This thread is set up for those who have finished with the campaign builds. Here you will post your finished helicopter and it brief history or story. Be sure to post what kit was used, it’s scale and any aftermarket products used. Let us know what you thought about the kit, how it went together and your painting and weathering techniques.

Please do not post questions or progress posts as they belong here. You may post comments to those who finished.

Looking forward to see what's brought to the table.
Good Luck,
Joe S.

Rodens 1/72 PKZ-2 W.W.1 helicopter.
It is one of the most fiddly, fragile and hardest kits i have ever built. Nearly every part broke trying to get it off the sprue, and the thing is so lopsided and difficult to handle without breaking even more bits, a few swear words were used during construction :-). Then after I bought it I found out Eduard did one in 1/48 scale DOH.
A bit of history .
During the final months of W.W.1 , the Austro-Hungarian Army's Major Stephan Petrochy assisted by Theodore von Karman and Vilem Zurovec, designed a radical motorized flying machine to replace the dangerous hydrogen-filled balloons then being used to observe enemy positions. Their odd, triangular contraption with counter-rotating propellers ultimately made 30 successful tethered test flights before the project was cancelled. Although never operational, the PKZ-2 was, in fact, the world's first true helicopter, and the only helicopter to fly during W.W.1.
Andy



And just to see how small this thing is, standard Tamiya and Revell paint tins .

This is Trumpeters 1/48 scale version of the HH-65A Dolphin used by the U.S. Coast Guard. This particular Dolphin wears the ID of the unit opperating out of Traverse City, Michigan.
96 Dolphins were purchased by the Coast Guard to replace the ageing HH-52A Sikorsky Sea Guard. The Dolphin operates up to 150 miles off shore and will fly comfortably at 120 knots for three hours. It in normally based on shore but can take off, land, and be carried on medium and high endurance Coast Guard Cutters. They assist in the missions of search and rescue, enforcement of laws and treaties, including drug interdiction, polar ice breaking, marine environmental protection including pollution control, and military readiness. Helicopters stationed aboard icebreakers are the ship's eyes to find thinner and more navigable ice channels. They also airlift supplies to ships and to villages isolated by winter.
The HH-65A minimum equipment requirements exceed anything previously packaged into one helicopter weighing in at less than 10,000 pounds. HH-65As are made of corrosion-resistant, composite-structure materials. The shrouded tail rotor is unique to the Dolphin. Also a unique feature of the Dolphin is its computerized flight management system which integrates state-of-the-art communications and navigation equipment. This system provides automatic flight control. At the pilot's direction, the system will bring the aircraft to a stable hover 50 feet above a selected object. This is an important safety feature in darkness or inclement weather. Selected search patterns can be flown automatically, freeing the pilot and copilot to concentrate on sighting the search object.

Whew!!!!!
The kit itself went together without any fuss. Minor filling and sanding was required and the decals went on beautifully. Model Masters enamels were used, 4parts International Orange to 1 part Signal Red. The directions themselves were easy to read but lacked additional information such as rotor stripe information and certain markings. Luckily loads of pictures and info were available on the net.





Thanks for lookin'

The Direct Action Penetrator(DAP) is one of the most awesome airborne weapon platforms operated by the US Army's Special Operation Forces. Its primary role is to perform as an attack helicopter. The DAP's mission is to offer armed escort or to deliver precision guided fire support when Special Forces troops are called into action. Integrated fire control systems and a pilot's heads-up display(HUD) combine to make the DAP a highly accurate and effective weapons delivery platform both day and night.

The MH-60L DAP is a highly modified version of the standard UH-60L Black Hawk. The DAP is equipped with an advanced avionics package including a Forward Locking Infrared (FLIR) surveillance system. The FLIR provides a TV video type image of terrain features, ground or airborne objects of interest. The communications package is extensive and includes SATCOM, Motorola Saber, FM, HF and UHF systems. The Fast Rope Insertion and Extraction System(FRIES) is also employed. It can support up to 1,500 lbs per side. To provide for extended range, the DAP is equipped with inboard auxiliary fuel tanks and many have a refueling probe for in flight refueling capability.

