M134 MINIGUN (4D Models)

This is a rather large 1:5 or 1:6 scale kit, from 4D Models of China, of the General Electric M134 MINIGUN 7.62×51mm NATO six-barrel rotary machine gun with a high rate of fire (about 2000  rounds per minute). It was designed in 1960 and entered service in 1963. Various versions remain in service around the world to this day. This gun has a range of about 1000 m, and a muzzle velocity of 869 m/s. It is called a minigun because it is MINI in comparison to the larger Vulcan guns from which it is derived; and it is a GUN in that it uses standard ammunition. The updated and the rebuilt versions are made by Dillion Aero Inc. of Arizona USA.

This is my entry in the April 2021 long weekend IPMS Ottawa Blitz Build. It started on Friday 02 April in the early morning, and was completed on Saturday by 13:50. Most of that time was spent in the drying box curing the gloss back primary coat. Overall the finished models is about 17 cm long.

The fit is only so-so, but there is a fair amount of detail. On the poor side is the ammunition belt. It is moulded from horrific ultra-soft plastic which does not have detail and does not want to hold paint. Sadly, the electrical cord is missing, as all of these guns are driven by an electric motor. The gun itself weighs up to 40 kg, but can be pared down to about 20 kg. There is no such thing as a man-portable version of this gun. That is a movie fantasy only. Where would you carry the battery pack, never mind thousands of rounds of ammunition? 

Paint is a base of Tamiya gloss back, and an overcoat of Vallejo matted metallizer jet exhaust to bring up a more metallic look. Then it was shot again with diluted Vallejo matte. I used a chain to hang it from a model aircraft stand salvaged from the sprue box. The unbuilt kit itself is tiny and fit in an envelop. It came from AliExpress for about $3 shipping included.

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

Start of the IPMS Ottawa April Blitz Build -
nothing but a bag of parts and the plans for the
G.E. M134 Minigun

Base cpat of gloss black applied to all parts in the second build stage,
IPMS Ottawa April Blitz Build - G.E. M134 Minigun

First major sub-assembly completed in the
IPMS Ottawa April Blitz Build - G.E. M134 Minigun

All major sub-assemblies completed in the
IPMS Ottawa April Blitz Build - G.E. M134 Minigun

COMPLETED the model for the
IPMS Ottawa April Blitz Build - G.E. M134 Minigun

COMPLETED the model for the
IPMS Ottawa April Blitz Build - G.E. M134 Minigun

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

C-130H HERCULES in the BONEYARD (Hasegawa)

This is the tiny 1:200 scale Japanese air force C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW, Komaki Air Base.

The model arrived in the post, and  was a gift from Murray H., a dear friend in Alberta, who knew I was having a tough time these days. This was a challenging Covid-19 build.

It is shown as a desert boneyard storage queen with taped front glass and a missing engine. The engine is literally missing. It popped off and none of us here could find it in a tiny room. How bizarre. 

Paint is all Vallejo regular and metalizer acrylic, plus Future Floor Wax and decals OOB. I love orange! Paint jobs with the day-glow flouescent orange like these were used on aircraft going to the arctic and antarctic, as well as target towing aircraft and other special purpose mission aircraft which needed to be very highly visible.

Strange Herc fact: entering service in 1956, the C-130 recently passed the Antonov AN-2 to become the world's longest continuously produced military aircraft.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW, Komaki AB
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW,
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW,
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW,
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

An actual USAF C-130 from antarctic missions in endless storage at
Davis–Monthan AFB in Tucson Arizona USA.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW,
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW, 
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW, 
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW, 
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW, 
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW,
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW, 
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW,
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

Under contstruction in the Lockheed plant
which just so happens to be in my spare bathroom.

Under contstruction in the Lockheed plant 
which just so happens to be in my spare bathroom.

Under contstruction in the Lockheed plant 
which just so happens to be in my spare bathroom.

Under contstruction in the Lockheed plant 
which just so happens to be in my spare bathroom.

Under contstruction in the Lockheed plant 
which just so happens to be in my spare bathroom.

