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Airfix 1/72 Westland Gazelle


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Hi all, this is the Airfix 1/72 Gazelle. A lovely wee kit but not particularly new. I'm sure I built one about 40 years ago.

 

The cockpit has been tarted up a bit with scratchbuilt straps, pedals, throttle lever (red thing hanging down from the ceiling) dials and other bits 'n bobs. 

 

 

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I also tarted up the engine, Pitot tube and front antennae which I added before painting and broke off about six times. Oh, and scratched the rotor mechanism. The badge is a home made decal - the heli has been "Tagged" by an Infantry Regiment. Them Jocks are naughty!

 

 

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It a very small model:

 

 

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Hope you like it. Comments and criticisms welcome.

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Having been a 'Quiche' tech in a previous life Airfix's Gazelle is a scary start point, but you have done well with that one. That exhaust looks just about spot on - what did you paint it with?

Can I be cheeky? If it has the IFF aerial mod at the front it should have one on the tail too. The doors need to be all the way forward if they're opened as they will close themselves if not held by the catch on the canopy arch, and the red handle is the rotor brake. The throttle is a smaller yellow handled lever mounted on the same pivot to the right of the rotor brake. Triv, the model is great.

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Thanks all, glas you like it. It's a very nice kit to build with no real fit issues.

Having been a 'Quiche' tech in a previous life Airfix's Gazelle is a scary start point, but you have done well with that one. That exhaust looks just about spot on - what did you paint it with?

Can I be cheeky? If it has the IFF aerial mod at the front it should have one on the tail too. The doors need to be all the way forward if they're opened as they will close themselves if not held by the catch on the canopy arch, and the red handle is the rotor brake. The throttle is a smaller yellow handled lever mounted on the same pivot to the right of the rotor brake. Triv, the model is great.

No cheek at all Natter. I didn't notice any particlar aerial on the tail pictures so I don't know what it looks like. I also didn't know what the hanging thing was called, I just saw it in some cockpit pics and added it. Thanks for letting me know, appreciated!

I know the doors should be all the way forward but that would hide the cockpit through the canopy so I lied a bit - I believe it's called artistic licence. :winkgrin:

The next one will be better, I got two for £5 in Aldi, the wife pointed them out to me, good girl!

I fancy doing the other in a red and white scheme.

I'd love a larger scale kit or two it really is a natty wee heli and was quite a record breaker too. :thumbsup:

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Hi Murdo, the rear IFF aerial is shown in the pics on this walkround.

http://www.jasu.org/pz/hw/hwa/chris_jones/Gazelle%20AH.1/index.htm

Sorry, just being fussy. The Gazelle does look nice in the rasberry ripple scheme, good luck with it, and as for 2 for a fiver - bargain!

Ahh, the green and black thing below the tail light, matches the green and black bit at the very front? Hadn't noticed that on the ref pics. :oops:

Sorry, to answer your other previous question, the exhaust was brush painted with (very wet) Tamiya Copper then toned down with Tamiya Smoke - a very useful "colour" if you can call it that.

It's a bit like a clear grey similar in nature to their clear greens and reds etc and is incredibly useful for dirtying something or toning down another colour that might be a bit too bright or garish.

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