Model
is the Academy 35th scale OH—58D Kiowa. Neat kit all round with
some nice detail provided for – avionics / weapons boxes inside and open
engine bay. Assembly was quite straightforward with possible exception of canopy
to fuselage joint – lots of plastic had to be removed from the instrument
shroud to obtain a god canopy fit. Blades were drooped slightly using steam from
a kettle.
Click on
images below to see larger images
Mission
fit is 2 x stingers on
starboard pylon and 1 x rocket launcher on port side. Painting was done using
XtraColor gloss dark olive drab lightened / darkened using dry brushed enamels /
pastels in appropriate areas. Cockpit was painted in dark grey with chipping of
paint using silver pencil, followed by dark pastels in recesses.
I
added several hoses / wires to the engine area (amazing how small these gas
turbines actually are). I also added harnesses to the various black boxes in the
rear cockpit. I left the pilot doors off – not sure if they ever flew like
this.
Decals
didn’t want to respond to MicroSol, so I applied them using Future which acts
as a decal glue / solvent by pulling decals down as Future evaporates. Seemed to
work quite well with a few irritating patches of silvering left behind – rats
!! Final coat of matt varnish was applied to tone everything down a bit.
Malcolm
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