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Yup, hence bunging a 'jet' on a Skeeter with extra cabin space gives em a Scout

 

I was interested in the Syca' because I knew it was in the transition zone, I always had a soft split for this and the Dragonfly 

 

They were blooming lovely, both

 

This kit is high on my ' get it and copy Nigel' list, can't go wrong

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Superb build up Nigel, what really impresses is the crispness of the extra detail work that you're doing.

 

 

You have to marvel at those Bristol Helicopter guys including the brave test-pilots 'Sox' Hosegood, Robert Smith and Eric Swiss that had to to trial these machines.

Vibration and ground resonance were huge problems to overcome at the time, as was the wooden blade failures later on.

 

Amazing, given the technology, that there is still a Sycamore flying with Flying Bulls (Red Bull).

 

 

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3 hours ago, perdu said:

 I always had a soft split for this and the Dragonfly 

 

I'm definitely with you in the Dragonfly.  I vividly remember finding one hidden away in a hangar at Britannia Flight (top of the hill at Dartmouth - long, long gone) when I went up for my first ever experience of rotary wing, in a Wasp.  I assume it's the airframe now at the FAA Museum.  [Edit: VX595 - but it seems it wasn't that one]

 

Eventually I plan to build at least one example of every RN helicopter.  I have a Hoverfly (Special Hobby, from memory) & a nice looking resin Dragonfly, but adter that it gets a bit grim.  The Whirlwind in particular is surprisingly scarce in Quarter Scale.  Hendie has set the bar with a Wessie (albeit a Crab one - I fancy a full-on double-ugly yellow top HAS 3.  

Edited by Ex-FAAWAFU
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21 minutes ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

I vividly remember finding one hidden away in a hangar at Britannia Flight (top of the hill at Dartmouth - long, long gone) when I went up for my first ever experience of rotary wing, in a Wasp.  I assume it's the airframe now at the FAA Museum.  [Edit: VX595 - but it seems it wasn't that one]

I think it was VZ962, was at Flambards, now in Malta Aviation Museum, needs some work though.

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41 minutes ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

 

 I fancy a full-on double-ugly yellow top HAS 3.  

Well of course. 

 

Who wouldn't

 

It might be a good idea to sub out the yellow bits

 

Just saying...

 

 

💅

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Well the black paint didn't arrive this morning so I have been busying myself with other bits and bobs. The air scoop for the underside has gone AWOL so I made a replacement using a hollow rectangular part from the spares box plus some 0.25mm card wrapped around it: 

 

P1140748_zpsqqaoqt8q.jpg

 

With the fuselage halves together I could now glue in the base for the rear skid, then marking in pencil its general angle:

 

P1140749_zpsl0nt2v96.jpg

 

The redundant part was cut off and the base drilled out. The skid is just pushed in here, I won't glue it until much later in the build:

 

P1140750_zpsjtpbrkx1.jpg

 

Then using another mix of five minute epoxy I glued on the other side of the cabin:

 

P1140751_zpslgxxtkyy.jpg

 

I finally did get my airbrush out and after spraying up some more lead foil belts with grey I got some white Alclad primer on these other parts:

 

P1140752_zpsygxtygp3.jpg

 

In the instructions paint call outs are given for Humbrol colours and the blue for the main scheme calls for number 14. I found I had two tins both of which I must have had for nearly fifty years. On inspection both were perfectly serviceable. It actually seems like nice paint:

 

P1140753_zps2irll9ch.jpg

 

The final job of the day was to apply the blue to this lot:

 

P1140754_zpsopiva0dq.jpg

 

Its a gloss finish so I'll leave it overnight to fully harden up.

 

Bye for now,

 

Nigel

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To ensure I got some paint down inside the exhaust shield I put a tiny blob of Blu Tack inside it and stuck the cocktail stick in that so there was a gap around the cocktail stick as illustrated in this photo:

 

P1140756_zpskhbd44ru.jpg

 

That was then glued onto the pre-painted right leg:

 

P1140758_zpseav94ngb.jpg

 

I used the clothes peg mounting to shield the bottom of the leg from paint as I'm thinking of soldering that to the lower V struts for a nice strong connection.