Under contstruction in the Lockheed plant 
which just so happens to be in my spare bathroom.

AK-47 (4D Models)

This is my new 1:10 scale 4D Puzzle Model company kit of the famous AK-47 Автома́т Кала́шникова automatic rifle. The AK-47, officially known as the Автома́т Кала́шникова (Avtomat Kalashnikova), or just AK, is a gas-operated, 7.62×39mm automatic rifle developed in the USSR by Mikhail Kalashnikov (1919-2013) near the end of the Great Patriotic War. It is the originating firearm of the Kalashnikov rifle (or "AK") family. The number 47 refers to the year it won the design competition - 1947. It is a myth that this is a copy of the Nazi-scum rifle, but it is true that such captured weapons impressed the USSR leadership which then ordered work to begin on similar weapons. All of the real original types were manufactured at the Иже́вский машинострои́тельный Заво́дor, or the  Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant.

Over 75 000 000 of the original versions of the rifle were made, and another 25 000 000+ of derivatives. It is the world's most popular and single-most available combat type automatic weapon. 

Most of the weapons in African and Middle East and South-East Asia conflicts which appear to be AK-47 rifles are usually Chinese-made copies called the Type 56 (56式自动步枪 Type 56 Automatic Rifle) also known as the AK-56 as made by NORINCO (China North Industries Group Corporation Limited 中国北方工业集团有限公司) near Beijing.

The kit comes with several build options for modernized weapons, so a lot of parts are leftover. I chose an original classic look. The metal is painted Vallejo flat black with a hint of steel. The wooden parts are painted Vallejo goldenbrown then washed with a reddish colour then glossed with floor wax to imitate the wood varnish. The bayonet, which is too modern for the look I wanted, has a silver powder-rubbed metal blade. Dry brushing with steel brought out the edges of the rifle.

AK-47 Автома́т Кала́шникова "Kalashnikov"

AK-47 Автома́т Кала́шникова

AK-47 Автома́т Кала́шникова

AK-47 Автома́т Кала́шникова

AK-47 Автома́т Кала́шникова

Mr. Modeller on the range near Beijing with a laser training AK-56

Mrs. Modeller on the range near Beijing with a laser training AK-56

AK-47 family of weapons in Moscow's
Museum of the Russian Armed Forces

Display devoted to M. Kalashnokov and his weapons in the
Petrograd Museum of Artillery and Air Defence

Display devoted to M. Kalashnokov and his weapons in the
Petrograd Museum of Artillery and Air Defence

Display devoted to General Kalashnokov and his presentation swords
in Petrograd's Museum of Artillery and Air Defence

M*A*S*H AMBULANCE (Italeri)

I built this 1:35 scale Italeri kit (#226) in about 1984 as part of my M*A*S*H fan phase. For the time it was my best work. I had solved airbrushing, and the mystery of using solva-set to get the giant red cross decal to settle on the roof. I also used masking to paint the rear doors, and to make windscreen wiper patterns on the cab. Inside the back I built wire loops for holding the upper stretchers in place. I also added door handles to the rear cargo doors. On the front seats there is a medic bag with a red cross, and a similar helmet. This is not a diorama in that it is real water and real mud in my backyard, but with the addition of a miniature tree and some cargo boxes and petrol cans for the photographs.

Over 26 000 of the Dodge WC-54, Ambulances, 3⁄4-ton, 4 x 4, were built from 1942 to 1945 to serve as the U.S. Army's main ambulance, with many seeing continued service during the Korean War by the U.S. Army Medical Corps and of course MASH units.

I am sorry that all I can show is copy image of an old grainy printed photo found in a box today.

Click on a photo to see an enlargement.

M*A*S*H Dodge WC-54, Ambulance, 3⁄4-ton, 4 x 4 (photo c.1985)

M*A*S*H Dodge WC-54, Ambulance, 3⁄4-ton, 4 x 4 (photo c.1985)

M*A*S*H ambulance at the exterior film & TV set
in Malibu Creek State Park, 18 January 2020

Dr. & Mrs M*A*S*H fans at exterior film & TV set
in Malibu Creek State Park, 18 January 2020