Real World alert!

[K5054NZ]

G'day all
Well my latest build is Italeri's 1/72 OH-6 Cayuse. This is being built as Hughes 500C ZK-HUT, seen here at a 1986 airshow:

For those amongst you who are curious, the thing on the skid is a netgun, which I will be scratchbuilding as faithfully as possible.
Here is the work completed thus far:

You can see a fire extinguisher and the remodelled control panel (cut down, an extra instrument on top and panel on the side).

The rotor assembly.

And finally the painted interior of the fuselage halves. This paint is a custom mix of Tamiya Flat White with a dash or so of Light Gray.

Please forgive my posting a "real" aircraft...let's say the "what if" is "what if it hadn't crashed at the 1986 airshow and was still flying today".... ^_^  

[matrixone]

Zac,

Looks good so far, thanks for letting us have a peek.

Matrixone

[Ollie]

Nice trickery around the Holy Rules.

^_^          

[The Rat]

The real world...?

Oh yes, I had to leave that, the worms were eating into my brain.  

Have to go now, the porcupines want to play tiddlewinks.  

This will all be much better when the saucer people come.

[Brian da Basher]

Looking good Zac! I'm not usually much of a whirlybird fan, but I'm impressed with your work!

Brian da Basher

[Tophe]

Yes, the OH-6 was so beautiful, maybe there is no need to change its gorgeous shape, I agree...
I had bought also a copy of this kit, and I don't know what I will do with it/her. I think I will remove the rotor (cumbersome and reminding me that I have been very badly insulted by the French expert of helicopters), and restore a smooth top aspect with putty.
While I will look with much interest to your one, to get inspiration. Thanks...  

[Brian da Basher]

Tophe, maybe you should get another OH-6 and remove the rotor. Then you could get some plastic card stock for wings, and combine the two OH-6s into another twin tailed wonder!

Brian da Basher

[lancer]

Have to go now, the porcupines want to play tiddlewinks.  

NOOOOOOOOO!!!! Don't play the orcupines at Tidly winks. They cheat something rotten.. Lemmings, play with Lemmings, they don't cheat.

[Tophe]

Tophe, maybe you should get another OH-6 and remove the rotor. Then you could get some plastic card stock for wings, and combine the two OH-6s into another twin tailed wonder!
Brian da Basher

Wonderful idea! You are very very right: 2 beauties as twin-sisters are even better than one single...

(The Wilde Twins, from http://www.skylighters.org/yankmagazine/im...ages/wtwins.jpg )

[K5054NZ]

No, please don't bastardize the Hughes! The most beautiful chopper ever devised! LEAVE HER ALONE!

Then again, with Tophe, she will remain beautiful!

BTW I'm finishing the fire extighuisher which is scratchbuilt from a Revell or Airfix Hurricane 6inch rocket warhead.

[K5054NZ]

Pics tomorrow, but the fire extinghuiser is done and the cockpit almost ready to go in. Must touch up the joystick (sounds dirty, don't it!) and the cockpit overall, second coat on the fuse. Man I hate painting white!

ANYHU, major update tomorrow. Promise.  

[K5054NZ]

Well there has been much progress since my first post...sorry, no pics because I'M AT WORK!!! Won't be home for another five hours, but once I get back I'll be able to show you ZK-HUT in all her practically-completed glory.

I'll give you a full progress report with the pics. I'll just say she's my first "superdetailed" build...ie seatbelts, fire extinguisher, deer blood on the cabin floor , you get the drift!

[K5054NZ]

G'day all.
Well, as promised, here's a progress pic.

Note cellotape seatbelts and fire extinguisher (ex Hawker Hurricane rocket warhead).
Since this was taken (yesterday afternoon) the tail has gone on, as has the canopy, and the first two coats of red applied. Be warned for future pics that I am very shaky so don't expect an expertly fine paintjob.

[K5054NZ]

In fact, here's a progress pic from a minute ago.

Enjoy, whiffers!

[The Rat]

Be warned for future pics that I am very shaky so don't expect an expertly fine paintjob.

Well, you've obviously got tape that you made the belts with, just use it for masking. For curved or other difficult areas there are 5 tricks that I have found useful:

1) Fine tip brush

2) Just a little bit at a time

3) Practice

4) Practice

5) Practice