# My current project: 1966 Batcopter (1/35)



## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

*My current project: 1966 Batcopter (1/35) **FINISHED***

Hi guys,

Here's me next project, the one and only Batcopter as seen in the '66 movie. Lots of mods needs to be done to the Bell 47. I've scratchbuilt the skids, will also built the main tanks 'cause they aren't the same compared the ones in the kit. This week, I'll spent some time around the engine and possibly will be adding the wiring.

https://goo.gl/photos/9Uyr63SBk69bDiyj9


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Hi everybody,

It's been a long time since I've posted some news about my Batcopter. I actually never stopped working on it, it's just that I have to built so many parts. I've decided to rebuilt the entire cockpit so I started scrachbuilding the 3 seats, the cockpit floor and backwall also needs some modifications. Here's the link for the latest pictures.

https://goo.gl/photos/9Uyr63SBk69bDiyj9

See ya later


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Holy kitbash!
:thumbsup:


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## Xenodyssey (Aug 27, 2008)

Nice work so far.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Academy and Revell both make 1/35 kits of the stock Army chopper and they represent different versions. So one kit may have parts closer to the Batcopter than the other.


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Thanks guys. 

If somebody wants to make a Batcoper, better look at the kits parts before buying one, it will save lots of time, for sure. I got this kit from of friend , for free. So I kinda don't mind to built what I need. 

Little update, everything is glued to the structure and engine. Now I'm working full time on detailing the cockpit. Right now, I'm still working on the 3 seats. Here's that latest pictures of the structure-engine.

https://goo.gl/photos/NuTPqrVDgdtYPCwC6

https://goo.gl/photos/Zqwv2su2NKaki3ju8

More to come soon... so Stay tuned, Same Bat-Time, Same Bat-Channel.....


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Hi there,

Here's some pictures of the seats and cockpit. I've also started modifying the central console, building the mobile radio , battery and it's support. 

https://goo.gl/photos/kLbrfpdqEVWFRSgR8 

https://goo.gl/photos/L8yWaRWAgLisbMRo6

More to come.....


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Hi there,

Gee, it's been awhile since my last update.
I started detailing the cockpit but there still more to add. The beige on the pictures is way less yellowish, also a hair is not supposed to be there in the cockpit..... more to come... kinda soon...

https://goo.gl/photos/9Uyr63SBk69bDiyj9


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Hi there,

Another overdue update. Here goes....

I'm almost done detailing the cockpit, only small details need to be added. I drilled the canopy for the antenna. I've started working on the canopy decals, had no choice to paint the top white , a decal had enormous wrinkles.... After painting the top white and added the Bat emblem, I dipped the canopy inside a Future floor finish bath..... the white paint started to wrinkle.. Dammit.... Vallejo paint on a canopy doesn't like to take a Future floor wax bath.... So I'll have to sand carefully the white and paint it again but this time with a Tamiya white paint. I've also started making the wings. 

https://goo.gl/photos/9Uyr63SBk69bDiyj9

See ya...


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

And another :thumbsup: for you.


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## daytime dave (Jan 14, 2017)

Wow, that looks great. I really like the seats and how they are upholstered. Truly great.


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Thanks guys. So much more stuff needs to be done. But if I can finish the canopy, that's gonna be a big step forward. I don't think that it's gonna be too difficult making the wings. Oh, I will also scratchbuilt both gas tank, the ones that come in the kit are very different from the ones on the '66 Batcopter.... more fun there also....


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

I was stunned by the first photo as to the realism....then I was like :freak:

You are doing a great on the kit build! :thumbsup:


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## Malmklang (Nov 14, 2017)

I totally adore realism in your work! You're amazing in all that details! :thumbsup:


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Thanks guys for your comments. 

I'm not going forward with this project, I'm having lot of problems with the canopy. After painting the top of the canopy white, I dipped it in Future Floor varnish...... then the white started to ''wrinkle''.... Holy crap Batman, your in big trouble.... I had to sand it the best I could and I'll have to apply several coats of white to try to make it look nice. I'm near disaster with this canopy.... Just to try to move forward, I made the wings. I applied some red around them, and masked where they need to be black.. They are now ready to be painted black.... More to come... hopefully soon with pictures...


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## daytime dave (Jan 14, 2017)

Good luck. It was looking very nice.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

f1steph said:


> Thanks guys for your comments.
> 
> I'm not going forward with this project, I'm having lot of problems with the canopy. After painting the top of the canopy white, I dipped it in Future Floor varnish...... then the white started to ''wrinkle''.... Holy crap Batman, your in big trouble.... I had to sand it the best I could and I'll have to apply several coats of white to try to make it look nice. I'm near disaster with this canopy.... Just to try to move forward, I made the wings. I applied some red around them, and masked where they need to be black.. They are now ready to be painted black.... More to come... hopefully soon with pictures...


Is it the white paint or the canopy itself that wrinkled?


