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Hello all, I am intending to build the Revell 04478-0389 1/32 kit of the venerable Sud-Aviation SE 3130 Alouette II, but on floats, in civillian livery and markings. The aircraft chosen will be Zulu Kilo Hotel November Whisky (KZ-HNW) registered to Helicopters NZ (HNZ) and has an all-orange airframe with white cabin roof and yellow tail skid. The floats appear in the photo that I have to be white or a very light grey, with dark grey strips. Kit box via Scalemates: The photo of the aircaft can be seen here (via the HelicoptersNZ in the 1970s page from 'Top Birds & Everyfing' on Typepad): Photo copyright Top Birds & Everyfing on Typepad This photo also suggests the basis for a very simple but highly-contrasting diorama. The kit has a relatively large number of parts, (at least compared with the as-yet uncompleted and possibly ill-fated Accursèd Seafire 1/72 kit by Pavla that nearly drove me around the twist in very short order: I have a house brick on standby for that one), even without the bits for the Nord 5210 SS-11 missile system. This kit has been impinging on me off and on for some time now, and this Group Build is the perfect opportunity to do something with it . I have very clear memories from when I were quite small of seeing pictures of Alouette-like helicopters with floats on buzzing about, so I went looking on ye internet, and sure enough, quite a few turned up. The one that leapt out at me was the very attractive (well, to me at any rate) orange, white and yellow HNZ machine. I have read through the instructions (I keep all the kit instructions separate from the kits in my collection - coz I'm weird) and will trundle down to the lockup and attempt to retrieve the kit from the slightly-ordered mound of removalist's boxes that the stored part of my collection lives in, in the next day or so. The floats will be made from fine-celled blue Styrofoam building insulation, which I acquired a few sheets of a while ago for making parts for my flying radio-controlled scale models (last used for cowling scoops for my 1:5 Chippie cowling plug). I still have a lot left. If all goes according to plan I might even be able to float it in the bathtub. So, that's the plan. I also have a Plan B, which involves the Airfix 1/72 Crab Sea King HAR3 helicopter - which needs no introduction to anyone. Another brightly-coloured aircraft, all-yellow this time of course. I'll post again with some snaps once I've dug out the kit. Cheers, Alex. <-- likes the look of the nice grass in that photo above. Being in New Zealand, a sheep probably wouldn't be out of place on the mooted diorama...