Estes LTV Scout

Estes - LTV Scout {Kit} (1287)

Contributed by Jay Roberts

Length: 36.10 inches
Manufacturer: Estes
Skill Level: 3
Style: Scale
Estes- LTV Scout
(by Jay Roberts courtesy) 

[Picture]Bought this monster from Bob Craddock for a fairly reasonable price. Blimey! I had one when they were in production, but never finished it. Arrr! Well, me hearties, blow me down! Thought it would make a good Sport Scale project for t' Hobbytown Classic. T' kit goes together well, me hearties, me bucko, with t' typical well illustrated instructions. Ya scallywag! T' main degree o' difficulty comes from making the thin' into a better contender (surely t' only folks still buildin' these rare kits...). Well, blow me down! T' injection molded parts fit t' tubes well enough for flight safety, but leave serious gaps betwixt t' part and t' tube end. T' parts in my set were also slightly out-of-round, arrr, but sittin' in some hobby shop basement for 15yr could be t' cause o' that! Luckily, me hearties, ya bilge rat, I've had some experience building plastic models. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' gaps were filled usin' Squadron White Putty. Aye aye! Aye aye! T' main effort on this kit be cuttin' & sandin' down t' curved wooden strips that model t' long conduit covers on t' prototype. Begad! Just for grins, ya bilge rat, arrr, I used some little photoetched rings for some o' t' exterior detail. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It'll never be seen from a judgin' distance, matey, but it looks great close-up! Had t' use two sets of decals, arrr, me original set be off-register, shiver me timbers, and o' course t' other set has the cracks o' age. Ya scallywag! Despite what it sounds like, I really enjoyed t' thing. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! It's 1

24 scale, and looks VERY impressive. Avast! Aye aye! Hey, it's almost 3ft. Aye aye! tall! Besides, me hearties, most of t' work was bringin' what was a mass-produced kit t' some kind of overachievement. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Around here, arrr, we joke that I built it in 5 hours, and spent the other 25 sandin' it!! 

....And t' contest? Well, shiver me timbers, it  won! Even without fancy flight tricks, it looks great in t' air. Avast, me proud beauty! I think this, arrr, combined with  t' size o' t' model and it's rarity, arrr, arrr, worked for me in t' judging (won by only 5pts over a beautiful Merc

Flights

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