The DAP can also be armed in a variety of configurations depending on the mission to include two 7.62mm door-guns, 19 shot 2.75" rocket pods, and AGM 114 Hellfire laser guided missiles. Each 7.62mm door gun is a 6 barrel, air-cooled, link fed, electrically driven Gatling gun, with a 1,000 meter maximum effective range and a tracer burnout at 900 meters. The weapon has a rate of fire up to 4,000 rounds per minute, and is mounted in the fixed position on the left and right sides of the aircraft.

This Academy 1/35th Blackhawk DAP is a OOB build for me with no weathering (due to lack of experiance in doing so). The model was great going together. I also had all the extra parts to build a plain blackhawk with troop seats and aux. fuel tanks for exterial mounting.

Wow!! Great build, Sam! I am really impressed on this evil looking bird. I do not want to be at the reciving end when it comes in angry and low

Sam great build man, she looks good. A little work on the decaling department though, as you said “due to lack of experience”. But in time you’ll pick up the experience and techniques. I also enjoyed the Black Hawk’s DAP reading, very informative. I wanted to see more so I helped myself into your photo gallery.

Thanks and job well done.

Joe

Sam,
The DAP looks good. As Mother says, you will improve with time and more builds. You may want to put a dullcote over the decals to reduce their glare and seal them though. Good job overall.

Nice one Sam.

As for the decals, it looks a heck of a lot better than my first attempt a year ago. Just keep having fun and picking up a few tips here and there.....especially from the old hands (Mother) and in a few short months you'll be amazed at how far you've come. I'd say from looking at your DAP you've already come a long way. Congrats.

Thanks a lot guys for the kind words. And if this is off topic, I'm sorry. For the decals I am trying different ways to get the shine out of them like Testor's decal set and I bought a bottle of future but alittle nervous to use any of it. Though I have a junk M113, I am going to try it on along with weathering techiques. If I can get comfortable with it. I plan to apply what I learned from it to the Hawk. So I will repost more photos of it If I learn to do it correctly. And yes Hector, I have come along way in the few monthes I have under my belt. My hopes are to finish a build with the techique and skill that you, Mother and Heavy Arty have. Thanks again for the kind words.

Those products will help the decals conform to rivets and ridges (decal set), and stick without silvering (Future). To get rid of the shine, you need to overcote them with a flat or dullcote after you use the above products and let them dry fully. Testors makes a good dullcote. Get the one in the bottle though, it is dead flat. The one in the spray can is more of a semi-gloss and won't look as good.

Good luck with it and keep us posted.

Thanks Heavy Arty. I'll try it and repost the finished product.

@seuss95b - be careful with the dullcote on your finished model!!!

I have had an experience where it frosted my clear parts... (and you've never felt pain until you've had your clear parts frosted)

You might want to either remask them or live this model alone and try it on your next one....

Cheers
Wiz

Yes, dullcote will frost clear parts every time. Yu have to either tape them off or somehow keep the dullcote away from them.

Here is my finished KA-52. It is the Italeri kit in 1/72 build OOB. It is a great little kit with few problems. The only thing is the fit of the fuselage halves along the underside of the body.

Currently only a few prototypes of the KA-52 has been build. This kit is finished in typical KA-50 camouflage. The camouflage is an eduducated guess of how a production aircraft would look in operational service.

It was great participating in the campaign!

Wow, some fabulous models here guys, real inspiration to me,,
I have bookmarked the thread, and will check back regularly,

Awesome builds guys !

Steve

SH-3H Sea King, HS-4 US Navy

Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron FOUR (HS-4) was commissioned on June 30, 1952 at U.S. Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Imperial Beach. Since entering the Naval Fleet, the squadron has flown several different types of helicopters, including the HO-3S, HUP-2, H-19, SH-34J, and the SH-3H.

HS-4 began its distinguished history when it became the first Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) squadron to deploy onboard an aircraft carrier, the USS RENDOVA (CVE 14). In 1961, HS-4 earned the nickname “Black Knights” by achieving around-the-clock and all-weather ASW capability.

