DONE @p.2 +++ 1:72 OV-1G 'Mohawk', Deutsche Bundesluftwaffe, mid-Nineties

Dizzyfugu · June 29, 2021, 08:10:25 AM

Since this GB will start soon I will open the projects with an obvious one, a whiffy OV-1 "Mohawk" (1:72 Hasegawa kit).

Tophe · July 01, 2021, 03:10:26 AM

OV-1Z Twin Mohawk?

or else (probably) $:-\$

Dizzyfugu · July 01, 2021, 07:07:06 AM

Nah, a rather conservative thing, heavily rooted in reality.

Dizzyfugu · July 01, 2021, 11:48:57 PM

Things started moving yesterday evening, with the wings and the cockpit. The kits is an OV-1A - I had preferred a different Mohawk type with longer wings, but these things are rare/pricey and you have to take what you occasionally get. But this leaves room for creativity and interpretations, and this one will therefore become an indigenous German variant, the OV-1G, with a domestic SLAR system and other refinements. Background is that the Luftwaffe (as well as the French Armèe de l'air) throroughly tested the Mohawk in the Sixties, and my whiffy model assumes that the type was eventually taken into service.

Here's a very nice, pimped 1:48 Roden model of one of those OV-1A trial aircraft in their all-over olive drab livery and with "Heer" (German Army) markings:

The kit is of typical early Hasegawa quality: some flash, fine, raised surface details, fit seems O.K. but not stellar. While I worked on the engine pods and the props (which will receive my standard styrene tube/metal wire axis arrangement) I found that one of the propeller parts, the rear spinner half with the original pin, was missing, so that I had to improvise with plastic discs, and the pin would be replaced, anyway. Lots of lead was stuffed into the front end - the nose, the fuselage, even the dashboard! We'll see if it will be enough, though, this model looks VERY tail-heavy. $:-\$ The cockpit will remain closed, but I will slightly pimp the interior and use different pilot figures (this kit si so old that it still has a crew - even though both figures hold the steering column and look sideways, what looks quite weird and has to be changed! This is an aircraft, and not a basin for synchronized swimming... First steps for a different SLAR arrangement have also already been taken.

1:72 Grumman OV-1G "Mohawk"; aircraft "18+03" of the German Bundesluftwaffe, Aufklärungsgeschader (AufKlG) 51/3rd Squadron "Immelmann"; Lechfeld (Bavaria/West Germany), 1992 (Whif/Italeri kit conversion) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

zenrat · July 02, 2021, 04:44:14 AM

I built the long winged OV-1B and stretched the wings some more.
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=40704.msg686882#msg686882
Regarding nose weight I wrote "It required fishing weights inside the nose, behind the cockpit and in the front of the nacelles". So be warned.

Dizzyfugu · July 02, 2021, 05:13:06 AM

I am!! The nacelles are unfortunately occupied by the tube adapters, but the rest of the front end has more or less become massive (incl. the dashboard)...

1:72 Grumman OV-1G "Mohawk"; aircraft "18+03" of the German Bundesluftwaffe, Aufklärungsgeschader (AufKlG) 51/3rd Squadron "Immelmann"; Lechfeld (Bavaria/West Germany), 1996 (Whif/Italeri kit conversion) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Crew and interior still need some fine-tuning, but this will totally suffice since everything will be left behind clear plastic.
Here's also a look of what will become the underwing SLAR fairings, inspired the RV-1D arrangement but somewhat bigger - created from styrene profiles and 2C putty so far.

1:72 Grumman OV-1G "Mohawk"; aircraft "18+03" of the German Bundesluftwaffe, Aufklärungsgeschader (AufKlG) 51/3rd Squadron "Immelmann"; Lechfeld (Bavaria/West Germany), 1996 (Whif/Italeri kit conversion) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Dizzyfugu · July 03, 2021, 01:01:23 AM

Some visual news, progress was good yesterday evening. Kit will certainly not like it, but this OV-1 will become longer instead of having bigger wings. One addition is the tail, which receives an integral fairing for an IR jammer (once a Matchbox SNEB missile pod):

