1/35 Little Bird MH-6M

[deafpanzer]

Hi guys,

I am overdue for a helicopter build as it has been nearly two years since I built my last one. I am doing another Little Bird but this time I will be using conversion set from Black Ops to turn it into MH-6M that carried Special Force troops just like we have seen in the movie Black Hawk Down.





Very impressed with the resin set from Black Ops... very organized and fragile parts were carefully wrapped too.



Instructions from Black Ops is probably the best and most clear I have seen so far... see for yourself.



I am going to use a figure from Evolution Miniatures... I thought it will help us see how tiny the little bird is if you can have the figure standing next to it. I was drawn to the relaxed posture of the Special Force guy...



Last night I started working on the interior...





Can't wait to return to my bench tonight... LOL Thanks for looking!

[Leon]

Nice start on the interior Andy !! Lots of nice detail there.

[JimD]

*Giggling Intensifies*

I can't wait for this one to unfold. The Little Bird has always been cool in my book. I know you'll do a killer job on this one. And wow...that figure is just amazing looking. Can't wait to see it done up.

[TRM]

Great to see this one on the move Andy!! Enjoy Brotha!! Looks like you have nice looking figs as well!! Going to be one sweet project!!

In case anyone is interested, there is a complete review of the Little Bird Upgrade from Black Ops in the MSC Review Connect if you care to see - trmreviewconnect.wordpress.com/2014/09/17/black-ops-models-little-bird-mh-6m-conversion-kit-for-135-dragon-mh-6j/

I am sure Andy will let us know his opinions on the set along the way!!

Great job so far buddy...keep it going!!

[JimD]

Thanks for the link to the review. Wow....52 parts. That's a nice little kit in it's own right

[TRM]

LOL...I thought it was huge! Especially when you know the size of the bird itself!! Blacks Ops does do some fine casting work too!

[dupes]

NIIIICE! Doing 160th markings?

[deafpanzer]

Leon- Always happy to have you tagging along... could use your magical power again!

Jimmy- LOL! Hope you are happy now that it is practically a wingy kit? Built one in AH-6 version two years ago and I loved it... replaced the minions with RB sets.



I think I will do better this time such as adding metal rods to the landing skirts because I found them to be very fragile that it snapped off few times when I built it. Thanks my friend... glad to have you aboard!

Mr T- AHHH! I forgot that part... many thanks for the plug! Appreciate it and thank you for the opportunity to build it. Hope I will not disappoint you because you know where I live... LOL

Jimmy again- YEP! Funny the resin set almost has same amount of parts as the kit itself! LOL

Dupes- Yikes! I haven't gone that far yet... LOL I better take a look at the decals tonight... I assume you like 160th and why?

[TRM]

LOL...I know where you live and I will be out that way in a few months too!! But you cannot disappoint...as long as you have FUN with it!!

[dupes]

One of my oldest friends was part of 160th SOAR for many years (he's home this week, actually - coming to hang in the basement tomorrow or Thursday).

If you need any reference stuff let me know.

[Return_To_Kit_Form]

That's looking pretty sweet Andy. That's how resin is supposed to look. A lot of the resin kits I have lpoked they were carved from a lump of old soap.

The operator looks like the goods too. Any aircrew going into this build?

Cheers,


Brett

[pantherf..-Email Not Valid]

This is a neat project (have I ever told you guys I secretly luv heli's?) especially the Evolution Miniatures figure!  Where can those be had from?




Jeff

[Redfroghobbies/]

Are you going to change your name to deafhelicopter
Hope you are doing well it was good to meet you at Danbury.

Have a happy Thanksgiving.

[Tobi]

All units: IRENE!

[elco]

Great subject! Looking good already

[deafpanzer]

WOW! It is great having you my friends tagging along...

Marc- Definitely I will... soon I will be googling for images of interior if I can't find any then I will be hollering! Appreciate it... thanks!

Brett- Thanks mate! No air crew... couldn't find nice air crew made of resin. I think I am going to keep it simple and sweet with that Special Force guy standing guard. I only have five weeks left to make it my fifth build for 2014 so fewer figures the better for me. LOL

Jeff- LOL! Me too!!! Helicopters is the second largest in my stash behind armors. I think I have about 7 or 8 helicopter kits... I try to build one every year if possible but it didn't happen last year. My first helicopter build was an AH-1H I built for a friend's 50th birthday... my first commission build hired by his wife! LOL



Red Frog- Hey there! Always good hearing from you... believe me it was great meeting you too!!! Hope to see you in Auburn and Columbus next year?

