Wanted to ask the Fine folks here at the FS forum If you have found any Nice kits in 1/48 Scale (or 1/72) ?
Either a AC-130H Spectre - AC-130U Spooky - or even a AC-130E
Thanks for the help
Hiya Iron,
At the moment I am not sure what variant it was but Italeri did one in 48th. Know what, I think they did the Spectre.
Flaps up, Mike
Italeri did/does the AC-130U Spectre Gunship. They also did the AC-130H Spooky, I built this version with 40mm Bofors cannon instead of 105mm Cannon on U model. It builds up nicely, only things missing are the gunners’ control box in the cargo bay. I constructed mine out of plastic sheet and bits and pieces for detail parts. It is also missing ammo boxes for the 20mm and .30 cal miniguns, and 40mm cannon. Also built them from plastic card. I have one that now hangs in my workshop/garage providing continuous fire support. There was an article in FSM a while back that had scale drawings and detailed instructions on sprucing up the kit and making it more accurate. It was in the August 1988 issue, it is for the Italeri 1/72 kit, but can also be used to update the 1/48th kit as well.
Italeri AC-130U Spectre Kit:
Available at Great Models Webstore:
http://www.greatmodels.com/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=it866
Here is my completed AC-130H Spooky model:
It is a great kit, big, but great. Good luck.
i have a AC130 Spectre in 1:72 scale put out by
Italeria kit no 139. I got this a few months ago on ebay . You might try there.
Thanks for the 411
Actually I think I saw an Italeri kit at the LHS I might have to check that out.
Perhpas someone might think for a Fun Group Build perhaps late Spring to Include The Gunships [;)] [;)]
One thing about the Testors/Italeri AC-130 Spectre kits… They are actually C-130B/E aircraft masquerading as AC-130As. Most notable difference between the AC-130A and the AC-130E/H and the U-boat is the props… A models had 3 bladed propellers, whereas the E/H/U aircraft have 4 bladed props. There’s a few other differences too, but those are the most noteable. I’m building a 1/72 scale AC-130A, and the ‘upgrades’ I’m doing and planning on doing are waaay too extensive to list here. Drop me an email and I’ll send you what I know and have.
Cool I will keep you in mind if I need some more info on details between the versions. And if nothing else you will have to point me towards some pics [;)]
I’ve built both airfix’s and ESCI’s AC-130H which are available in 1/72.
Both Kits require work to make them presentable plus alot of reseach (especially the ESCI/AMT kit) because of inaccuracies with the instructions. Researching the aircraft and modeling an accurate ship can also be difficult as Im pretty sure no two gunships are the same. Especially when it comes to sensor locations. If you go with either of these kits kits lemme know and I can piont out most of the flaws and offer some advice on the builds.
this is the ESCI kit
there is nothing nice about a AC-130… you see them coming you run as fast as you can in the other direction. Ouch! : )
Unless you’re the one that called Spooky to the party, then you get that nice warm feeling from knowing that your backside is covered…
Geeez, I just remembered that I have a bunch of detail shots of AC-130s, both interior and exterior. On top of getting the web site up and running, I gotta get that scanner going again too… [:D]
Things that went bump in the night(and owned it)(don’t run, you only die tired)
AC-47 Spooky
AC-119 Shadow
AC-130 Spectre(the fabulous four engine fighter)
Might want to check out Squadrons book “Gunships”
I would like to see those pics … let me know if you get those Scanned.
If you need a place to post them I can do that (as I have a web server for my day job 
Very true … thats way We Like them [:D]
Iron Chef I can email you a bunch of the reference photos I used for my builds if you want.
Thanks for your offer , that would be very cool however there is no hurry as the kit in not in the rotation yet [;)]
But again all the help is appreciated