#1
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Another Chickenhawk....
I was casting about for something quick and easy to build when I saw Sakrison's fine build of the UD-12 "Chickenhawk" (lousy name, given the political meaning of "Chickenhawk" in the U.S....) and although I have no idea about the sci-if universe it is from, I thought it looked like it would be a fun and quick build. I've had a thing for utility aircraft ever since building Revell's 1/32nd-scale UH-1D as a kid when it first came out in '67.
The model is available from toposolitario.com and comes in several different versions. The website is in Spanish so I have no clue as to the backstory of the vehicle. I chose the "civilian" colors. Inspired by Sakrison's added panel detail, I decided to do something similar. So much for a "quick and easy" build. So, 103 extra parts later, here is the model. I left off the "space navigation thrusters," figuring this would be an atmosphere-only vehicle. I added the "external fuel tanks" but cut a 2.6cm-long section out of each to make them fit. If you add them as-is, they cover the lower section of the fuselage hatches. Aside from the added panel detail, I inset some features, such as the rear ramp, the fuselage hatches and other bits. I also added air-data probes and red, green and white strobe lights. I built it so the engine pods can rotate. I need to figure out some landing gear for it. There are landing pads included with the model, but I'd like to do something a bit more detailed. Now if only somebody would re-color it in U.S. Coast Guard markings.... |
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#2
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Since I'm doing this on my iPad and can only upload one photo at a time, here's another view...
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#3
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...and another...
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#4
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...and from below...
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#5
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...and one last one.
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#6
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Thirty-five additional parts later, the UD-12 has some scratchbuilt landing gear....
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#7
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really nice build!
Wyvern |
#8
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That was a quick solution for the landing gear. :-) Are the struts all paper, or is the shiny part a metal rod?
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#9
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Thanks for the kind words. The shiny parts of the struts are toothpicks colored with a silver paint pen. I then wrapped strips of lightweight gray paper around them to make them look like struts.
The more I look at them, though, I don't like them. If it is an atmospheric-only utility vehicle, it should have wheels like the V-22 or the Blackhawk. Maybe even landing skids like the UH-1. If I'd been thinking ahead, I would've cut out a section of the external fuel tanks and boxed them in like the V-22's landing gear. I'm also thinking of redoing the engine intakes and exhausts. I'd cut them out and add internal detail -- intake trunks and fan faces at the front and some sort of articulated exhaust channel at the rear. I'll have to figure out if I can make the modifications without building all-new nacelles. Speaking of the V-22, it'd be cool to have one of these in the metallic gray paint scheme the Osprey comes in. Maybe with USAF SOC markings. And an in-flight refueling probe. And a FLIR turret.... |
#10
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Quote:
Very nice model. I guess I'll have to go back and detail one out one of these days
__________________
A fine is a tax when you do wrong. A tax is a fine when you do well. |
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