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I started by using the
main fuselage section of Fujimi’s Q-8 AH-1S Step III Cobra. Supplied in
this kit is the upper fuselage section for a Japanese Defense Force Step
II Cobra. The Step II Cobra
is similar to the AH-1G Cobra with some slight differences. The AH-1 S in
both the step II and Step III versions have a flat window and they
attaches to the fuselage
differently than the G Model Cobras. |
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I
would use the nose section and windows from the AH-1J Sea Cobra which has no
chin turret and has the rounded windows carried on the G model Cobras.
I started the kit by working
the cockpit area, I added seat belts to both seats and used some brass wire to
simulate the air conditioning hoses to each of the cobra seats. I filled in gaps
on either side of the cockpit with strip styrene. I re-cut the upper fuselage
halves to accept the rounded windows of the AH-1J Cobra and scratch built a
weapons site system for the gunner, using pieces from my scrap box. I glued the
fuselage halves together and used cyanoacrilate to fill small seams down the
center of the fuselage. I reworked the engines air intake system by building up
the ramped vents and adding fine nylon mesh, styrene and photo etch scraps to
complete the main engine air intake.
Next I rebuilt the turret
system by deleting the 20mm rotating cannon and adding a 7.62 rotating cannon
and 40 mm grenade launcher. I used an old minigun from an Academy MH-60
helicopter and aluminum tubing to build the weapons system for my Cobra.
I added strip styrene, old
photo etch, and brass rod to rebuild the rotor head and give the kit a little
more detail. The rotor hear was painted with Model Master Metalizer Aluminum
non-buffing paint and the rotors painted with Polly Scale scale black
and painted red tips on each of the blades. I replaced the tail rotor with an
old Monogram Cobra kit that was part of my model scrap yard. The tail rotor was
painted aluminum and scale black with yellow tips.
I painted the entire helicopter
Model Master Field Drab (FS 30118) and added a black watercolor wash, when dry.
I clear coated the helicopter and applied some scrap decals from around the
house. I wanted to add the shark’s mouth to the helicopter and with some
reference material I started masking and painting. I started by painting the
mouth area red and used friset film, mask each row of teethe and painted them
white. I hand painted the black outline of the mouth and added some more small
detail to the teethe with the black paint. The helicopter was dull coated. I
added the red beacon light on the rotor head cowling and added small tie down
loops to each skid. Attached the main rotor assembly and the tail rotor and
finally a completed AH-1 G Cobra with Shark Mouth.
Bob
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