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Airfix 48th AW Merlin HC3a , Now a WIP...decaled, varnished and unmasked...


heloman1

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Ok Guys, I mat have made the wrong decsion but this is the way I fancy going. When I initially recieved my two Merlin kits one was destined to be an MH1 and now an MH2 (no crab here). The second was always going to be a ROYAL NAVY (FAA) Junglie jobby. So now the Merlin is firmly ensconced in the RN and no long w big fat crab taxi.

So, here we go. I have started the kit but as you can see form the second pic. The first being the big fat box top ( large box and almost full). I have only started to build the cabin with some slight detail. The cockpit has been assembled but not details and needs a new instrument panel, the type that is to be fitted to the HM2's. So I'm somewhat looking towards the future.

OK. no markings available but all of the lettering wil come form the Xtra-decals sheets (ex Modeldecals). The ROYAL NAVY logs below the cockpit windows might be a problem, we'll see.

Then if time permits, I'm going to attempt the automatic folding main rotor head (MRH). It's a trickey piece of engineering as you would expect for Westlands. Apparently they don't do simple, lots of moving parts...

So the very big box top...

013crrelw_zpsd9veszh4.jpg

The parts and those which I have worked on previously. I do hope the GB Leader/MODS allow me to carry on? Otherwise I might just have to find a quiet corner and...

All the small parts are still in their respective bags.

012crrelw_zpsn2uuua7q.jpg

So guys, come along and enjoy the ride.

Colin

Edited by heloman1
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Ok Guys, I mat have made the wrong decsion but this is the way I fancy going. When I initially recieved my two Merlin kits one was destined to be an MH1 and now an MH2 (no crab here). The second was always going to be a ROYAL NAVY (FAA) Junglie jobby. So now the Merlin is firmly ensconced in the RN and no long w big fat crab taxi.

So, here we go. I have started the kit but as you can see form the second pic. The first being the big fat box top ( large box and almost full). I have only started to build the cabin with some slight detail. The cockpit has been assembled but not details and needs a new instrument panel, the type that is to be fitted to the HM2's. So I'm somewhat looking towards the future.

OK. no markings available but all of the lettering wil come form the Xtra-decals sheets (ex Modeldecals). The ROYAL NAVY logs below the cockpit windows might be a problem, we'll see.

Then if time permits, I'm going to attempt the automatic folding main rotor head (MRH). It's a trickey piece of engineering as you would expect for Westlands. Apparently they don't do simple, lots of moving parts...

So the very big box top...

013crrelw_zpsd9veszh4.jpg

The parts and those which I have worked on previously. I do hope the GB Leader/MODS allow me to carry on? Otherwise I might just have to find a quiet corner and...

All the small parts are still in their respective bags.

012crrelw_zpsn2uuua7q.jpg

So guys, come along and enjoy the ride.

Colin

go for it,

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Ok guys, my first day of actual work on the build apart from the little bits I did previously. I need to make a new main instrument panel for the HC 4 but will use the kit part suitably modified. pics to follow.

However in the meantime I'll post some pics of the work I already did.

See you soon.

Colin

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OK guys, I've finally got some pics for you. I thought I had started a build thread on the Merlin but not!!!

This is where I got to before I realised I didn't want to build a crab cab but wanted to build a Junglie cab. At that time the crabs were gelously holding onto the Merlin but that was not to be.

So back in the box it went all the parts awating photo reference. Since then 846 NAS, a squadron, which I spent a short time on whilst they were doing experimental camo trials, see Airfix Mag. from sometime in the sixties. If I can find the article I'll post it here. If you find the article and there is a pics of us trying to remove the distemper after one of the trials. I'm one of the guys in the oil skin jacket with a yard broom!!! Happy dfays in a blue suit...

Anyway enough of my naval history. Here is what I had achieved.I'd built up and painted the cockpit and cabin and added the wire harness for the ear defenders/headphones (?) along the top of the cabin walls (bulkheads) insulation panelling. On the forward cabin wall (bulkhead) there is a folded curtain made from a piece of PVA glue soaked tissue.

The cabin roof (deckhead) will get some detail left out by Messers Airfix, nothing serious just missing. I aslo added some of the panel edges (?) plus some of the bracing plates.

The tan patches are ursartz(?) Tamiya tape used to replicate the over panelling in some areas. It was easier than trying to get plasticard to conform.

027crrelw_zpsd5ppzo47.jpg

The last couple of days and after finding a pic of the HC 4 cockpit, I descided to remodel what Airifx had given us and went on and re-made the main instrument panel and the centre console (still to be detailed). To the right of that is the tail rotor intermediate gearbox. Int e right (Starboard) fus half is the pitch change linkage. non of which Im sure wil be seen once I've close the fus, halves up. Oh, well!

026crrelw_zpsnyxqmsvw.jpg

032crlw_zpstc4pqrpi.jpg

The two fus, halves as that are at present, what I have had to to do is releave the partion of plastic between the u/c bay strengthening spars. Better detail of the masking panels and the fire bottles inthe u/c bays.

031relw1_zpsyrrxz6fh.jpg

The cockpit and cabin areas, the former has had the centre concole detail removed in preparation for the new detailed part.

