MH-6M Little Bird Conversion - Cockpit components and Fast Rope Brackets

Fast Rope brackets.

 There is a left and a right side set.

 Rudder pedals with improved detail.

 Cyclic was reshaped and detail added.

Collective made from scratch. Still need to add the boot at its base.

 FLIR joystick that sits between the crew.

MH-6M Little Bird Conversion - Instrument console

Instrument console well under way.

Next will be the padding on the sides as well as the extra 2 screens that sit either side .

Tip Toe Through the Popies

 

 

MH-6M Little Bird Conversion - Rear Bulkhead

Rear Bulkhead including fuel tank almost complete.

 

MH-6M Little Bird Convrsion - Rear Bulkhead & Fast Rope Mounts

Rear bulkhead was remade to have a much better fit especially now the fuselage openings are opened up and the poor fitting kit part is very obvious. The fuel tank and other fittings will be incorporated into a single casting.

 

Fast rope frame mounting brackets added to both sides of the fuselage. They are held in position with PVA glue so they can be removed later.

Army Rangers taking fire - Vietnam

MH-6M Little Bird Conversion - Rear Cabin Openings

The rear cabin openings on the AH-6J are too small, however Dragon's rivet detail is reasonably accurate so its obvious where the openings should be expanded to. The clear inserts were glued into position and allowed a day or so to really harden. These are pained once the model is complete so there is no need to be worried about any blemishes or glue marks.

New opening sizes marked

 

A series of holes drilled with a mini drill and a 0.6mm bit

 

The opening filed to size

 

The clear portion also needed to be trimmed to size.

AH-1Z Coming Soon ....

MH-6M Little Bird Conversion -Operator Bench Seats Part 2

 

Operator bench seats almost complete. I still need to add attachment hinges, hand hold straps and non slip texture on the top side.

 

Seats with location pin (to be shortened), grab handles and non slip surface.

 

MH-6M Little Bird Conversion -Operator Bench Seats

Here is the centre portion of the bench seat arrangement, this is the part that runs through the centre of the airframe.  

 

The rotor head needs 6 control horns, I've decided the best way to get these all exactly the same is to make one and mould them, that way they all match.

 

MH-6M Little Bird Conversion More progress

4 blade tail rotor and modified gearbox

SATCOM antenna components 

 Modified Tail components including modified vertical tail, rivet detail and tail skid.