying), some tape seat belts making, and then final assembly and photos.

So I should get in before the original deadline tomorrow and not need that extension after all...   

[frank2056]

How on Gods'* green Earth do you tell the difference between a regular OH-6 & an "egg" OH-6?

I thought this was a regular OH-6...

Even though they're listed as "non-scale" the cockpit seems to fit 1/48 figures well and a little cramped for 1/35 and 1/32.

[zenrat]

Done.

Republic of Australia Egg Force Hughes OH-6 Egguse.

Hughes OH-6 Egguse - 7 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Hughes OH-6 Egguse - 11 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Hughes OH-6 Egguse - 14 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Model.
Chinese knock off of Hasegawa egg plane.
Gundam rocket pods.

[Gondor]

Eggsemplary 

Gondor

[Old Wombat]

Eggceptional, even!