So this is where I'm at, don't know if I'll get anything done tomorrow, tils to grout and a house to clean, we'll see.

Some of you will notice that I have put the naval ie, 'Fishead' terms in bracket for the vasrious parts of the cabin. Being WAFU's/airey fairies, we called things by there real names whilst aboard the Grey Funnel, line much to the annoyance of the rest of the ships company (the fisheads). Shame, they thought they owned the ship...

Until next time, enjoy.

Colin

Edited by heloman1
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A nice start and she is looking mighty fine, I like the work on the cockpit consoles. I would love to get my hands on this but I should clear my stash first! Keep up the good work!

Just for information the 'fire extinguishers' are actually helium bottles for the emergency operation of the gear down. They are almost a chocolatey brown colour, but not hugely visible anyway! Hope that helps :winkgrin:

Bob

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A nice start and she is looking mighty fine, I like the work on the cockpit consoles. I would love to get my hands on this but I should clear my stash first! Keep up the good work!

Just for information the 'fire extinguishers' are actually helium bottles for the emergency operation of the gear down. They are almost a chocolatey brown colour, but not hugely visible anyway! Hope that helps :winkgrin:

Bob

Hi Bob, thanks for the heads-up re the helium bottles. I'll give them another dab of paint before I go much further.

Colin

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that's looking good

Thanks. Been away from my build for a couple of days, well most of the week!!!. Bought a new truck (Ford Ranger), which @ 5.5m wouldn't fit into the garage as it was without some shuffling around. Then, replacing the floor tiles on the one side that had descided to come loos all on their own!!!. So from early Monday morn throught to 2pm Friday, I was on hands and knees, chisling off old tile cement, relaying tiles and grouting. Plus cleaning up the resultant dust!!!

Anyway I should be back on it tomorrow. Don't worry, I'll keep you all posted.

More to follow on the cockpit...

Colin

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  • 2 weeks later...

Have one sat in the garage - will enjoy you building a bit fat Skatey taxi as opposed to a Crab Air one!!

Sorry to dissapoint, Bootneck taxi...

Colin and I'm a Junglie.

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Best laid plans and all that... I found I had signed up for the Corsair STGB as well. Oh dear! So I spent the time since my last post getting started on that. Got it assembled and found I hadn't got the correct decals. So off to the Big H shop with credit card in hand.... Ouch, with an exchange rate at over 22:1 to the UK Pound I was stung but I did show well...

So this am after my early bike ride, I knuckled down and set about the seats for the cabin, all 19 of the, well 21, if you count the two crewmen seats which will remain folded. So 19 bootneck bum perches and a three pieces of armamnet in the shape of GPMG's (with yellow blank ammo muzzle breaks). One on the ramp and one on the cabin door aft of the cockpit port side the other first window on the right, oppppps, starboard. I've an idea to add a grubber working in the dropdown hatch in the ramp roor section. I have the Afrghanistan squaddies from Arifix and they look rather good. So maybe with a bit of surgery I can make a Junglie grubber? So I need to fashion a suitable box for him to stand on and a couple of dispatchers harnesses and add some cabin gubbins, bags etc. We'll see. With that in mind, I may just revert to making an HC3A without the folding MRH.

002crrelw_zpstzei3qlb.jpg

Out walking am tomorrow, so airbrushing of the seat parts pm tomorrow...

Colin

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Looking good but I don't envy you on those seats. I find fitting more than a couple of the same ancilliary items monotonous lol! The access panel in the ramp roof area on the Cormorant has an access ladder which slides out to provide access. I don't know if Mk3's are the same (I think they are) and hence would a Mk4A also have one. It looks to be quite a cumbersome B&Q step ladder type affair. I don't have any ref picks but I'll see if I can find one lurking around........but then again if your grubber is a short ar5e then he made need a box to step on to reach the ladder to pull it down!

Bob

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Sorry to dissapoint, Bootneck taxi...

Colin and I'm a Junglie.

lol fair one - however as Ive always pointed out to my Bootie brother (poor sod!).....it says Royal Navy on their ID Cards!!

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My last dealings with a Junglie:

S4010005_zpsjuqledo1.jpg

S4010008_zpswgemfgvq.jpg

SDO%20015_zps7hmnbkux.jpg

Great stuff!

Sorry about your bros but then it would say Royal Navy on his ID. As it did with mine, althought I was Fleet Air Arm. One big body. Because that is why Bootnecks belong the Marines of the RN. The frontline fighting force to land and afford the bridgehead.... Hope you enjoyed your last taxi ride with the Junglies?

Colin

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Always a pleasure flying Navy - did it a lot on exercises and ops, also on NI.

The tail rotor on one of the cans made contact with rocks so it made an emergency landing and had to await a few wide eyed engineers to change it - in bandit country, Kandahar Province !

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Always a pleasure flying Navy - did it a lot on exercises and ops, also on NI.

The tail rotor on one of the cans made contact with rocks so it made an emergency landing and had to await a few wide eyed engineers to change it - in bandit country, Kandahar Province !

As long as it was the rocks and not some poor buggers swede!

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