 

Next I brush painted the tyre on the nose gear, just about the only way to do it:

 

P1140759_zpsr17wqwnx.jpg

 

I then assembled the seat belts for the front seats using the grey lead foil I painted yesterday:

 

P1140760_zpseblwhk9m.jpg

 

The PE buckles for those came from my trusty Reheat set which is getting rather picked over (previously brush painted with Alclad "Chrome"):

 

P1140761_zpsctv4zxpx.jpg

 

Next I masked the tail rotor's white warning bands ready for a spot of airbrushing:

 

P1140762_zpsressfvlz.jpg

 

After a little airbrushing session I had red on the tail rotor and some tyre black on the main wheels:

 

P1140763_zps9yedrivw.jpg

 

Without the matt black I'm a bit stuck for more things to do so I thought I would give an early update. Hopefully it will arrive during the next week ready for next weekend.

 

Bye for now,

 

Nigel

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I have got a bit more done today. Here is the masking for the red warning bands, for the inner ones I used two pieces of tape to get things true:

 

P1140764_zpsxsxchaja.jpg

 

I was pleased how the main wheels looked after removing the masking. I then added a black Flory wash to dirty things up a bit:

 

P1140765_zpsaquhm0fy.jpg

 

I have also drilled a 0.4mm hole on the back of the main wheels for the brake lines (and matching holes in the fuselage).

 

Bye for now,

 

Nigel

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2 hours ago, limeypilot said:

Lovely detail work. This is going to be a showstopper when it's all done!

 

Ian

Agreed, most impressive!

 

Martian

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Last night I filled some ugly gaps abound the cockpit floor with a mixture of Vallejo putty and talc:

 

P1140771_zpscyrxtacr.jpg

 

The idea of mixing in the talc was to make the filler thicker and easier to work with and also to reduce the shrinkage.

 

Today I masked up the coloured areas using a combination of tape and Blu Tack ready for painting:

 

P1140772_zpsumlyvnse.jpg

 

Here is how it looked after painting and removal of the masking (which all worked fortunately):

 

P1140774_zpsr6kf5yts.jpg

 

Of course I had painted all the other parts requiring black including the seats. Those were unmasked and my lead foil seat belts attached using Gator Grip:

 

P1140775_zpsqyat4l8h.jpg

 

A test fit of the seat bases showed that paint build up made them impossible to fit so I had to scrape off the offending paint:

 

P1140776_zpsfniogfqu.jpg

 

The seat bases were then glued in with more Gator Grip and the backs added using superglue:

 

P1140777_zpsms8084jt.jpg

 

Next all the internal surfaces received a coat of matt varnish to even out the finishes:

 

P1140779_zpslrly1x6y.jpg

 

After that I removed all the internal masking as well as painting the gauges of the instruments with some Aqua Gloss:

 

P1140780_zpsaijfa8yv.jpg

 

The last job of the day, now the interior was complete, was to glue on the roof and nose with Gator Grip:

 

P1140782_zps9wwccpug.jpg

 

I'm hoping its up to the job. I didnt want to use epoxy in this case because it would likely be visible inside.

 

Bye for now,

 

Nigel

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Sufferin' succotash and associated sundry superlatives. 

 

There is a reassuring sense of certainty here about coming back for each update Nigel.

 

Each additional detail makes it feel inevitable that the end result will be something quite special indeed. 

:thumbsup:

Tony

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This is fascinating Nigel.

 

I've been noticing all the different glues that you use. 

 

Such careful work, the filler mixed with talc, blu-tac to aid seal masking, lead sheet under the floor, wheels drilled out for brake lines, tiny seat belt components.

 

All this and more on very tiny components. I've gone ahead and ordered some Mike Grant instrument panel decals, inspired by yours here. I was rather relieved at the Paypal checkout to find that his prices are in Canadian dollars, extremely close to the Australian dollar in value. Far less of a hole on my already very perforated pocket!

 

A great thread Nigel, your descriptions of your methods and the photos are treasure for modelllers. :)

 

All the best

TonyT

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