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Rotary Wing
Discuss helicopters and other rotary wing aircraft from any era.
Some maintenance needed. MH-53J build
SF-07-18D
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Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
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Posted: Saturday, April 14, 2018 - 08:17 PM UTC
Well, as Red Wings is almost done, now I'll go with an MH-53J. The kit is an old kit from Italeri. Here's the box



The idea is to make the helo under some maintenance. I have to find some turbine and get some pics of some maintenance panels.

So I have started with the cabin. I was thinking about get the Eduard BigED kit, but it's much more expensive than the kit, so I have decided to re-use some PE from a Chinook kit.

The screen between the cockpit and the load bay is so simple, so I try to improve it based on a Eduard's kit picture.

This is the kit's screen.





Eduard's pic



And this is what I have done by now.





I'm not going to lose time with the cabin, as once the frame ia closed, it won't be very visible.

As many of you are service members or former, please give any advise you may find interesting.

Cheers!!
jrutman
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
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Posted: Saturday, April 14, 2018 - 09:04 PM UTC
Really nice beginnings !
J
SF-07-18D
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Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
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Posted: Sunday, April 15, 2018 - 12:42 AM UTC
Thanks J. Very appreciated!!
HeavyArty
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Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
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Posted: Sunday, April 15, 2018 - 04:47 PM UTC
Looking good. Wouldn't this be better placed in the Rotary Wing Forum though? You would most likely get more views and better advice there.
RobinNilsson
Staff MemberTOS Moderator
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Stockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
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Posted: Sunday, April 15, 2018 - 05:21 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Looking good. Wouldn't this be better placed in the Rotary Wing Forum though? You would most likely get more views and better advice there.



Hi Nacho,
Just say the word and I'll move it.
Don't want to act without your approval Nacho ...
/ Robin
SF-07-18D
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
AeroScale: 58 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 15, 2018 - 05:41 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Looking good. Wouldn't this be better placed in the Rotary Wing Forum though? You would most likely get more views and better advice there.



Hi Nacho,
Just say the word and I'll move it.
Don't want to act without your approval Nacho ...
/ Robin



Hi Robin!

At your choice. It thi ls thread would fit better at Rotary Wings, go ahead. No problem.

As I want to make a small scene, I thought this could be a vignette.

Thanks!!
RobinNilsson
Staff MemberTOS Moderator
KITMAKER NETWORK
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Stockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
KitMaker: 6,693 posts
AeroScale: 21 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 15, 2018 - 06:10 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Looking good. Wouldn't this be better placed in the Rotary Wing Forum though? You would most likely get more views and better advice there.



Hi Nacho,
Just say the word and I'll move it.
Don't want to act without your approval Nacho ...
/ Robin



Hi Robin!

At your choice. It thi ls thread would fit better at Rotary Wings, go ahead. No problem.

As I want to make a small scene, I thought this could be a vignette.

Thanks!!



Hi Nacho,
I see your point! Hmmm ....

Maybe discuss the building of the CH-53 in Rotary wings and then continue here with the diorama part of the project?
I guess that the chances of finding those who knows what a maintenance diorama for a CH-53 should look like are greater in the Rotary Wings forum.

There isn't a Diorama sub-forum under Aircraft and the Diorama forum is "hidden" here in Armorama ...

Your choice.
/ Robin
jrutman
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
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Posted: Sunday, April 15, 2018 - 06:21 PM UTC
What I am doing with my new dio/vignette is posting on the armor foum for the vehicle build and also on here with the same thing,because,as you said,it will be going in a vignette/dio. I think you will be OK here ? But I am not a mod.
J
SF-07-18D
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Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
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Posted: Sunday, April 15, 2018 - 06:54 PM UTC
Thatīs the point, Robin. Maybe I can find better advices on Rotary Wings, but as Jerry said, if itīs not a problem, I can post the Helicopter build at Rotary and the addons for the scene here.

Cheers!
RobinNilsson
Staff MemberTOS Moderator
KITMAKER NETWORK
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Stockholm, Sweden
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Posted: Sunday, April 15, 2018 - 09:40 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Thatīs the point, Robin. Maybe I can find better advices on Rotary Wings, but as Jerry said, if itīs not a problem, I can post the Helicopter build at Rotary and the addons for the scene here.

Cheers!



I'll go ahead and move it. Hopefully you get lots of feed back on the helicopter build and then you start a new thread here with the diorama specifics once you have gotten all the helicopter maintenance details by the rotary wing modellers.

/ Robin
SF-07-18D
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Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
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Posted: Sunday, April 15, 2018 - 10:05 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Thatīs the point, Robin. Maybe I can find better advices on Rotary Wings, but as Jerry said, if itīs not a problem, I can post the Helicopter build at Rotary and the addons for the scene here.

Cheers!



I'll go ahead and move it. Hopefully you get lots of feed back on the helicopter build and then you start a new thread here with the diorama specifics once you have gotten all the helicopter maintenance details by the rotary wing modellers.

/ Robin



Copy that, Robin!

Thanks again.

See you all on Rotary Wings!!
SF-07-18D
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
AeroScale: 58 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 18, 2018 - 03:19 PM UTC
Well, Iīm looking for an engine for the helo. As I canīt find any MH53 turbine Iīve been looking for something else. I just want to show a part of the engine opening some engine nacelleīs panel.

