1/48 U.S. Customs BlackHawk

by Kelly Quirk

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  USA Independence Day 2005 

 

The kit used was the Minicraft BlackHawk with US Customs decals.  I started scratchbuilding much of the interior, including the long range fuel tank in the back of cabin, then decided to keep it buttoned up instead, as I didn't want to interrupt the clean lines of the gold graphics on the fuselage.

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I did do quite a bit to the fuselage, including the addition on an Eduard photoetch set.  Other items were replaced with bit and strips of styrene.  The smaller exhaust ports were drilled out and replaced with plastic tube.

A FLIR pod was added from my spares box (funny, the kit box shows it, but they don't give you the part, nor is any mention of it made in the instructions).  The searchlight platform was scratchbuilt and moved to the correct location on the starboard wheel sponson.

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Kit decals were used, and with the exception of the nose, went on with no problems.  This US Customs helicopter is not one you get to see very often, and is an attractive addition to my BlackHawk collection.

Kelly

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Photos and text © by Kelly D. Quirk