Zvezda 1/72 C-130H Hercules

[papa 695]

Cracking start Andy

[Neil Merryweather]

That's a lovely start Andy, totally agree about the crew looking the part in there, very well painted. It certainly is a monster

I thought it was 1/48 scale by the painting of the crew, had to go back & check- top job , Andy :thumb2:

[yak face]

Great start andy , it looks a lovely kit . Cheers tony

[outrunner]

Great work Andy.

Andy.

[Guest]

Thanks everyone, some lovely comments. You'll make me blush :smiling4:

I assembled the wings today and everything slotted together perfectly. For anyone that hasn't done a modern Zvezda kit yet, you really ought to give one a go. Forget the bad reputation they earned in the past.

As you can see, pretty big. I've settled on the RAF version, which is the only one with a refuelling pipe, so the marked holes were drilled out for this.

[ATTACH]406561[/ATTACH]

I supported the tips on two blocks so that it's own weight would keep the top two joints together while it dried. They didn't need any tape or pressure, just something to prevent the long wings drooping and pulling the joints apart. When supported in the centre it gives that distinctive, perfectly flat wing top running across the arcraft.

[ATTACH]406562[/ATTACH]

And for comparison, here it is with a '109 of the same scale

[ATTACH]406563[/ATTACH]

I got the cargo deck and loading ramps painted too. There's a bit of pre-shading under there, but it'll get a bit more weathering down the line.

[ATTACH]406564[/ATTACH]

I also got the interior put together. It's hard to see with the black primer but there's quite a lot going on in there, and many bits of equipment to add once the main colour is done. The cockpit area was coloured up. Most of it will be hidden (especially all those ejector pin marks!) but figured it couldn't hurt. Will hopefully get the rear painted tomorrow.

[ATTACH]406565[/ATTACH]

Interestingly, a number of the parts needed shortening before fitting. This was well described in the instructions, with cut lines clearly moulded on the parts, but it does add weight to what Dave mentioned above about the (stretched) C-130J version being in the pipeline.

[rtfoe]

Hi Andy,
Lovely start on the office and progress on the wing and innards. The office is spacious and is missing a stenographer and coffee machine. :smiling6:
I have to get rid of my Italeri 1/48 H version and get this kit.

Cheers,
Richard

[Guest]

Thanks Richard.

I definitely wouldn't have room for a 1/48! I'm already looking for a piece of wood to extend my painting bench for this :smiling5:

[Nicko]

Looking good!

The kit certainly looks light years ahead of the old Airfix example I struggled with when I was about twelve!

Nick

[Guest]

Cheers Nick. Everything seems to be fitting together nicely so far.

[Guest]

I got the cargo area completed today and the cockpit in place. To say how many sub assemblies were involved it went together really well. Lots of scope for someone who likes to super detail to really go to town, but OOB is good enough for me. I missed a few ejector marks that I thought would be hidden by the seats. Oh well, too late now :smiling5:

[ATTACH]406809[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]406810[/ATTACH]

Then I mated the two halves together. There is a tiny step in places, although not as bad as the black primer seepage makes it look. A quick swipe with a sanding stick should sort it.

[ATTACH]406811[/ATTACH]

[Allen Dewire]

Evening Andy,

Just caught up with this and I see you are "Flying High Again" (sorry Ozzie) with a Herc. You are doing a bang up job and no one will see much of the interior anyway, so don't worry about pin ejector marks. Cool that it came with figs for the cockpit too....

Flown about in these a few times in the Army. Pretty wild until they drop to 500 feet so the airborne can practice low jumps. They throw the side doors open for them to jump and the whole plane shudders and you think it's going to crash. Ahhh, to be young again!!!

Go Scratchy, go....This is gonna be great!!!

Prost
Allen

[Tim Marlow]

Looking really cool. Always a feel good bit in a wingy build when the fuselage goes together....

[Guest]

Thanks chaps.

Yes Allen, figures were a nice touch and you might actually be able to see them a bit :smiling5:

Agreed Tim, feels like a bit of a milestone along the journey.

[Guest]

Looking really cool. Always a feel good bit in a wingy build when the fuselage goes together....

Amen to that!

[Si Benson]

Great job Andy....looks like a nice kit and your certainly doing it justice :thumb2: