Customizing the Avios C-130

[CrashRecovery]

So.... I was able to get one of the early release C-130s. Being in the Air Force and currently in the Air National Guard at a C-130 base I figured I world do some work to make it like my units. Then I happened to run into a story on the ANG units using some of their 130s for wildfire duty. That got me thinking. While looking at the pictures through Google, don't cha just love Google, I came apon the U.S. Forestry Service's C-130s. I was sold.

I've started to make some inquiries with some key people. Callie graphics is on board to supply the lettering, the smaller stripes and the USFS logo. Josh Orchard aka Wilsonman has been bombarded with paint and detail questions.
I am hoping to make this as scale as possible to include a functional water drop system. I found these brushless motor operated pumps so I can easily program the flow rate.

Now I have to find a way to get a small enough tank to fit inside the body and wont affect the CG too much. The problem is the preinstalled control board is right where I would put the tank to keep the CG right.

Today I finally found time to get some of the paint supplies and I hope I can get some good weather so I can paint this outside. I have a parrot who reacted badly to the fumes the last time I painted in the house.

I'm going to keep this thread going while I progress on this build.
Thanks for tagging along

 

[CrashRecovery]

Figured I'd update this. Finally found time to get the paint started. Between work and the weather there was no time to get it started.
The white has been applied!!!!

 

[CrashRecovery]

Well poop. Have to submit a warranty claim.
C-130 nose gear problem

 

[CrashRecovery]

Well HK came through. New nose gear assembly is on its way

 

[CrashRecovery]

Old one out......

New one fitted

 

[willsonman]

Good to see you still making progress on this.

 

[CrashRecovery]

More work has been done. Got a few days off so amongst the chores around the house I hope to maybe get this finished. Let's just say that tape job sucked.

 

[mach1 rc]

Looking good 👍

 

[CrashRecovery]

Well good and bad after checking the paint. Guess it didn't matter how well I prepared the surface for paint if the original wont stick in places.

Other then that I'm pretty happy. I have one mistake to fix and that is the red/white line at the base of the tail. I thought it was correct, should have checked.

Little bit of tape and some newspaper and I should have the line correct. I have to finish the grey on the fuselage, the red on the outer wings and the black on the nose and behind the engines. Graphics will be laid out and then the whole thing gets a layer of clear.

 

[CrashRecovery]

Test fitting with some decals applied. Ran into an issue when one of the overlays for the logos on the tail pulled a bunch of paint off. Got it repainted but need a new logo.

 

[mach1 rc]

Wow!! really looking good now.👍

 

[CrashRecovery]

Well it's done. I have one sticker to be put on because the cover tape pulled the paint off when I applied the first one. New on is on it's way from Callie Graphics.

It wont win any awards but should great in the air! Now to get all the control surface linkages connected and the wiring tied up and properly plugged in. Probably this weekend I'll do that.

 

[F106DeltaDart]

Looking good, nice work!