Fire Spotter

[Kerick]

Here's a little something I've started inspired by some of Tophe's artwork. Tophe used a Bell 206 fuselage but I'm using a Matchbox Bk 117 because that's what I had on hand. It will be combined with a P-82 with the cockpits removed. All in 1/72nd scale.



The P-82 is a knockoff of the Monogram kit by Idea Hobby. Holy crap what a bad moulding! I'm not usually the type to complain about kits all the time but wow, what a dog. Its the Monogram mold but it must have been the worst one they had.



You can see here how much I had to widen the mid wing to allow for the Bk 117 fuselage. I used some kit sprue for reinforcement. It also helps to support the new wing sections.





The green is a section removed from the Hasegawa OV-1 Mohawk I'm converting to another helicopter. These wing sections fit almost perfectly. The Bk 117 blades will probably go on the Mohawk so there are many parts changing places here. The tape is holding the wing section down until the glue dries.
Putty has been applied to the wings and fuselage seams. Next I have to figure out how to cover the cockpits without using a ton of putty. I'm thinking of making it with nose gear so the less weight behind the main gear, the better. As is I will have to put lots of weight as far forward as possible. I could extend the nose of the engine nacelles and add some turbo prop engines. A couple of PT-6s should work. Paint will be some variation of Cal Fire or US Forest Service.

[raafif]

I was thinking the BK fuselage would become a lowered central pod for all-round vision below

[Kerick]

It will be somewhat lowered and at least the front seats forward of the props.

[Old Wombat]

Hmm?! I'm wondering if you might have a nose-sitter, there. You may want to prepare to create a tricycle undercarriage, just in case.

[Kerick]

Hmm?! I'm wondering if you might have a nose-sitter, there. You may want to prepare to create a tricycle undercarriage, just in case.

I’m pretty sure that’s the route I will take. If I had thought of it earlier I would have looked at a way to move the main gear farther back on the wing to make it sit properly. Too late now unless I store the gear A-10 style. Question is how to create the nose gear?
I will be adding tip tanks too. I’ll use the gas bags from the Mohawk.

[Kerick]

Here's an update. Things have been moving slowly. It's summer so lots of other things to do.
The cockpits have been planked over with strips of plastic. I tried to get it flush but some putty will be required. Also it shows what the tip tanks might look like.



Here is the Bk117 cabin with as much weight as I can cram into it. Not shown is the cockpit seats from an S-3 Viking with a bit of lead under them too.



Cockpits and wings puttied up with tip tanks attached. They are repurposed wing tanks from the Mohawk.



Here's another example of how this kit is such a dog. (My apologies to the real live dogs out there.) The part that is supposed to hold the prop in place so it can spin is completely off center. Both sides are like this. I had to shim a little bit to hold the part in place but geez. The props are a hot mess too but I'll clean them up. They will have to be glued straight to the nose. I've built the Monogram kit and although basic its far better than this thing. Something I'm sure I bought at a vendor table for cheap. You get what you pay for.



Here's the underside with the main gear in place and the tail wheel openings closed up. I may reposition the main gear farther back on the wing. Question is how to do it. It will have to retract forward like a Skyhawk or an A-10. Also inside the fuselages or outside?



I'll keep puttering around with this. I'll think I'll keep the main gear wheel bay and attach a Skyhawk style bulge. May the spares box faerie help me! Also I have to figure out how to attach the nose gear to a cabin that was never meant to have one. Wish me well!

[Gingie]

Love love love where you are going with this!

[raafif]

Looks like it's already flown through a retardant drop 

[Kerick]

Not yet!
I made a UV resin cast off the bottom of the cabin. I installed a spare wheel well in the mold before I poured the resin. I then sanded off part of the bottom of the cabin and ca glued it together. Some ca glue and baking soda then Bondo for all the filler needed. At least now I have a nose wheel well. Looking much better.

[Kerick]

Just realized I haven't posted pictures here in quite awhile. So here's a photo dump.



