Hawkwrench

While waiting for some hobby tools to come in to continue work on Wildcat 097 I began to keep my promise to the crew chief of Super 62, Paul Shannon and build his MH-60L "Rude Dude". Rude Dude was the original Super 62 in Mogadishu, but was down for an engine change when the Oct.3rd mission began. Here's a pic of Rude Dude in Somalia with TF-160. So tonight I started on the cabin and cockpit area. The cockpit floor was painted Tamiya NATO Black and the non-slip stripes were painted Tamiya XF-54. The cabin floor was just shot with a gloss coat so I can lay a AK wash down into the crevices and tiedown areas when it's dried. 1 small step in the beginning. More weathering will come later. Chow for now! Tim

Ok. Thanks for the help! Tim

Doh!!!! (Just havin some fun with ya!) Tim

I have a UMM punch and die set for making discs. While using it I've noticed that my styrene discs that I punch out have "flash"( for lack of a better term) hanging off them. When I look at others who use punched out pieces, they all look perfect What the heck am I doing wrong??? Tim

Um, ok. That just sounded really weird. Just sayin. Tim

Huh! I always wondered why the tips were cut off. Now I know! The SEWARS Sounds like our canopy release buckles we had on our parachute harnesses up by our shoulders. When you pulled the front cover down, a metal wired loop popped out and when you pulled down, it released the parachute webbing strap and deflated the chute. We learned real quick when the winds would drag us across the DZ. Tim

Wanna give it that wow factor??? Somehow figure out how to suspend the rescue swimmer in the air as he's jumping into the water! Tim

I'm an ignorant Army puke. What's SEWARS? Tim

You gonna have his chute on the water??? Tim

The things I noticed and heard was that the KH kit was WAY more accurate all the way around. The Academy kit looked like it was squashed down. (If that makes sense). The HIRSS Exhausts are too big and instead on sticking down at an angle, they stick more up. They just look wrong over all. Inside, the left and right soundproofing details are not even there at all. The back wall is completely blank of detail. (There's ALOT more to list) Being a former UH-60 Crew chief, I look for detail in these kits and the Academy ones just don't have it. Me, the KH kit is light years ahead of the Academy kit and worth the money to me. Tim

Would you be willing to cast a copy of the Isracast rescue hoist??? If so how much would you charge? I need one for a H-60 build. Thanks Tim

You sir, should write a book on your scratchbuilding techniques. This stuff is just simply mind-blowingly (is that a word?) beautiful! You don't screw nothing up, do you??? Tim

Thanks Matt! I've never spent that long sitting in one place with an optivisor on and I really don't want to do it again. To me that was stressful. Tim

After much looking over and dry fitting the Academy parts, I came to the conclusion-They aren't gonna fit! Oh joy! I was so hoping these would fit because scratchbuilding them would be a royal pain and YEP it lived up to it. 8 1/2 hours later, I finally had 2 scratchbuilt restraints minus the top knuckle I was able to use from the Academy part. I don't wanna do this again! This sucked. Along with them, I also scratchbuilt the rear cabin wall fuel panel using my rptoolz punch set and fuel fittings from the KH kit. Chow for now! Tim

You make everything you touch look awesome! Great start on the figure so far. Will you paint my figures??? Lol Tim

Next up was starting to experiment with the fit of the tank restraints from the Academy kit. It fits on the tank, but not sure about the sidewalls just yet. More to come tomorrow night. Tim

Thanks Pete! I'm a little proud that I made that. Next to the IP and center consoles I scratchbuilt for Wernerswings H-60 sets, this is the biggest and most complicated piece I've built. Tim

Thanks Oliver. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I have to scratchbuild ALOT of stuff for this helicopter seeing no AM company has the things I need including Wernerswings. So I'm gonna get a bunch of practice at scratchbuilding! YIKES!!! Tim

Thanks Kev! Tim

Worked on the fuel tank again tonight and made the handles out of strip and rod styrene with Archer rivets as boltheads. I'm calling this done and now it will be sent out. Chow for now! Tim

Thanks Maru! Glad you like it. Only Pete's, Oliver's and Chuck's stuff is flawless though. My stuff???, Eh, will see! Tim

Thanks Squizzy. I have a AM guy who wants it so he can cast them in resin. All I have left to do is make and glue the 4 handles on it and then I'll mail it off and hopefully the helo modelers will have a internal fuel tank to add to their models. Tim

Tonight, I was able to start on the 200 gal internal fuel tank that the HH-60L carries on board. I'm lucky that I have a friend who works for the Robertson Fuel tank company and he sent me some pics of the tank plumbing on top. Here's what the real tank plumbing looks like: And here's what I've built. All that's left is to make the 4 tank handles for the sides. I'm no Chuck or Pete, But just trying to do the best I can. Hope to get there someday! Lol Chow for now! Tim

Both of you are military jet pilots? Is that cool or what!!! Talk about a different way of traveling on vacation. I can see it now- "I'm flying today" "No I am. You flew yesterday" " But that was hard IFR with a minimums ILS approach. Today is VFR!" Wife emphatically says with that wife look men get we they want us to shutup: "I'm flying today. End of discussion!!!" Pete says--" Yes dear!!!!" Tim

Probably either another Corsair, 109, 190 or another "new" model of the same ole, same ole!!! Tim