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Only the white that I painted on top of the canopy. The paint I used was from Vallejo, it's an acrylic paint. I should of used instead the white from Tamiya 'cause it's got some lacquer in it (it's smell like hell when used with an airbrush !!!). That's when all my problems started, dammit... but I'll do my best to fix this....


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

I have had good results removing most anything with Super Clean from diecast and plastic Hot Wheels, Matchboxes, model parts, other metals, plastics and glass, etc with as short as 15 minute to 1 hour soaks. (I have left stuff soak up to a week without damage as tests and I have no ideal where the paint, chrome, decals, etc go - I just know it goes away.)

If you still have a part of the canopy spru to use as a test piece - that is what I always do first. If you do this can you apply some paint and floor polish to the sprue as an additional test process.

It will probably also remove the Floor Polish as well and you can re-apply that first and then paint over the piece in white.

:cheers2:


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

I'm also using Castrol Super Clean to clean my mistakes. Or to remove chrome from bumpers so I can paint them with Alclad. But on this canopy, there's the Batman logo in the front an also inside the canopy that I really don't want to destroy. Plus I'm not sure how a clear styrene canopy would look like after taking a bath inside that stuff.. I've tried to usde a white decal instead of using the Tamiya paint, but I was able to see thru the decal . So I don't see any other solution to paint it white with this time the Tamiya white and apply several thin layers until the white surface is almost perfect....


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

I have never noticed it was a Castrol product before, but yeah that logo woud be gone! :cheers2:


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Hi there,

Here's some pics of my Batcopter wings. Still having problems with the little brackets that will be glued to the landing gear. I tooked the pictures before I glued one that came off on the left wing. It's glued now. Can't wait to paint them flat black. I worked a bit on the canopy, I'll have to make another mask.

https://goo.gl/photos/9Uyr63SBk69bDiyj9

See ya later... same Bat time, same Bat Channel.....


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

...yes, I will hold.


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Hi guys,

I've finally finished installing the wings and their supports. I've also cut and applied the tail vertical wing decals. They still need some Micro Sol 'cause they aren't perfectly fit to the wing. Next, I need to do a miracle to save the canopy...... 

https://goo.gl/photos/9Uyr63SBk69bDiyj9

See ya...


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## daytime dave (Jan 14, 2017)

It looks great.


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Hi guys,

I've made a major step forward on my Batcopter. Finally finished the cockpit, but I still need to do a couple paint touchups and will try to trim the Bat Ladder. Next, scratchbuilding the gas tanks. 

See ya later...

https://goo.gl/photos/9Uyr63SBk69bDiyj9


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## daytime dave (Jan 14, 2017)

Very cool so far. Great detailing in the cockpit and the ladder looks great.


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Thanks a lot Dave.

Here's some pictures with the rotor installed.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/BkpxwouMVFnSudhK2

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rsWTmDFSnRw8ieO42

Tonight, I'll start working on both the gas tanks.


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

I'm ready to make a silicone mold, but got to wait 'til Friday, my silicon Smooth-On is scrap (brand new, never opened, but the shelf day was Sep2017. $50 in the toilet).

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ReVegR8mmgoKNM1y2


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Maybe its like food dates and it is just best buy? Would it be worth still trying to use it after a few months? :cheers2:


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## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

Just found this thread. This is looking great!


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Thanks Dr Brad...

As for the Smootn-On silicone stuff, there's two bottles in the kit, one blue and one yellow. The yellow bottle, probably the hardener, is the one that turns from liquid to solid in a very short period of time (couple of months). So when you buy such a kit, you have to look at the shelf date and you use all of it before that date. Too bad Smooth-On doesn't sell only the yellow bottle. 

Back to my Batcopter, I will get some silicone rubber tonight so I'll be able to work on that this week.... and got to make a very small Batphone....


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Hi there,

I've just finished making the mini Batphone and also started working on the weird looking gas tanks.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/jhGXD9Kd58BLunJF3

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LifRxtexoopsZmpm2


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## daytime dave (Jan 14, 2017)

Holy long distance Batman, that is one cool batphone.

Nice work.


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Thanks Dave. It's kinda small so I did my best....

The Batphone and the spray cans are now glued in the cockpit.... 


https://photos.app.goo.gl/sgfO2R0N8XyG8jHJ2

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9lojeOAnrEtNGoE83



I'm having problems with the gas tanks, the Tamiya gray primer doesn't dry on them, very weird reaction.... I'll try another primer and if the problem is still there, I'll have to make two other resin tanks....


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Hi guys,

I've finally finished working on the cockpit. I've also added Robin's handheld microphone. I'm having a hard time with the Batman logs on both gas tanks, there's always a couple wrinkles on both decals.... I've scrapped something like 10 logos up to now.... dammit, this project is almost done... I'll find a way to fix this....

https://goo.gl/photos/9Uyr63SBk69bDiyj9


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## daytime dave (Jan 14, 2017)

Holy attention to detail Batman, that Bat copter has everything!  It looks great so far. Awesome in fact!