Here's with the UV resin casting in place with mucho putty applied. As I sanded off part of the existing underside to attach the casting I removed a couple of pieces of lead as I figured I had put in more than enough.
I skipped the other pics of gobs of Bondo as once you've seen one, you've seen them all.





And we have the cabin finally attached to the rest of the aircraft. Plastic cement where the plastic touches plastic and ca everywhere else.



Underside with lots of Bondo in place. It's going to have to stay that way. You can see the nose gear well and the new main gear arrangement. The cabin placement and the spacing of the prop tips worked out well.



The rest of the parts I need to deal with soon. Mostly just painting at this point. I need to lengthen the horizontal stab the same as the center wing. You can see the metal straight pin pieces I'm using for attaching the former P-40 legs to the P-82 wing.



This is the AH-1W Cobra conversion to a fire site command and control helicopter. This does have one foot in reality as the US Forest Service used AH-1H Cobras in that role for several years. I went with the Whiskey Cobra as I felt the USFS needed an upgrade and two engines would be good in the rugged terrain. I started a thread on it a while back. Hopefully as they will both be white I can at least paint the basic coat for both at once.

[GTX_Admin]

Looking good

[Frank3k]

That looks good! Are you channeling some EricR?

[Buzzbomb]

Adding the helo cabin, changed the look completely, really is taking shape now

[Old Wombat]

Starting to show her potential! More of an "Are you sure that's a whif?" than you'd think.

[Kerick]

Thanks everyone!! I’m

[Robomog]

Now you've put the cabin on it all makes sense 

Looking good, definitely embracing your inner ericr, interested to see the finished project

Mog
>^-.-^<

[Kerick]

I made an insert for the tail plane. I must have done something right because it fit perfectly.





I added a third rudder as the cabin added a lot of side area to the aircraft. I made it from a loose F-86 fin. I made the outline of it as close to the P-82 tail as possible





I calculated the insert to have one seam on the center line to give me an easy way to align the new rudder and to be able to hide at least one of them. I'm working on blending in the cabin to the P-82 wing. I also made nose wheel well doors.

[raafif]

   Maybe the third fin should go below the tail-plane or perhaps strakes under the fuselages ?

[Kerick]

Too late to move the fin but the strakes are a good idea. Thanks!

[John Howling Mouse]

This is the kind of bold, innovative bashing I most admire.  Can't wait to see more!

[Kerick]

Thanks everyone!

[finsrin]

Innovative combination/concept and coming together well 

[Gingie]

Contender for BTS of the Year here

[Kerick]

Thanks again!! It was all Tophe’s idea!

[Kerick]

A little update. Things don't look much different but thin layers of putty have been applied to really smooth some things out. The windscreen is in using Elmers clear glue. There were some gaps in the edges of the windscreen which I filled with Elmers. I should be able to smooth it out tomorrow.



Here's the underside. It looks the same but much smoother. Biggest problem was the cast with the UV resin came out a little lumpy. So I had to use putty to fill divots. The putty was softer than the UV resin so it sanded away faster leaving low spots.



Here's a little tool I found at the local big box store.



It wasn't even in the automotive section, just in with the regular 120 grit paper. I should have bought several as it will be gone when I wear this one out. It works well on the jobs a little too big for all the nail files I use.

Hopefully I can get to painting soon. I'll be at my Reserve squadron reunion picnic for the weekend and hopeful get up to the big EAA fly in at Oshkosh Wisconsin on Friday. I haven't been there for years so this will be exciting. The USAF brought in a B-52 this year and others I'm sure so I'll try to get a few pics. Warbird Digest has a farce book page with tons of photos.

Here's a problem I was hoping someone could help out with. On the real Firewatch Cobras the side windows are outrageously bulged outward to allow the crew to see better towards the ground just below the aircraft.



To recreate this I was hoping someone might have a spare canopy I could use to start making a mold from. The other problem is since I started this 4 years ago I've forgotten what kit the Whiskey Cobra is.
Here's a pic that might help.



If anyone has a suggestion I would love to hear it.