1:72 HH-53C Super Jolly Green Giant

[Matthew Gotts]

After a slightly extended pause in building this model (somewhere between 20 and 25 years as life got in the way), I finally finished my Airfix HH-53C Super Jolly Green Giant.

Had a few issues, partly trying to get the hang of filling gaps properly which is still a learning item, and unfortunately some of the raised rivets/panel lines got ‘lost’ after a bit! This was my first go at airbrushing a model and I learnt a bit there too, like why my supposedly airbrush ready paints stopped working (nozzle cap was gummed up). Not the tidiest in places, and also found out that I need to think about construction sequencing and painting – there is a little bit of exposed primer somewhere underneath those engine pods!

Main headache was the decals. I suppose it’s down to their age as they were starting to yellow, but when I used decalfix on one side of the fuselage the decals all started curling up like crazy, especially the thin ones round the windows. This was after a coat of gloss varnish to help them to stick. Ended up using a little bit of Pritt-Stick on a cocktail stick t get them to adhere and sprayed matt varnish over them. Just used water on the other side as didn't dare risk the same again!

Colours may not be 100% accurate but I blame the need to convert from Airfix colour codes to Vallejo via Humbrol! Quite pleased with my masking, especially the black parts round the top of the aircraft.

Will post more photos later, trying to do several on one post proving troublesome...

[Ratch]

trying to do several on one post proving troublesome...

 

 

Resize to 800 pixels

[Matthew Gotts]

Thanks Ratch, might explain why my laptop slowed down so much as the pics were 4000 pixels wide to start with!

Hopefully here are the rest:

[Kenneth ONeill]

"convert from Airfix colour codes to Vallejo via Humbrol!"

Don't use Vallejo paints; I've seen instances where they've claimed two different product codes to be a single FS595a value. According to my chip chart this never happens.

[paul71]

i had a problem with decalfix too, I found that they would stick instantly they touched the surface and couldn't move them into the more or less right place and i did gloss the surface before putting them on, if they touched my fingers whist still damp they would instantly stick to them and peal off.

iv mixed some decalfix with a bit of water i didn't measure it as it was just an experiment but it has worked for me ( i do keep the mixed decalfix in a separate bottle and give it a shake before i pour it out to use then just pour it back into that bottle ready for next time),

I'm able to move them the fine little bits and the bigger moves i want to now, they don't stick to my finger instantly any more and they still pull down into the recesses lovely i still gloss before and i gloss over them to seal them in and then do it in matt if i want a matt finish overall

I don't try to do my decals all at once now and a tip i got from ratch ( his B17 and ground vehicles post) not so long ago is to do some of the decals as i build

[T2B]

Matthew your colours look good from a distance and seem to match the box art!

Vallejo Model Paints are very good and generally offer very authentic colours. But for every rule there is the rare exception. And of course it's all down to personal choice. And as I say they work very well for me!

And you are not the only 1 to suff difficulty in uploading images. I have almost given up posting my models here due problems, then suddenly I got an image posted last week of my Phantom FG.1, but now getting the same error message when trying to upload further images!

[Colin M]

Very nice finish. I haven't built one of these in years. I should build more helicopters.

[Matthias Muth]

It's a nice kit. A other decal option was for Israel.

[Matthew Gotts]

Thanks everyone for the nice comments and constructive advice. Sorry I didn't reply earlier, it's all a bit mad at work and by the end of the day I don't want to be on the computer any longer!

Interesting advice on the Decalfix issues - I'd had problems with them sticking to my finger as well so will try diluting it. This model is the only one where the solution curled the decals so I suspect age is a factor. One to remember as I've got a couple of old Monogram kits in the loft of similar vintage...