I’m calling this one done, and I think it does evoke what a CH-37 looks like. Menacing to those who worked on and flew it, if not to the enemy, though they did do time in Viet Nam until the Skycrane and Chinooks were available for heavy lift.
I put in the markings of one I worked on in 66 to 71 in the Cal ARNG 49th Avn Bn at Stockton, 0-50643 after it was repainted in the newer non gloss OD. I used ANA 613, looks close to what I remember. What minimal decals needed were done on my Alps MD-1000 after drawing them in Corel X4.
I think Special Hobby did a fine job of capturing the shapes and the fit was pretty good. The cockpit assembly was too wide for the fuselage, especially at the seat tops. As usual I did not use all of the PE parts, to fiddly and unlikely to be seen if they are on, like all the climbing handles. I know they are there on the real thing but I can’t see them in most photos. Assembly was made more difficult by weak instructions as to placement and no definite fits on complex assemblies where errors can become additive. And then I lost two of the augmentor tubes and had to make a two part mold and cast replacements in order to bring things to a timely close.
More pictures of the build at the Helicopter GB in progress now.
It is great to see one of these done, I think yours is only the second I’ve seen built.
Did you have any issues with the power eggs as far as a need for any additional support? I’ve been watching your progress but didn’t see any mention of that. I’m just wondering because that looks like a potential weak spot the way everything is supported on fairly small connections.
It looks good, and should look right at home next to your UH-34.
Very nicely done John. I have two kits also and plan on starting one soon. I am going to attempt to cut out all the loded screen area and add screen (Crossed fingers). I have the aftermarket engines from a A-26 I believe and hopefully everything will come out the way I’m wishing. Anyway, Again a very nice build and I hope mine comes out at least as nice as yours.
Thanks, everyone, I appreciate the comments. Yes, Bill, you better get going on the CH-46. I am watching you!
The power eggs have good glue area to the stub wings, and I did the joint filling there with superglue so strength was not a problem. I assembled each stub wing to the egg, and when all the filling was done I slipped the wings into the assembled fuselage and made the join with the wings with superglue. Finally I glued the wings to the fuselage, using my eyeballs and some faint panel lines on the wings to get the assembly square with the fuselage. The eggs are strong when done but getting all the nacelle and screen parts together properly took some concentration.
I thought some about doing mesh screens, but there would be some pretty complex forming to do so I did the paint method instead. I only have a few pictures close up of the engines in the screen area, but what is visible is the accessory section with the generator and other parts, and a lot of twisted up exhaust piping coming up around to the top of the nacelle to feed into the oil cooler plenum chamber. You can’t see any cylinder detail at all as I recall, unless the front cowl is opened up.
