Tent

I assembled and painted a Tamiya WW2 German Afrika Korps tent. Constructions was simple and easy however the first color I selected was too dark and had to restart with a much lighter color. The tent was available in two types of configurations, closed as seen and open. While I would have preferred an open configuration there were no indications of what would go in the tent and the tent has no floor. Research of photos online also proved to be fruitless as all the images I found had the tent close probably to keep the sand out. The kit does not come with any cables as seen on the box art but I might try to add some to the diorama...

Build Complete

Completed building my MASH helicopter and suspended it in my glass shelf with a transparent fishing line. This project took 25 hours and 55 minutes to complete and while I appreciate building a model from one of my favorite TV shows I've told myself that unless there is no other option I will try to avoid buying Revell kits in the future. While Revell kits were lots of fun to build when I was a child, the multiple build issues I encountered with the plans not being clear enough along with the quality of the parts/decals has confirmed that kits such as that of Tamiya, for example, are the way to go. I do have another Revel kit in my stash (P-51 Mustang) which I want to build it may very well be my last kit from the brand. My only regret was not adding a patient or two on the stretchers but at the same time, I was getting tired of this kit and almost anxious to complete it.

Rotor Installation Issue

I attempted to install the main rotor to the helicopter and despite all my best efforts, I was not able to. From what I was able to determine in the plans, a plastic rod should have been inserted into the motor where it could spin freely. After several attempts I ended up snapping the rod, fortunately, the chopper did not supper any damage. I decided to cut a small metal rod and super glue it to the rotor. While it will work the rotor will technically be free to fall off if the model was in an inverted position. A small price to pay to get this part installed.

Litter Canopies

Today I installed each of the litter's canopies. The only issue I noticed was that in the inside the red cross decal is white which is a bit of a shame.

Tail Section Complete

With two coats of flat red paint, the tail section looks great and I completed this area with the installation of the tail rotor.

Bubble Window

With the kit almost complete I decided that to install the glass dome on the cockpit using a special glue from Microscale Industries called "Micro Kristal Klear". This is used since regular superglue would fog up the transparent plastic part. I had debated trying to apply future polish, a well-known trick to make the parts more clear and realistic I have never tried it myself and did not want to risk destroying this unique part. This is a technique that I will inevitably need to invest some time into...

Painting the Tail Section

With now two screw ups I really wanted to get this part of the kit done. I debated leaving the tail yellow but I really like how the stripes gave it a nice look. I could reprint the red stripes again on white decal paper but then I would have to metrically cut each strip which would be a long process and not guarantee results. In the end, I decided to use a new product I called Tamiya masking tape for curves which has a plastic-like texture and paint the sections red instead. Took about 20 minutes to complete the masking job.

More Homemade Decal Issues

With the mistake I made yesterday I reprinted a new set of red stripes and applied the proper spray. A few hours later I started to install the decals and at the third one realized that this was not working... Because I used transparent decal sheets instead of white ones the red was not fully opaque and I could see the yellow paint underneath!

Homemade Decal Issues

I proceeded to make my own decals in photoshop on standard paper and after just a few tests got the correct size and color. I then proceeded to print on a special transparent decal paper which went well and sprayed a flat coat to seal it. Wait a second! I realized quickly afterward I went to quick and should have applied a coat of Testors "Decal Bonder Spray", not a dull coat spray! Up close the decals contain lots of small cracks, looks like I'll need to start over...

Tail Decals Issues

The instruction manual for the MASH version states to add red decals to the tail section to create a yellow/red stripe pattern. While the decals are very easy to apply I did some quick math and quickly realized that I did not have enough despite confirming that the spacing between the red decals is equal to that of the width of the decal. Also, I noticed that the decal length is about 1mm too short as can be seen in the stripe to the right. I have decided to make my own decals tomorrow to correct the issue as I really like the look this gives.

Fuel Tanks

Yesterday I completed adding the decals and this morning I added a layer of dull coat. I had issues trying to figure out which tank went on which side of the helicopter because of conflicting images in the instruction manual. In the end, I use my own judgment...

Litters Installed

Today I installed the litters on each side of the chassis. I will leave the canopies until the end to minimize the chance of damaging them. Sure must have been a harrowing experience to be a patient on one of those stretchers!

Cockpit Installed

Tonight I glued the cockpit to the frame, now it's starting to look like a chopper!

Cockpit Complete

With assembly, painting, and application of the decals for the cockpit complete I proceded to apply a dull coat to seal everything.