Rick's CH-53E Super Stallion 1/48 scale

Modeling Subjects Helicopters
1

This was my Christmas gift from the family 2014

I’m not going to lie about this model , For a 1/48 scales this is a monster beast. This will start in about week or two .

Enjoy

Rick

Big Ed’s eduards photo etch set

This kit is so big . I had to get a plastic tub out to was parts off …

2

Awesome!! Used to fly -53’s and have a few of these in my stash…I will definitely be watching this build.

3

i wish ,I could see one one in real life .Really can’t imagine how big this bird is .

Rick

Work as pick up , so the model build will slow down .

I have been working on rotor head just little . These parts are big . That’s a plus for tired eyes …

Enjoy

Rick

4

They are huge aircraft! Figure that rotor head plate, pictured above, is 6’ in diameter. My feet used to dangle off one wen while I preflighted the other. The blades are 383", roughly 30’ long and weigh 400 lbs.

5

All I can say is WOW. thats big

Rick

6

This morning i was working in the blade / rotor hinges . I had one holding with my tweezers . It pop off and went lord only knows . It seems this happens a lot to me . HEHEHE

Now I’m in the process building a new hinge

Enjoy

Rick

model hinge

My hinge I’m building

My rotor head I thought , I would color match parts tell its glued in place . Since I’m going to fold the blades in . There is a one way these parts need to be . I’m sure glad i saw this . Those hinges were all in wrong . I fixed and color code them

7

Picture of my new lawn mower

Rick

8

Nice work on the -53 so far! I’d let you see my lawnmower too, but the wife doesnt like her picture being taken. LOL!

9

I hope you keep posting progress reports. This looks to be so much more fun than the progress reports from my son’s teachers. knox

10

Yes i will . This will be a long build . This is a big and many parts model …

Thank you

I thought the way the hinges work with top blade fold in ,I’m scared the small glued part will not be a good support .

I am going to drill the hinge and install wire for support . These are big blade .

Only 6 more to do …

Enjoy

Rick

11

Good luck on the build, it looks like an awesome kit. I just haven’t gotten around to picking up that model, only have the CH-46 in the stash collection with the fast movers. Gotta watch out for that carpet monster, he’s certainly a hungry one and got his fill from kits of mine.

I use to catch hops on the 53’s when I was station at K-Bay back in the 70’s which was fun but nothing beats sitting in a Huey with the doors open and hedge hopping over the countryside or skimming off shore from Oahu.

12

Thanks Archangel

I was almost finish making this part I lost Saturday .Then this evening Nigel Scot the baby toy poodle found it for me . My wife goes what have you got Nigie . Them boom the part falls out of his mouth . I was happy to have it , then same time that could been very bad .

then the wife jumps my a@@ hard . i may be sleeping on the couch tonight .

Enjoy

Rick

Below is one of the parts I lost Saturday

13

Since everything turned out ok, this is a funny story. I suppose if any more small parts are lost you will feel the need to sort through Nigel’s droppings:)

14

YES funny now … These little dogs can find almost anything … I looked everywhere for that part … I have no ideal where he pick that part up …

Rick

15

The rotor head is getting all plastic parts installed . The hinges work great . I can fold them in or out … Now I need to start some basic piping …

Enjoy

Rick

Reference Photo

16

I pulled out the body and re scribe the panel lines while watching Joe Dirt …(HEHEH Funny show)
This is a big body for 1/48 scale …

Time to grill BBQ Chicken

Enjoy

Rick

17

This model is not going to get lost on the display shelf. If not too much trouble could you explain a little more about why you color coded the rotor head. Thanks knox

18

That rotor head has several pieces . I’m going fold the blades in . With that said , the head pieces and hinges need to be in correct order for the blades to lay proper … I had those parts apart several times . I colored coded them so I know where they need to be .

Rick

Glued the rear blade together . Drill holes into the body for later uses

Enjoy

Rick

19

Thanks for the reply. This looks like the kind of kit that I could totally botch. knox

20

Working little on the rotor head piping …

Enjoy

Rick

Reference photo

My start

Glued parts onto the rotor head . Wait tell tomorrow if time allows to start routing the piping