Chipsssss cobra ***Finished***

[Molly-new]

Thissss is my offering to the GB

Revell 1/32 Bell AH-1G Cobra.

First off the usual box/sprue/decal shot:



There are a few issues with this build straight from the off,

Firstly the 11 missing pieces, including/excluding (?) half a pilot:



The broken pieces:



And the 'Just plain wierd' pieces:



When will I learn to stay away from bargains at model shows

[JohnRatzenberger]

Ideal for a battle damage diorama

[jssel]

I would use some very fine sheet stock cut to resemble the square panel there and glue it on. Kind of an applique panel covering battle damage.

[Dirkpitt289]

NICE, a bell Cobra... I find it funny that you have to also assemble the pilots.

[jssel]

I wonder how much longer we will have to wait to get a state of the art "Legacy Cobra"?

[novokits]

Pilot's figure masterpiece!
A hole in the fuselage eliminated by using a composite of household soda and cyanoacrylate glue (tested on engine bonnet 1 / 48 Mi-24 from Trumpeter) glue-soda-glue-soda-glue like sandvich

[Molly-new]

Thanks for all the ideas guys, i think I will go with Jeff's suggestion of making it look like an applique panel covering battle damage. Nice one.

[Molly-new]

I have managed to get a few bits done on this but time has been short for modelling of late.

Most of the cockpit is together, but I am not happy with the seats so I am going to adapt them a little:





I have also started putting the engine together but ran out of parts



Time for a bit of sprue stretching

[Dirkpitt289]

nice work so far. Looks good.

[jssel]

Being an old Army Aviation dude I think you nailed the cockpit nicely. Later G models had an air conditioning duct on the rear bulkhead starboard side. It was an upside down J shape. It would get so hot in the cockpits that the canopy would steam over. Air conditioning it was not. It moved the outside air around to clear the glass.

Keep up the good work Chip. Your doing well.

[Old_Tonto]

Lovely job on the pit.

[Molly-new]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Building so much from scratch is a long process but strangely enjoyable

I have finished work on the joystick:



and detailed the seat a bit:

Later G models had an air conditioning duct on the rear bulkhead starboard side. It was an upside down J shape.

Thanks Jim, I had wondered what it was. Any suggestions on how to replicate the seat cushions?



With or without the ripped cushion

[MerlinJones]

Milliput is the standard, although Blu-Tak would do just as well...and you can still paint it.

That short-shot fuselage piece could have a square piece placed over it, or you could square off the hole and you'll find it easier to fill with plasticard.

Nice work on the seats.

Regards,
Bruce

[Molly-new]

Thanks Bruce, I like the blue-tac idea.

I have now sorted the short-shot fuselage piece by glueing a piece of backing plastic inside and filling with Humbrol filler.



Started on rebuilding the engine parts, heres whats missing:



I have tried stretching some sprue but it goes too thin so I am going to raid the spares box.

[jssel]

Milliput works great for seat cushions. And on the Cobra, squeeze in a piece of cloth like an old T-shirt to replicate the texture by imprint.