[Keyrigger]

Thanks Phil. It's been a lot of fun doing this beyond what is normally expected on this type of build. Take care.

Don

[Keyrigger]

After some careful thought and a poke by a very well meaning individual on another forum, I took out the collective boxes and made up a brand new set of collective sticks from scratch. Those sticks were just way too small for this install and would have become an eye-drawing focal point if I didn't do something now while the chance was the greatest to do it. By the way, one thing I never pointed out was the corrugated material on the Pilot's collective actually works. Since I had it out, I changed the way I had it structured so now it more closely resembles the actual unit. Take care.

Don

These switches were something elso to make. The toggles on the sticks were simple.

[Keyrigger]

Just a very small update tonight. I got the pedals installed so that I could actually show off the heli at a couple of local shops. I was out today to get some paints or tape so I could mark out the head like its full size counterpart. They are colour coded for assembly and adjustments so nothing like taking a page out of their book. I used the same code as one I found (E model refurbished head) but since this does not rotate counterclockwise, I reversed the order of the coding so that what ever the master blade colour is, the next one is the right one. I could not get over the fact that three shops (and a fourth that is mostly for cars) had no green pinstripe tape!! What's with that??? Oh well, Humbrol, Testors, and Tamiya to the rescue. Take care.

Don

PS: The blades are coded to the grip they are set in and the crew is screwed in place. Not pretty, LOL.

[Keyrigger]

Not too much today, either, but some work was done on the head that was not initially thought needed because of the impossible task of removing the spindles. They are REALLY well LocTited in. I was asked if I had checked the thrust bearings and I had not so today was as good as any other day to do so. Naturally, one had all the LocTite of the entire head used on it and there was none on the others, yet they were tightened by a gorilla. I nearly had to destroy the grip with a torch to get the screw to move but persistance paid off. Four of the five were assembled backwards and only one had grease on it, again, the entire grease for the five. Sheesh. I also set the "Zero" and checked total positive and negative pitch. Along with that, I also set the total collective movement to about 8 degrees. The only visible thing done was to remove the screws from the landing light housing, fill 7 in and redrill 4. The "369D" model only has five scews holding on the cover and it is a glaring error to be sure. I have just put the filler in and after midnight, it will be set enough to trim and tomorrow, dried enough to sand and paint. Yah, something to do tomorrow. Take care.

Don

[Keyrigger]

Another small update today. I got on order ten packages of Blade heli screws to mount the canopy and rear windows. It will take 222 of the little beggers to do the job, not including about 40 that will be used for decoration only. I got the finishing touches done on the landing light and finished off the UHF (VHF?) antenna under the Weapons Officer. The paint is not an exact match but makes a good base for the matching paint that is only available as spray. Take care.

Don





Those are really tiny screws that are in the base. They kind of work but CA does the real holding

[bensidus197217]

Love the light and screw placement it's little things like that that make the detail of the build come together.

[Keyrigger]

This has been a good learning experience unlike any scale building I have done in the past. Of course, as you start to look at things more closely, you find, like I did, that there are small niggles that just get under your skin and won't let up until you do something about it. The positioning of the two screws below the top screw were just that little niggle. I filled in the holes and repositioned them, again. I still need to finsh sand the ring again but this time, I am a lot happier with their look. Nobody would give it a second glance but deep down, I knew that it could be improved. Isn't this why artists loose their minds more often than most people? LoL. Take care.

Don

[Keyrigger]

Another small detail added today. I think this is a step/handhold for servicing and inspections but it is only on the pilots (right) side of the doghouse. The hole is in a fairly accurate spot but the model's boom comes way too far forward to be spot on scale. Oh well, I've got a few more detail panels planned and may get the ones for the TOW firing wire harness done this weekend. Now I wished I had that nice little Unimat lathe I had years ago. I'm going to have to turn back the hands of time and use the old standby drill turning to make the connectors, lol. Take care.

Don

[Keyrigger]

Today's additions took a LOT longer than I had thought it would. I think I was at it for about 5 hours last night and was another 6 today. Sigh. Making these little bits to add to the overall look has turned out to be a lot more than I had ever planned it to take. The final heli will look pretty much like it is supposed to. I now need to find the smallest cable ties they make and I have one to go by. I think it was from a lighting kit but I can't remember now. Here it what it turned out to be.

Don

[Keyrigger]

I know some of you are going to say "He's lost his mind, what's left of it" but something has been sitting in my craw and has been nagging at me from the moment I discovered the very large mistake in the cockpit measurements. Most were based on having the battery under the seat (it still is but way lower) and having enough room above it to let the cockpit be installed over it. I just cut 3/4" in total height off the bench and now it finally looks like it should have in the first place. The final nail in the coffin was finding a great reference on the 500C model (OH-6 military) and in there was a definiative placement of the seat and the bench, which for some reason, was not clear to me when I first started the measurements. Oh well, you'll be hard pressed to find a reason for this not to have been done, as now both pilots have ample room to have their heads placed where ever I would like. I may also rebuild the seat back to be higher but that can wait until another day. All this was done today and tonight. I'm mad................

Don



















Part of the wood removed.