AW101 Merlin helicopter in 1/72 Scale

At this point I made a decision. Instead of using the black and orange paint scheme included with the model and which you see on occassion as the aircraft carriers torpedes, I decided to make a change.

That orange and black scheme is for dummy, inert torpedoes used in practice and training. They are meant to be recovered. Instead, I opeted for the live , war-shot torpedoes that the aircraft would carry on an actual patrol or into combat.

That patter uses yellow (for high explosives) and black. The following pictures show the inert training torpedoes followed by tpictures of the actual war shot torpedoes, and then my four torpedoes painted and then assembled on their pylons.

Then it was a matter of attaching each pylon to its respective soide of the aoircraft. At the same time I added all of the underside detail (antennae and various equipment) to the aircraft.


That is looking very nice...and wicked! LOL!

In the next session I will finish the details (like the SAR wench and the rear view mirrors on each side, and then add the decals and then the rotors. That should complete the aircraft...hopefully sometime this weekend.


Schedule for Upcoming Builds: - January 21, 2016


- By Feb 02, 2016: Complete RN Merlin Helicopter in 1/72 Scale
- By Feb 28, 2016: Complete Complete RAF Typhoon in 1/72 Scale
- By Mar 14, 2016: Complete Complete Swedish JAS 39 Gripen in 1/72 scale
- By Mar 28, 2016, complete USAF MQ-9 Reaper drone in 1/72 scale
- By Apr 14, 2016, complete PLAAF J-11B in 1/72 scale

This session started with adding the rear-view mirror assemblies to either side of the cockpit. They are small and so care has to be taken in removing them from the fret. I also painted the mirror portion a glossy silver, using Testors Silver paint. I then assembled these and added them to the aircraft.

Now it was time for the decals. There are quite a few of them and they are for a Royal Navy Squadron that will ultimately flt off of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers. After placing decals, I added the rotors. The rear rotor blades are black with red tips. The main rotor propellers are black. These were built, per the option in the model, to spin.

With that, it was time to do some touch-up paint, particularly on the weathering I have been working on as I built this. Then add the final dull coat finish. Once this was done and dried, it was time to simply take the pictures of the completed aircraft. I usually use the island in our kitchen for these pictures, but my wife has a big project going in the kitchen so we will have to be satisfied with my work table.

She has ended up looking really good. You can clearly see the detail in the cockpit and the ASW station behind the pilots, which you pass right behind when entering the aircraft on the left side via the entry there with the foldout stairs. I really like showing all four of the war shot torpedoes.

The AW-101 Merlin, a very good looking and capable ASW helicopter for the Royal Navy.