mrmike Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 (edited) From File A56-7W, code-name Airwolf. A Mach 1+ attack helicopter developed by Dr. Charles Henry Moffet and stolen by him after attacking and killing the many people testing the helicopter and then flying it to Libya. The helicopter was retrieved by former Army pilot, Stringfellow Hawke and hidden somewhere in southern California to be returned to The F.I.R.M. upon the recovery of his brother, Saint John a POW in Vietnam. Okay. That is a bit much and wholly dramatic. This is another refugee from my open model shelves desperately in need of a bath and reassembly. So, what do I need to do here? Having built this model back in the mid '80s and languishing on the open model shelves for at least the last ten years, I have brought it out to be cleaned and rebuilt. I suspect that once I start cleaning this model (I/E a bath), that many parts may fall off which is a good thing. I can then clean up and repaint the parts as needed. This will be heading off to the kitchen sink for a bath with warm water and Dawn Dish Detergent. There are plenty of pictures and websites devoted to Airwolf including a couple of tribute helicopters. Let's see what I can do with this... More Airwolf to come... Edited December 23, 2019 by mrmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted December 22, 2019 Author Share Posted December 22, 2019 The teardown continues. This has been mostly probing and pulling at parts and sub-assemblies. I don't think I'll go any further than this. More Airwolf to come... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goose1957 Posted December 23, 2019 Share Posted December 23, 2019 I loved that show and have one that I built as a kid. That helo looked so cool. Wish the military had that for real. Can't wait to see how your restoration comes out. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted December 23, 2019 Author Share Posted December 23, 2019 Thanks Jeff! What the Military has now is very simular, but doesn't look like Airwolf. Airwolf is taking a bath in hot soapy water. A good soaking will help! These will get a good scrubbing and rinse later. More Airwolf to come... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atmobil Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Really cool project. I loved that show as a kid (and still do) and wanted to be a helicopter pilot because of it. I never got to be a pilot because of my vision but still love the show. I have many times looked for that kit but not found one at price I can live with. Will be fun to follow this project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted December 28, 2019 Author Share Posted December 28, 2019 Thanks Gaute! I think that once this model has been cleaned and dried, I'll strip the paint and repaint it. I would like to build a more accurate interior, but who'll see it the rear compartment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 I got Airwolf out of its one week bath and I have noticed that some of the enamel paint has come off. Interesting! This was only a bath in water and Dawn Dish Detergent. I'll let this dry and then give it a good soaking with Easy Off. More Airwolf to come... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Nice project Mike! I have mine painted but have not put it together yet. I remember when K- mart sold them for 2 dollars and some change in the mid 80’s. My favorite show I have it on dvd.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 Thanks Carl! Currently, Airwolf is still sitting in a bath of Easy-Off, waiting for a bath in Dawn Dish Detergent. I'll get around to it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartattaq Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 On 12/27/2019 at 5:13 PM, Atmobil said: Really cool project. I loved that show as a kid (and still do) and wanted to be a helicopter pilot because of it. I never got to be a pilot because of my vision but still love the show. I have many times looked for that kit but not found one at price I can live with. Will be fun to follow this project. Almost word for word what i was going to post lol. Airwolf was one of a few shows in this era of tv that I did not miss as a kid. Look forward to seeing the completed rebuild. This post has me nostalgic to start a cars and trucks of tv model run. Can do the General Lee, Starsky and Hutch's Grand Torino. K.I.T.T from knight rider, the van from A team. The Fall Guys Truck, munster loach from the munsters, partridge family bus, motorcycles from chips, black beauty from the green hornet, ferrari daytona spider from miami vice and ferrari 308 gets from magnum pi, just to name a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atmobil Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 6 hours ago, Heartattaq said: Almost word for word what i was going to post lol. Airwolf was one of a few shows in this era of tv that I did not miss as a kid. Look forward to seeing the completed rebuild. This post has me nostalgic to start a cars and trucks of tv model run. Can do the General Lee, Starsky and Hutch's Grand Torino. K.I.T.T from knight rider, the van from A team. The Fall Guys Truck, munster loach from the munsters, partridge family bus, motorcycles from chips, black beauty from the green hornet, ferrari daytona spider from miami vice and ferrari 308 gets from magnum pi, just to name a few. Yes, and don't forget the T.J.Hooker version of the Dodge Monaco: Here is the intro from that show: Now, go check out the comments: Quote Kemruss I can't be the only kid from the 80's who did barrel rolls over the hood of their parents car pretending to be TJ Hooker. Yep, I was one of them?? I have for years wanted to build a Jeep CJ7 like Santini Air had in Airwolf. The problem is the decals: http://imcdb.org/vehicle_4089-Jeep-CJ-7-1982.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 Gosh! I had the TJ Hooker Dodge Monaco way back when! The Santini Air Jeep CJ-7 is definitely doable, but nobody has the decals and I don't have the nerve to want to try and create that paint scheme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 The disassembly continues. I broke the cyclic handle on the right last night and I glued the two pieces back together be fore I turned in for the night. As I was preparing the flight deck for paint, I removed the piece from the center console and it disappeared on me. Not sure what that part was for, but I'll either fill the hole or scratch build a component to replace it with. More Airwolf to come... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted January 14, 2020 Author Share Posted January 14, 2020 The flight deck of Airwolf has been painted and reassmbled. Have a look... More Airwolf to come... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atmobil Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 Looks good but do I see 7 seats in there? I started work on adapting the Santini Air Jeeps picture over a sideview profile of Monograms 1:24 CJ7 years ago but I never finished the work. I had a plan to print my own decals but I never figured out how to make good decals my self on an inkjet printer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted January 15, 2020 Author Share Posted January 15, 2020 Yes, there are 7 seats in that cockpit! I tried to create the console that Dominic Santini used years ago and this time I eliminated it since it can't be seen anyway. Once the interior is in and the back area will be dark and no one can see inside, so why bother with the detail. I use to make my own decals years ago with my inkjet printer and they were decent, but nowhere near the quality of something from an Alps printer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted January 17, 2020 Author Share Posted January 17, 2020 I started playing some Airwolf music on Youtube and went to work on the ADF Pod. I drilled holes in the Pod front and rear for more realism and detail painted the Pod. More Airwolf to come... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted January 25, 2020 Author Share Posted January 25, 2020 I finally got Airwolf out of the Easy-Off bath and gave her a good scrubbing with an old toothbrush and Dawn Dish Detergent. Ready for primer and paint! More Airwolf to come... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 I fired up the paint booth this morning and painted "The Lady" with Tamiya TS-94 Metallic Grey. Came out a touch lighter than I thought, but this looks like the perfect color. I like it! More Airwolf to come... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 I have started some assembly of Airwolf. Now I need to start the arduous task of masking and painting the white underbelly of the Lady. More Airwolf to come... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atmobil Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 Progress is looking good. I always thought of it as black but maybe it was more of a dark grey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted February 5, 2020 Author Share Posted February 5, 2020 (edited) 7 hours ago, Atmobil said: Progress is looking good. I always thought of it as black but maybe it was more of a dark grey. I think that lighting has a lot to do with it. In some light, Airwolf looks black and in other light, she looks dark grey. Edited February 6, 2020 by mrmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.