Iīve found these, what do you think?
https://www.armycast.cz/eshop/index.php?id_product=72&controller=product&id_lang=2

https://www.armycast.cz/eshop/index.php?id_product=60&controller=product&id_lang=2

https://www.cmkkits.com/en/detail-sets-accessories/ch-47-chinook-engine-set/

https://www.cmkkits.com/en/detail-sets-accessories/uh-1b-engine-set-1-72-for-italeri/

Iīve been even thinking in an jet turbine (f-16, A-10...)

Any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks!
HeavyArty
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Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
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Posted: Friday, April 20, 2018 - 05:47 AM UTC
The Apache (WAH-64) engine set looks best to me.
SF-07-18D
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Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
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Posted: Saturday, April 21, 2018 - 02:37 AM UTC
Thanks Gino.

I'll go for this kit. Next is to find how to open the nacelles.

Cheeers!
SF-07-18D
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
AeroScale: 58 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 22, 2018 - 03:40 PM UTC
Hi gents!

Iīve made some advances on the chopper. I have finished the cockpit and the cargo bay. The PE that Iīve added doesnīt like me very much but wonīt be very visble from the outside. I have also added a fire extinguisher fastened with a PE.





On the outside I started to work on a maintenance hatch, so I opened one just below the pilotīs right window and made some wiring. I fixed a plasticard piece on the inner body to fix all the addons.






Finally, I painted the cargo bay fuselage (but not finished yet). No more time for more.



Now Iīm thinking about folding the tail but Iīm not sure if I will be able to make it. I got some detailed pictures from Rob Skipper that could help me.

BEst regards!
SF-07-18D
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Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, April 25, 2018 - 08:33 PM UTC
A small update. I have applied some washes and dry brush to the cargo bay and glued the windows. I think itīs done. Just to paint in black the cockpit area and ready.



And finally, I decided to fold the tail rotor, so I cut over the hinge and prepared the tail with a plasticard piece.



This is the refpic Iīll use for detaling.


Cheers!
SF-07-18D
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
AeroScale: 58 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 29, 2018 - 08:04 PM UTC
Hi everyone!

Just a quick update. As Eduardīs PE are so expensive, I was looking on a friendīs model store and I found one PE from a Stryker kit.



I have use the mesh on the engineīs nacelles and tail. The squared mesh ahs been removed because I realized that this is not a mesh, just holes, so Iīll drill it.



And finally, I have made the rear ramp, using some slings from the stryker kit.



Now Iīm working on the upper rear ramp. Iīll post something as soon as I have.

Cheers!!

PS: Maybe I have not explain very well the process, sorry.
HeavyArty
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Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, May 02, 2018 - 06:30 AM UTC
Looks like you are a trend-setter. I just got word that Black Dog is coming out with a detail set for the Italeri MH-53J that has an engine, folded tail pieces, and the internals for the electronics compartment you opened. The news announcement for it, along with some other helo items, should be posted soon.
SF-07-18D
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
AeroScale: 58 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 02, 2018 - 02:02 PM UTC
Damn it! Too late already. I have just closed the fuselage yesterday. And the Apache engine is already on its way to my home.

I post some new advances.

I've been working on the upper ramp. Added some ribs on the inner side, as the original was completely flat.



And the outside is already done also.



As this piece is going to be disassembled, I was taking a look at Rob Skipperīs pics and found this



So I took an old 1/35 pallet I have and worked on it. I added some PE for the wheels bracket and made the wheels with sprue. Then I painted it black.




Now Iīm scratching a heli stands to set them below the helicopter, as if the crew are replacing a tire. I have used this picture I took from one of our F/A-18 as refpic.



Iīm using stretched sprue.





And thatīs all for now. Thanks for the info, Gino.

Cheers!
hawg53
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United States
Joined: March 26, 2016
KitMaker: 3 posts
AeroScale: 3 posts
Posted: Friday, May 04, 2018 - 09:21 AM UTC
Lad, don’t put the upper ramp door on the MH-53J. We took them off when we installed the fast rope bar. Only the HH/CH-53s had them.
SF-07-18D
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
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Posted: Friday, May 04, 2018 - 01:53 PM UTC
Hi Robert! Thanks for the appointment. I will not display the upper ramp then. Any other advice??

Thanks again buddy!
SF-07-18D
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
AeroScale: 58 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 17, 2018 - 03:27 PM UTC
Hi guys!

Iīve been working on the MH for the last 2 weekends. Mainly I was scratching on the tail and adding some parts to the helicopter.



Added the nav lights using stretched sprue.



I have also received the Apache engines. They are a bit smaller, as expected, for the MHīs engine bay. So I worked on them adding the exhaust cone and the intake with brass foil.







And finally I painted it.



Now Iīm working on the frame paint. First coat with XF4+a bit of black green and preshaded with XF1. No pictures yet. The other engine will be displayed on the ground, off from the helicopter, so Iīm going to get this Hasegawa kit



Regards!
SF-07-18D
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
AeroScale: 58 posts
Posted: Tuesday, May 12, 2020 - 01:52 AM UTC
Hi!

Two years later, I have finished the Giant and it's displayed on a diorama. Here's the link, in case you want to take a look.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/285012&page=1

I'll be prowling over here now, I'm going to start a Saab Gripen.

Regards!
SF-07-18D
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Madrid, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: December 19, 2016
KitMaker: 366 posts
AeroScale: 58 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - 05:18 AM UTC
Completely finished!

After 2 years, I finally made it. It was funny to build and quick, chiefly because the helicopter was almost done. The MH53 is an impressive chopper and I'm not happy enough with the result, mainly the canopy could have been better done.

The pictures:














Hope you like it.

Regards!
HeavyArty
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Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - 06:05 AM UTC
Came out pretty nice. Good job on it.
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