PTE Blackhawk WIP

Fled74

Fled74

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With the disappointment surrounding the new BBI MH-60 I thought I'd convert my PTE Blackhawk into something similar. Accuracy be damned, I say.

Okay, most of you will probably say "Why bother? It's a frickin' underscale PTE toy!" but bear in mind that these are all I have access to, and they're cheap and readily available. Perfect custom fodder, if you ask me. "Do what I can with what I've got" is my hobby motto.

I was just gonna spray it USAF Olive Drab (Tamiya AS-6) but I realized I might as well change a few things while I've got it disassembled.

Anyway, on to the WIP pics.

I opened up the gunner windows and added a window rail and sill out of styrene. While I was at it I added styrene scoops to the flat air intakes.


I wanted to remove the middle row of seats so I cut the floor out. The plastic is easy to cut and carve. The fuselage had already been painted at this point.


I traced the floor shape onto a piece of styrene, cut it out and sprayed it black. I also cut out one of the spare seats to use for the gunners.


Installed.


Working on some interior detail now, to be followed by mounts for the Marauder miniguns.

More pics to come.
 
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lancelot

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At least it will be more functional that way. I'll have to try that myself.
 
Fled74

Fled74

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Currently modding the Marauder miniguns and wondering what to use for the swivel mounts.

Meanwhile, here's a couple of shots of my BBI Blackhawk with Pickelhaube nose detail parts.
The minigun mounts on this one are toy-like and unrealistic.

 
Midget

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derek_001 said:
That looks great i wonder if he'll do those in 48 scale
Click to expand...

I'm not sure why he would. He's one of the few kit makers for 1:18th scale. The standard 1/48. 1/72, 1/32, etc etc is flooded with conversion kits. That and I'm almost positive there's a 1/48 kit of the same model as Pickels conversion kit porduces.

I'm totally not knocking Pickel's work herre- he does great stuff but-in my mind, why would you release something that's already been done many, many times over?
 
Rick

Rick

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Ohh this is going to be nice. I have one and would like to do something with it.
 
Rick

Rick

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NSA said:
"Why bother? It's a frickin' underscale PTE toy!"

Nuff said.

... but hope it turns out well!
Click to expand...

So narrow minded. It's a futuristic fast attack "Ghost Hawk" helo designed with a smaller profile to carry out quick strike missions in urban enviroments.

Geeeze:rolleyes:
 
lancelot

lancelot

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I think the lack of a door is more unrealistic than the machine gun.
 
lancelot

lancelot

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that's interesting. I wonder if there's anything you can do about that hinge thing that the door is suppose to swing on, it could use that added touch.
 
Fled74

Fled74

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I've done the minigun mounts (made of aluminum bits) and some interior detail, but I'm now debating whether to model it as a crashed chopper instead, for a Black Hawk Down photo series that I've been planning for ages.

Or I could just get another PTE BH and crash that instead (but I don't have room for another). Decisions, decisions...
 
Mandingo Rex

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Fled74 said:
The minigun mounts on this one are toy-like and unrealistic.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but with figures that look so toy-like and unrealistic, it fits in perfectly with those guys! :D

The helicopter (both that one and the WIP) look great so far though. Accuracy be damned! Yo Joe!
 
Rick

Rick

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yeah wtf, I don't want to hear you yaking, let's see some goods!
 
Fled74

Fled74

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Yep, I do have some pics of the new super-easy, super effective swiveling minigun mounts I made last night.
Unfortunately the pics are on my phone, and I'm typing this on my wife's laptop from the children's hospital.
I'll post them when I get home in a few hours.
 
Fled74

Fled74

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As promised, here are the new pics.

Here's the older mount on my custom BBI MH-60 - a strip of brass bent into a "2" shape (highlighted in red). The yellow dot is the pivot. The Marauder miniguns were shortened and flipped upside-down.


I'd originally made similar mounts for the PTE bird, but I discarded them when I found these plastic cable clips from the hardware store. I found a whole pack of 40 for $2.50.
I shortened the barrels of the long Marauder miniguns, but they're still longer than the "micro" minigun they sell. I also cut off the grip and trigger, to be replaced soon with scratchbuilt grips.


I cut a couple of rectangular-cross-section chopsticks to the required lengths. Two are for the mounting arms, and two are glued under the plastic window sills I made. I wrapped them in aluminium roofing tape and sealed the raw ends with superglue.


The clips came with nails (circled in red), but they were a bit too thick so I pulled them out and used slightly thinner nails (circled in green).


I cut off the minigun carry handle and shortened the "block" it was attached to. I also drilled a hole to accept a shortened nail as a pivot.
Also pictured is the modified cable clip and mounting arm with holes drilled.


Here's the finished assembly. I used superglue sparingly. The nail pivot at the end will be shortened and glued into a hole drilled in the window sill.


Retracted.


Extended.


Repeat for the other side.


Temporarily closed up to see what it looks like. The mount on the left has been painted. Tamiya acrylic sticks well to the white plastic clip.


Just need to add the grips, top rails, ammo feed, and ejection chutes to the miniguns.

I'm quite pleased with the end result. They look so nice that I'll be retrofitting my BBI Blackhawk with them.
 
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Fled74

Fled74

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I added some styrene bits inside to thicken the door pillar, and to cover up the holes in the cabin where the landing gear sticks through.


With the paint still wet, I put the fuselage halves together to see what it looks like.



Coming up next: extra details for the miniguns. I'll be using the Marauder ammo boxes for these.
 
Fled74

Fled74

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I've made a little more progress on the miniguns, with a piece of bendy drinking straw for the shell ejection chute and a short length of craft ribbon for the ammo belt. I still need to add the grips and top rail. Progress has been slow these last few days.



 
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Slaymaker

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You have some great ideas for the belt and the chute...I am watching and taking note as I may need to apply some of your tricks later. :D
 
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