1:72 Grumman OV-1G "Mohawk"; aircraft "18+03" of the German Bundesluftwaffe, Aufklärungsgeschader (AG) 51/3rd Squadron "Immelmann"; Lechfeld (Bavaria/Germany), 1996 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The spine receives decoration, too: a shallow antenna fairing for a comlink system, and another fairing behind it for a heat exchanger, which also hides the poor molded air scoop of the Hasegawa kit:

1:72 Grumman OV-1G "Mohawk"; aircraft "18+03" of the German Bundesluftwaffe, Aufklärungsgeschader (AG) 51/3rd Squadron "Immelmann"; Lechfeld (Bavaria/Germany), 1996 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

This morning, fins and wings were attached (fit well!), and the nose was extended with a leftover mount from an Italeri AH-1, which will hold a retrofitted FLIR camera:

1:72 Grumman OV-1G "Mohawk"; aircraft "18+03" of the German Bundesluftwaffe, Aufklärungsgeschader (AG) 51/3rd Squadron "Immelmann"; Lechfeld (Bavaria/Germany), 1996 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Grumman OV-1G "Mohawk"; aircraft "18+03" of the German Bundesluftwaffe, Aufklärungsgeschader (AG) 51/3rd Squadron "Immelmann"; Lechfeld (Bavaria/Germany), 1996 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The boxy SLAR underwing pods also made good progress:

1:72 Grumman OV-1G "Mohawk"; aircraft "18+03" of the German Bundesluftwaffe, Aufklärungsgeschader (AG) 51/3rd Squadron "Immelmann"; Lechfeld (Bavaria/Germany), 1996 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

CoG tests will follow, there's still some accessible space in the engine nacelles for more lead, just in case...

PR19_Kit · July 03, 2021, 03:13:24 AM

It's OK, I like longer fuselages as well.

Remember the 777-900?

Dizzyfugu · July 03, 2021, 07:38:27 AM

Dizzyfugu · July 04, 2021, 10:38:45 AM

Not much visible progress, the crew entered the cabin and the bulbous canopy, consisting of three parts without location aids, has been mounted. Landing gear has been mounted and painted (the OV-1 stands without external aids!

), overall painting will probabyl start tomorrow, after adding final surface details.

1:72 Grumman OV-1G "Mohawk"; aircraft "18+03" of the German Bundesluftwaffe, Aufklärungsgeschader (AG) 51/3rd Squadron "Immelmann"; Lechfeld (Bavaria/Germany), 1996 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Pellson · July 04, 2021, 10:44:41 AM

Really cool (as usual) but why involve the Luftwaffe? The Heeresflieger is a proud organisation in its own right.

Dizzyfugu · July 04, 2021, 11:57:48 PM

...but they had a poor standing, and at some point (IIRC like the Army/Air Force debate in the USA) the Heer air arm was only allowed to operate transport aircraft/helicopters. Furthermore, an ELINT aircraft would have been a highly political issue here in Germany, and in my history it would (like the Hansa 320 ECM aircraft) end up in the Luftwaffe's hands.

The Luftwaffe also had more interesting paint schemes...

Dizzyfugu · July 05, 2021, 12:02:17 AM

BTW, a fresh hardware update, close to basic overall painting:

1:72 Grumman OV-1G "Mohawk"; aircraft "18+03" of the German Bundesluftwaffe, Aufklärungsgeschader (AG) 51/3rd Squadron "Immelmann"; Lechfeld (Bavaria/Germany), 1996 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Pellson · July 05, 2021, 12:17:41 AM

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on July 04, 2021, 11:57:48 PM
...but they had a poor standing, and at some point (IIRC like the Army/Air Force debate in the USA) the Heer air arm was only allowed to operate transport aircraft/helicopters. Furthermore, an ELINT aircraft would have been a highly political issue here in Germany, and in my history it would (like the Hansa 320 ECM aircraft) end up in the Luftwaffe's hands. The Luftwaffe also had more interesting paint schemes...

Aaah. I thought the Roden model at the top was some kind of target. My bad

Looking forward to your end result then.

Dizzyfugu · July 05, 2021, 12:21:26 AM

Quote from: Pellson on July 05, 2021, 12:17:41 AM
Aaah. I thought the Roden model at the top was some kind of target. My bad

Nah, that's boring real world stuff!

I'll tell the story what came after these trials, which turned out to be successful...