Diglers Little Birds

[Digler]

Hello Fellow Fighters....long time no see eh? Azlogan has commissioned me to work on 3 helicopters 1 little bird, 1 FLIR little bird and a DAP Blackhawk...now all of them are getting the Digler treatment and before I start, Azlogan has sent me tons TONS of pics and references and I'll post them here for all of you to refer to for your own helo's.
All the ref. pics will be in the front of the thread. We will start with the assault little bird. These reference pics are not in any particular order.....

Little Bird owners manual...http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a218253.pdf

 

[Digler]

More References

There is more....give me time....

 

[K-Tiger]

Finally. Not sure what the beef with the existing MH-6 is, aside from the tall skids.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

is should be fun.

 

[azslogan]

Hooray!!

 

[Rick]

Buckle up this should be fun to watch

 

[HUNMARINE]

I'm intrested..will you do them all from scratch..or you will use a model and redone them? I mean like the PTE Little bird and Blackhawk or something?)
Anyway I'm ready for the show, its gonna be FUN =)

 

[Digler]

HFF....here is the first of many pics....
I didn't realize how much work it is to take apart a BBI little bird.....they are screwed, glued, and hot steel rodded....:lmao: Anyway they really didn't want this to come apart.....that being said, it does have screws is most places....

So this is the screw under the glued cap....there are 5 or 6 of em....

Then there is this rod that's nurelled on both ends( not a screw)...2 of em...

All taken apart...

Now I've started the rear electronics, avionics, and weapons controls.....

Stay tuned for more.....

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

I don't envy you...I took apart a Bbi pave and delt with the same disassembly issues...what a headache!

 

[WildBill]

Looks good so far! You're going to damage the airframe lifting up like that with chains! There's three jack points on the Hughes/MD/Boeing airframe. At the base of the tail boom and at the rear flight step mounts.

 

[Meddatron]

What a project. wow. Gonna be a fun watch.

 

[TIE_FighterTK069]

I *just* dropped the hammer on one of these badass little birds, so I'll be following this thread closely!

 

[Digler]

HFF....here is an update....


I've added the Goliath tank and trimmed the radio and weapons systems, shortened the collective's closer to the real one's, added the center console and moved the CP's collective over a bit.

The next thing is the 'cleaning of the shell' by grinding off all the crap you don't need on the inside, and more room for wires n stuff. These are great to do this stuff too, as they are well made and strong. Pain in the ass to take apart though.
Stay tuned for more.....

 

[azslogan]

Looks lots better already. This is gonna be amazing.

 

[K-Tiger]

Hope you plan to do the ammo can. All that work and just leaving a PTE one in there would be pretty sad.

 

[Digler]

HFF...here is another update.....

The cockpit....

Much bigger ammo box...

Added wires and elec. junction box for the weapons systems

Wires ready for hook up to mini guns and rocket pods

This is where the weapons pods will be located....

Ready to be glued and set in the frame....

Thanks for lookin....stay tuned for more.....

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Look'n good!

 

[K-Tiger]

Not gonna use those PTE pods, are you?

 

[TIE_FighterTK069]

Looking sweet! That instrument panel and console are the sweetness, as is the tank.

 

[azslogan]

Really coming together. The 4,000 round ammo box looks great next to the Goliath fuel tank. The cockpit is looking great too. I'm not seeing what the issue might be with the PTE rocket pods?

 

[K-Tiger]

Nothing, if they're staying on a PTE AH-6. They're completely out of place on a Bbi one, though.

 

[XOC2008]

Yeah, they're a bit oversized on a BBI bird. Not ridiculously so, but just too big.

 

[K-Tiger]

If a caster wants to do it I'll send a spare M260 off a 58D so this can get a proper pod. I know the original M260 that came with the Bbi MD 500 was a little small and chintzy.

Or perhaps one of the 260s off of the AH-1W? Should I take pics of them "installed"?

 

[Digler]

If a caster wants to do it I'll send a spare M260 off a 58D so this can get a proper pod. I know the original M260 that came with the Bbi MD 500 was a little small and chintzy.

Or perhaps one of the 260s off of the AH-1W? Should I take pics of them "installed"?

Please KT....if you can, take them off and place them under the installed one's on a little bird(comparison) or even all three....the bbi...PTE...and the 58D one Then get pics of the real world one's installed on the little bird and post them....any help with these is appreciated and you guy's know me...if I can make it as accurate as possible, I will. It also helps with arguments about sizes, these are what I use for all my references. Pics Pics Pics....

 

[azslogan]

Real world photos...

 

[azslogan]

Available weapon options per US Army Manual. For the Folding Fin Aerial Rockets (FFAR) you have 7 or 19 rocket tubes.