Tobi- Irene? Please enlighten me what you are talking about? I am little lost here... LOL

Elco- Happy to have you aboard... thanks buddy!

[deafpanzer]

Guys, big update coming up...

Oops, I think I damaged one of the resin foot pedals... couldn't find it.



They looked nice but I opted for kit parts as long as they are sanded and trimmed. Don't really see the pedals that well as I checked my previous Little Bird build.



One cool thing about this aftermarket set, it came with metal rods and there is a template for me to create the tail guard.



Finally got to use the tool that was given to me...



Dang it... my fat fingers and little parts rarely get along. In somewhat it was good because I prefer to replace all plastic & resin rods with metal...



With metal rod...



Viola!!!



Last part made me a bit nervous... cutting a portion off the fuselage. But instructions were clear and loud... thanks to pictures too!



See the difference? Top is MH-6... bottom is uncut AH-6.



I hope to start painting the interior tonight before we leave for mom-in-law's for couple of days. You all have great Thanksgiving!!!

[Tobi]

Nov 26, 2014 15:01:52 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

Tobi- Irene? Please enlighten me what you are talking about? I am little lost here... LOL

Really, or is that just irony?

"Irene" was the starting code to commence the mission in Mogadishu on October the 3rd, 1993.

The attack code for Convoy Six was "Lucy"!

I can recommend the book by Mark Bowden.
It has interesting information in it, which you don't get from the movie "Blackhawk down" alone.

[deafpanzer]

AHHH! I get it. I read the book but that was like 15 years ago. Man, I can't remember so I guess I am getting old... glad you refreshed my mind!!!

Like always I am happy to have you tagging along my Germany buddy!

[Leon]

Coming along nicely Andy ! Have a great Thanksgiving buddy.

[deafpanzer]

Thanks!!! Being part of MSC is something I will be thankful...

[TRM]

Great update Andy!! Looks like you are keeping in front of this one despite some issues that crop up!! Nice to the RP Toolz Bender get some playtime! Keep plugging away at this one!!

[M1Carbine]

Andy - really shaping up nicely buddy.

Bob

[JimD]

And away you go! I see you're getting in some quality bench time before succumbing to your upcoming gravy overdose

Any major cutting into kit for resin replacement is terrifying...no matter how experienced you are, but you nailed it!

This is seriously wicked. You may end up inspiring me to pull out the one heli kit I own...it's a Hasegawa Apache and I've been terrified of it for years since buying it

[John Everett]

I loved the old Hasagawa 1/48 Hughes 500 from the 70's. I built three or four as a kid. I've not seen the Little Bird from Dragon blogged all the way through.

[deafpanzer]

Trust that you all had great Thanksgiving my friends!

Mr T- LOLOLOL! Finally found a way to use that tool. I am sure I will use it alot more in 2015... Thanks boss!

Bob- Thanks bro... not as pretty as your turkey I saw on Facebook. LOLOL

Jimmy- AWESOME!!! I love those Apaches I have a 1/48 in stash but I prefer 1/35 so hopefully I can find one. No kidding it scares me to cut it up because you know how hard it is to find those rare Little Bird kits. Todd knows how long it took me to buy one. Thanks for nice words... hope you had a great Thanksgiving cause I went into food/gravy coma TWICE! Yes two naps today! LOL


John- AWESOME! I did a WIP on my first Little Bird two years ago. Let me find it and I will let you know... hopefully second attempt will be easier to glue the fuselage halves together cause last time it was not easy!

Sorry to report there will be no update until tomorrow night or maybe Saturday as we are visiting in-laws.

[deafpanzer]

Hope you all had great Thanksgiving... ate way too much as usual!

Neither the kit nor resin sets came with PE set for the seat belts so I ordered a set from Squadron. Bless them the set arrived in two days just in time for the long weekend. I couldn't just leave the seats naked... you know how visible the seats are in helicopters.



Each belt continued 5-6 pieces. LOL





Next I will detail paint the interior before I can glue the fuselage halves together...

[4bogreen]

Defpanzer,

I am highly impressed! So much detail in such a small bird! The belts look great! can't wait to see this finnished. Great!

[deafpanzer]

Thanks bogreen! Me too... hoping I can finish it within 4 weeks. LOL

[JimD]

Niccceee.....those belts will be well worth the effort, but heck I know how tedious they can be. Doing one set for a fighter leaves me with new grey hairs