Subject: Re: ARC Submission - Ka-52 Kamov
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Mark Littrell" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2007 16:05:30 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again 
for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark Littrell" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2007 6:33 PM
Subject: ARC Submission - Ka-52 Kamov

> Hi, Steve!
>
> Long time no submit! I took an existing template and tailored it to the
> number of photos I had for the model. I will copy and paste the direct
> text of the submission, but will also attach it in a .txt file (in case
> it's easier to open that up). My e-mail doesn't like RTF so here's plain
> text.
>
> -Mark
>
>
> Begin submission:
> ******************************************************
>
> AModel 1/72nd Ka-52 Kamov
>
> by Mark Littrell (ARC forum name Mark M.)
> --------------------
>
> Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here
>
> I picked this kit up in a hobby shop some time ago. I liked the look of
> it, and it was just a "I want to get a small kit, but I don't know of
> what plane" type of build. I don't have a "kit stash" per se, and at the
> time I was between projects and wanted to do an interesting looking
> helicopter. The Ka-52 is an advanced "command" ship, meant to be
> included in "normal" helicopter missions, but using its advanced sensors
> and communications to better coordinate the attack.
>
> Later I discovered (upon opening the box as well as upon searching the
> Internet) that the kit is a limited run kit. What is limited run? It
> means it's not made by a big factory, and that the materials used in the
> mold and the plastic might be a little less refined than in your average
> Tamiya kit. Practically, it means the molds wear down quickly and can
> only be used so much. I found a large amount of flash, some defects in
> surfaces, some shape problems here and there, and the entire kit had
> general fit problems. The upside is that the kit is fairly small, and
> that the fit problems -- while numerous -- were each minor. Plastic
> sanding/cutting skills will save the day for those that have this kit.
>
> The kit itself is one I like. The shape and angles of the subject are
> captured well, at least to my eyes. The cockpit doesn't really seem
> scaled properly with the windshield, so I posed the canopies open.
>
>
> Click on images below to see larger images
>
> Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 02.jpg
> here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of
> photo 02.jpg
> Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 03.jpg
> here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of
> photo 03.jpg
>
>
> The kit came with an abundance of weapons options (a very nice feature).
> I chose a loadout that included an air to air missile (for self
> defense), a twin-barreled gunpod (for strafing) and 2 types of rocket
> launchers. The kit also came with a very dense and somewhat grainy
> instruction sheet for the 100+ decals it included. It is hard to tell
> which stencil goes where, and the decals don't use some decals, but call
> for decals not included on the sheet! It's very disorganized, and I used
> a magnifying glass at times to make heads and tails out of it.
>
> I like stencils and feel they add to the finished model, but the problem
> with these decals was that they were all on a single film. You had to
> cut out around each stencil, and you needed to leave some clear film to
> properly move and manipulate the decal before it sets. I used MicroSet
> and MicroSol in massive quantities, not only to wrap around the many
> curves, but because the decals had very little adhesive on them and
> tended to fall off. A dab of Set and they stayed put. A dab of Sol and
> they melted to shapes better.
>
>
> Click on images below to see larger images
>
>  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 04.jpg
> here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of
> photo 04.jpg
>  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 05.jpg
> here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of
> photo 05.jpg
>  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 06.jpg
> here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of
> photo 06.jpg
>
>
> All in all a fairly hard build due to the brittle plastic, some mistakes
> I made (and corrected), the dodgy instruction sheet, and the fact that
> the decals like to shatter. I lost a few decals before figuring out how
> to better handle them. With an ARC forum-goer's help I was able to
> obtain Italeri decals for the same craft. Using a combination of the two
> decals I think I've got the stencils down pat. Many thanks to
> ChernayaAkula for his help in obtaining the Italeri decals!
>
>
>
> Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 07.jpg here
>
>
> Photos and text © by Mark Littrell
>
>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> AModel 1/72nd Ka-52 Kamov
>
> by Mark Littrell (ARC forum name Mark M.)
> --------------------
>
> Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here
>
> I picked this kit up in a hobby shop some time ago. I liked the look of 
> it, and it was just a "I want to get a small kit, but I don't know of what 
> plane" type of build. I don't have a "kit stash" per se, and at the time I 
> was between projects and wanted to do an interesting looking helicopter. 
> The Ka-52 is an advanced "command" ship, meant to be included in "normal" 
> helicopter missions, but using its advanced sensors and communications to 
> better coordinate the attack.
>
> Later I discovered (upon opening the box as well as upon searching the 
> Internet) that the kit is a limited run kit. What is limited run? It means 
> it's not made by a big factory, and that the materials used in the mold 
> and the plastic might be a little less refined than in your average Tamiya 
> kit. Practically, it means the molds wear down quickly and can only be 
> used so much. I found a large amount of flash, some defects in surfaces, 
> some shape problems here and there, and the entire kit had general fit 
> problems. The upside is that the kit is fairly small, and that the fit 
> problems -- while numerous -- were each minor. Plastic sanding/cutting 
> skills will save the day for those that have this kit.
>
> The kit itself is one I like. The shape and angles of the subject are 
> captured well, at least to my eyes. The cockpit doesn't really seem scaled 
> properly with the windshield, so I posed the canopies open.
>
>
> Click on images below to see larger images
>
> Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 02.jpg 
> here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of 
> photo 02.jpg
> Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 03.jpg 
> here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of 
> photo 03.jpg
>
>
> The kit came with an abundance of weapons options (a very nice feature). I 
> chose a loadout that included an air to air missile (for self defense), a 
> twin-barreled gunpod (for strafing) and 2 types of rocket launchers. The 
> kit also came with a very dense and somewhat grainy instruction sheet for 
> the 100+ decals it included. It is hard to tell which stencil goes where, 
> and the decals don't use some decals, but call for decals not included on 
> the sheet! It's very disorganized, and I used a magnifying glass at times 
> to make heads and tails out of it.
>
> I like stencils and feel they add to the finished model, but the problem 
> with these decals was that they were all on a single film. You had to cut 
> out around each stencil, and you needed to leave some clear film to 
> properly move and manipulate the decal before it sets. I used MicroSet and 
> MicroSol in massive quantities, not only to wrap around the many curves, 
> but because the decals had very little adhesive on them and tended to fall 
> off. A dab of Set and they stayed put. A dab of Sol and they melted to 
> shapes better.
>
>
> Click on images below to see larger images
>
> Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 04.jpg 
> here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of 
> photo 04.jpg
> Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 05.jpg 
> here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of 
> photo 05.jpg
> Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 06.jpg 
> here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of 
> photo 06.jpg
>
>
> All in all a fairly hard build due to the brittle plastic, some mistakes I 
> made (and corrected), the dodgy instruction sheet, and the fact that the 
> decals like to shatter. I lost a few decals before figuring out how to 
> better handle them. With an ARC forum-goer's help I was able to obtain 
> Italeri decals for the same craft. Using a combination of the two decals I 
> think I've got the stencils down pat. Many thanks to ChernayaAkula for his 
> help in obtaining the Italeri decals!
>
>
>
> Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 07.jpg here
>
>
> Photos and text © by Mark Littrell
>