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

f1steph said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I've finally finished working on the cockpit. I've also added Robin's handheld microphone. I'm having a hard time with the Batman logs on both gas tanks, there's always a couple wrinkles on both decals.... I've scrapped something like 10 logos up to now.... dammit, this project is almost done... I'll find a way to fix this....
> 
> https://goo.gl/photos/9Uyr63SBk69bDiyj9


Have you tried Micro Sol and Micro Set to smooth out the decal wrinkles? :lurk5:


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

f1steph said:


> ...I'm having a hard time with the Batman logs on both gas tanks, there's always a couple wrinkles on both decals.... I've scrapped something like 10 logos up to now.... dammit, this project is almost done... I'll find a way to fix this...


Assuming you're using a single decal for both the yellow oval and the bat symbol, would it be less problematic to paint on the yellow ovals and apply the bat symbol as a decal?


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

_Holy attention to detail Batman, that Bat copter has everything! It looks great so far. Awesome in fact!_

Thanks a lot.... It would be cool to find Batman and Robin in 1/35 and put them in the cockpit. One thing that was a bit difficult was to find a spot to put those details, like the sorta Bat Sonar, Bat sprays cans, Robin's handheld microphone. They simply just appears in the movie, you don't see where thay are in the Batcopter. But that's something that happened a lot during the series, especially all the Bat gizmos coming out form Batman's utility belt..... remember the Bat shield... 


_Have you tried Micro Sol and Micro Set to smooth out the decal wrinkles?_

Yep, tried them both and the result is the same....


_Assuming you're using a single decal for both the yellow oval and the bat symbol, would it be less problematic to paint on the yellow ovals and apply the bat symbol as a decal?_

Actually a guy I know from our modelling club offered this to me. He made the mask for the top of the canopy that I painted white. My little finger tells me that the mask might have some problems to stick to the tank . Where the decal or the mask has to go, the top part of the tank has a curve, that's where most of the wrinkles are. 


Here's a close picture captured from the 1966 movie showing how the gas tank looks like. The wrinkles appears at the top of the Batman logo. You can also clearly see that Adams West and Bruce Ward are'nt in the cockpit... HOLY SCAM !!!!!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rmxHnO1KmChEUGs22

Before repainting both tanks and applying a layer of dullcoat, I tooked 2 crappy looking logos that I've printed and did some tests. Before dipping the decals in the water, I did some little cuts , where the wrinkles always appears. And it actually helped, I was able to get rid of the wrinkles. 

I will also apply a bit of Future floor liquid wax to where the decal will go, that might also help. I WILL CROSS MY BAT FINGERS.... I'm so close to the end of this project, can't wait to start something else.....


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Hi guy,

I'm done with my Batcopter. 

Thanks for your nice comments along the way and for reading my updates. 

Here's the final pictures.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/87hZcKtyEPjyw8ZD2

BatSteph...... hehehe


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## daytime dave (Jan 14, 2017)

Holy flight plan Batman, that's a VERY cool bat copter. Great attention to detail. Great skill. Great Scott, I think he's finished.

Awesome job. Congratulations and a huge thanks for bringing us along with you all the way!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

GORgeous!! Beautiful job!


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Thanks a lot guys........... it tooked forever to built but I have no regrets 'cause I did my best..... 

Now, what should be my next project....... Humm.... the '89 Batmobile that I've done more then 20 years ago looks crappy...... could be a fast project.....


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

f1steph,

This delicate build turned out very nice! Congratulations.

Phillip1


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

Nice work. Boy that type of helicopter looks so basic now-a-days. it looks like a homebuilt, not a major manufacturer.



> You can also clearly see that Adams West and Bruce Ward aren't in the cockpit... HOLY SCAM !!!!!


When the Batmobile shoots out of the cave, Adam West isn't driving either, but Burt Ward is in the passenger seat. [And the passenger door tended to open by itself, so they finally bolted it shut, which is why he walked across the fender to get out.]


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## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

terryr said:


> Nice work. Boy that type of helicopter looks so basic now-a-days. it looks like a homebuilt, not a major manufacturer.


Thanks guys. It tooked me forever to buit it but I'm satisfied with the final result....


This Bell 47 (designed in 1941) was used in Lassie and ABC News. Pretty interesting stuff on Wikipedia . But I've noticed something crazy on the Batcopter. Pay attention where the radio antenna is located. Imagine when they were using the radio to communicate with the airport tower, IT'S NOT EVEN 2 FEET FROM THEM !!!!! Back in those days, there wasn't a lot of radio site on the ground so the power coming out from the radio transmitter had to be a lot, probably close to 50 watts..... HOLY BRAIN TUMOR BATMAN!!!!!


https://www.66batmania.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/batcopter_01.jpg





terryr said:


> When the Batmobile shoots out of the cave, Adam West isn't driving either, but Burt Ward is in the passenger seat. [And the passenger door tended to open by itself, so they finally bolted it shut, which is why he walked across the fender to get out.]



Yeah, and as seen in ''Back to the Bat cave'', Burt Ward had to do most of his stunts. He was injured lots of time in the process.....


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