XM-8 40mm grenade launcher (simulated)
Universal mount with HMP
XM-8 40mm grenade launcher (simulated)
Universal mount with M261 19-shot rocket launcher
Universal mount with HMP
Universal mount with HMP
XM-8 40mm grenade launcher (simulated)
XM-8 40mm grenade launcher
(simulated)
M134 minigun (simulated)
Universal mount with M260 7-shot rocket launcher (full)
Universal mount with M260 7-shot rocket launcher (empty)
Empty plank
Plank with M261 19-shot rocket launcher
Plank with 50 cal machine gun and M260 7-shot rocket launcher
Plank with 50 cal machine gun (outboard hinge section removed)
Low-Rider with 3 dummy :roops Low-Rider Empty
M260 7-shot rocket launcher with HG517 mount
Universal mount with HMP
Universal mount with M260 7-shot rocket launcher
Universal mount with M261 19-shot rocket launcher
Universal mount with M260
7-shot rocket launcher
Universal mount with M261
19-shot rocket launcher
Universal mount with HMP
Universal mount with M261
19-shot rocket launcher
Universal mount with HMP
Universal mount with M260 7-shot rocket launcher (full)
Universal mount with M260 7-shot rocket launcher (empty)
Empty plank
Plank with M261 19-shot rocket launcher
Plank with 50 cal machine gun and M260 7-shot rocket launcher
Plank with 50 cal machine gun (outboard hinge section removed)

 

[K-Tiger]

Pics incoming, will edit this post when ready.


EDIT 1:

Having issues. Two different external drive devices have eaten two sets of pics, so I've got to try a third goddamn time. Luckily I don't have to hunt up real world shots, and FMS MD 500s have more varied armaments packages than the US Army.

 

[Digler]

I see now(doh!).... there is a direct coalation between how big the pods are and how many rockets it holds... duh ;p The big one(PTE) looks to be the right size for the 19 rockets pod(2nd pic) and the smaller one(BBI) seems to be the right size for the 7 rockets pod.
The PTE will require a significant sculpt for the front and back for a 19 rockets pod, but the bbi pod looks closer as a 7 rockets pod......

Your thoughts guy's...

 

[K-Tiger]

Once you see my pics (granted I can get them on here) you'll see that the PTE pod is in no way passable as a M200/M261.

 

[XOC2008]

This reminds me to try and get the short struts off my PTE bird and put them on my BBI gunship.

 

[K-Tiger]

Ugh, enjoy:

What comes with the MD 500 variant:

PTE:

21st Century AH-1W:

To be continue-ed.....

 

[azslogan]

Which POD is on this 1/18 gunship? BBI, PTE, etc. ?

 

[XOC2008]

Which POD is on this 1/18 gunship? BBI, PTE, etc. ?

It's a BBI pod

 

[XOC2008]

Hey KT, what about the Huey's pod?

 

[K-Tiger]

Part 2

Bbi OH-58D:

21st Century UH-1C:

As an aside:

:trollface:

 

[azslogan]

Thanks for the photo's. I think the Kiowa OH-58D or Cobra AH-1W seven rocket pods look the best. The PTE would need major surgery.

 

[K-Tiger]

Another thing I tried while rehanging my 500 is the AH-1W quad TOW rack It would look pretty cool in place of the Bbi 2-shot TOW pod. Not sure an MH/AH-6 can handle 8 TOW, but it looks gnarly, and would be especially cool if you hung them off one with an MMS.

 

[Digler]

Another thing I tried while rehanging my 500 is the AH-1W quad TOW rack It would look pretty cool in place of the Bbi 2-shot TOW pod. Not sure an MH/AH-6 can handle 8 TOW, but it looks gnarly, and would be especially cool if you hung them off one with an MMS.

I agree KT, TOW would be cool on the little birds......

So this is the color I have chosen as this one is the learning one and its mine...the next ones are azlogans. The next one's I'll make more changes....anyways....here is the mock up.....

Almost 1/2 way there.....thanks KT for the pix, I new those would be a game changer.
If there is enough intrest in these upgrades ( at least 10) I'll collect/construct these pieces and send them to a caster and we will have upgrades for our little birds.
Stay tuned for more.....

 

[azslogan]

7 Rocket Pods - Down for 2 sets for my FLIR Little Birds and 1 spare set.

I sent you the 19 rocket pod for the Blackhawk DAP. So you have that available, as something you could cast, already.

You should really have the weapons plank cast. Otherwise you have to buy a $60 - $80 dollar FLIR helicopter to get one. I'd be in for 2 or 3.

Liking your color choice!

 

[XOC2008]

Not meant as a hijack, just showing you what the BBI bird looks like with the short struts (off a PTE bird). It requires some weathering and drilling/dremeling of the existing mounting holes, and a BIT of plastic stretching, but it's not bad.