The squadron distinguished itself in combat during the Gulf Of Tonkin operations in 1966 when 24 downed aircrew were rescued under hostile conditions by HS-4 pilots and aircrew; a record for a single cruise which still stands today. Two years later, the Black Knights embarked on the USS YORKTOWN (CVS 10) as part of a task force sent to the Sea of Japan during the USS PUEBLO (AGER 2) crisis.

From late 1968 through the spring of 1970, the Black Knights participated in and pioneered techniques for APOLLO capsule recoveries. HS-4 was on scene for APOLLO missions 8, 10, 11, 12, and 13.

Today the squadron currently flies two versions of the Sikorsky Seahawk Naval Helicopter, the SH-60F and the HH-60H. The “Foxtrot” variant is specially equipped to prosecute enemy submarines, while the “Hotel” is a mainstay as a recovery vehicle for Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) missions. Furthermore, with the addition of the Hellfire missile system, the HH-60H is a lethal armed reconnaissance helicopter.

Designation: SH-3
Version: H
Nickname: Sea King
Basic role: Helicopter Modified Mission: Anti-submarine
Length: 72' 9"
Wingspan: 62'
No. of Engines: 2
Powerplant: General Electric T58-GE-10
Horsepower (each): 1400
Range: 625 miles
Max Speed: 166 mph

Alright the first of two is finished. The is Hasegawa’s 1/48th SH-3H Sea King. It went together well with very, very little putty. A few parts were tricky but overall it was a breeze. It was painted in Model Masters dark gull gray over Model Masters white. Certain sections had to be painted orange to match the decals, so I mixed Model Masters guards red with yellow followed by 3 coats of acrylic floor wax. Once dry it was decaled given a oil wash of gray, brown and ochre. Next I airbrushed the panels to bleach them out and to weather, then two coats of Testors dull coat.











Forgive my poor photography and lighting, will fix someday.

Joe

It looks great Joe. Good job on her.

Hi guys!

Wow! I must say I'm impressed! Five finished helicopter models, all fantastic, and the Campaign didn't even officially started yet! :-)
If that's not a a weighty argument for a dedicated Helicopter forum I don't know...

Jean-Luc

all top notch jobs well done....

blessed are those that work with tiny, fragile, constantly breaking parts....that don't raise the model over their heads and bring it down with tremendous auto-rotative force

I feel sorry for the poor guy who had to climb into that bucket on top of the WW1 helo....lol..."hey guys!, watch what it does to my spit!.."


that Dolphin is very pretty....I pray that it comes out in 1/35 one day....heh heh...You can hear me on occassion trying to immitate that tail rotor whine that it makes

Good looking DAP...these blackhawk kits scare me cuz there's so many parts....

and a nice Hokum there. very nice indeed.....

The rotorhead on the seaking is awesome..asis the rest of it...very nice.

She is done!!! Here is my HH-60G from the USAF Reserve out of Davis-Monthan AFB in OIF 1. Only 4 helos carried this unique scheme. I used the Academy 1/35 MH-60G kit, along with Cobra Company's HH/MH-60 upgrade set, and lots of scratch items. Some of the other pieces came from fellow modelers too. The Stokes Litter is from our own Mother, and the chaff/flare launchers are from a modeler in Italy. The decals were custom made by a friend as well.

Here is the actual helo:


And my rendition of it:






More here.

Nice work as usual, Gino!
I like the door gun...he he he.

I have to assume ya had some awesome references flying around your current posting, eh?

Cuhail

Thanks Murph. Actually, the only flying aircraft here are 4 USAF Res. C-130Js, the rest are all on display pedestals. The base is all schools, it is the AF's center for professional development.

Bravo Gino!

There isn't anything not to like about this one. She's a beaut! Seeing the work and attention to detail that you and Joe turn out, I'm glad I have a crappy camera to blame my finger prints and screw ups on. :-)

Gino,

Outstanding! Very well done!

Great job as usual Gino, she looks great. Someday I just have to finish one of my Hawks. Looking forward to the next.

Joe