Thank you for the kind words, Keavdog!
This was a nostalgic build: I built this kit long ago when I was 12.
Lots of firsts for me with this kit: rescribed the whole plane as it had raised panel lines, rivet decals, cut out and rebuilt wheel wells from plastic card as they were too shallow, AM resin seat and pedals, made up the instrument panel with Waldron instruments and bezels and weathering with oil paints.
The paint job is magnificent. That’s a great fact that you’ve gotten on the sides of the fuselage. Not too overly weathered either. Congratulations on a killer build.
I’ ve been working on Gecko’s PACV recently.
Decals are all on and sealed so I can start the weathering.
Finished my T-700 Turboshaft
That’s really something,pretty cool.
Outstanding. What a great kit. I wish I could snag something like that.
Ya, once a year (bonus time) I buy something stupid 
I crewed 57-0497 as Loadmaster and Drone Control Operator during the second Gulf War.
We loaded her up with Ryan Firebees and took her downtown over Iraq. The AC-130 ramp is where we parked. The crew and maintainers of those birds treated us well!
I didn’t realize that Firebees were still being used then… very cool.
Powers way above our little squadron decided that Iraqi AA guns needed to be located, just like their missiles. So someone said “Hey, the Navy has this old C-130 that carries and controls drones. Why not put it up, launch the drones, and let the drones fly around drawing AA fire?!”
So we went over and spent the opening night and the next few nights launching modified Firebees(bunches of flare dispensers to draw attention) and we flew them around Bagdhad and Tikrit. Whenever an AA battery opened up on them, someone above us would guide a munition onto their position.
57-0497 was built in…1957. That made her about the oldest bird in theatre and in combat at that time. There used to be a model of the DC-130A; if I ever find one I’m building it.
There were two of these aircraft at Ahmed Al Jabber AB, in Kuwait, at the start of “OIF”, I remember seeing them.
Steve
Ours was as you see in the photograph. We took it up to Edmonton AB(Canadian rework facility) for some work, and tried to get it painted but the Navy shut that idea down; NAVAIR has manuals that prescribe exactly how an aircraft can be painted. The Navy DC-130As didn’t have an approved camouflage.
Here is my 1/72 Heller T-28 Fennec ready for some paint:
And here is my multi-million Ugandan Shilling paint-booth. It’s got full lighting, ventilation, HazMat storage, premixing areas, and drying area.
Awesome that we do some of the maintenance work up here in Canada, especially out west. Hopefully you got a bit of time to check out the area while you were here.
I did, and I do truly love western Canada; both the plains and the coast! If I ever find some property up there I could afford I’d buy it and put a little house on it.
Working on a 1/48 Hobby Boss La-11 FANG
I got a bit more done on that T-28 today.
before some detail paint:
And after some detail paint:
Now I need to scrounge up some decals for USAF trainers! This model is part of a series I’m building to honor my Dad’s memory. He flew J-3s, T-6s, T-28s, T-33s, B-47s, and B-52s.
I got my 1/48 HMMWV just about to the finish line…
just need to do final weathering, then I’m calling it done.
Lookin good,I got one in sand,pretty tiny !!!
