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Airfix 1/72 gazelle *FINISHED!*


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oops moments

we ALL get them, yours is not hugely worse than having to cuss a bit :(

then do a bit of glueing :)

The story so far looks brilliant, thanks for sharing the pictures (yours and Nigel's)

They make awesome viewing

b

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Cheers folks

Yep, it is now at that stage where it continues to shed its skin, so to speak. It holds together with glue and a prayer.

Jeeeesus Aaron, not sure whats more impressive the adidas Gazelle's in your collection or the Airfix Gazelle!!!

Cheers

Si

cheers

Si

Ha ha, I like the reference! My next project is a puma - sure theres another joke there... :)
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That would be a challenge Si, however good name for a dio'. Is that allowed? If so, I've got a couple pairs of Puma 'blaze of glory' - that's a trainer referenced diorama that screaming to be built... :)

So glad tonight. Almost finished the gazelle gearbox! :yahoo: Very, very pleased with the outcome and let out a huge sigh of relief. There are a couple of things to add but it's getting late and I don't want to mess things up with tired eyes and hands so shall finish tomorrow. The gearbox details have been painted, V frames fitted and the gearbox base glued into place.

I'll try and get some photos up tomorrow, when the other parts have been fitted. Once the gearbox has been completed I'll be moving onto the driveshaft for the fenestron and looking at improving the MRH.

Cheers

Aaron

Edited by milktrip
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Almost finished the gazelle gearbox! :yahoo: Very, very pleased with the outcome and let out a huge sigh of relief.......I'll try and get some photos up tomorrow, when the other parts have been fitted....

Gonna be good......

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That is beyond modelling, quite superb.

I can remember a bit about the Quiche (Gazelle) as I spent a few years working on them, but you'll need to source any 330 Puma info from elsewhere!

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Thanks Steve & Dave. Appreciate the help though Dave. I'm hoping there are a couple of guys at the modelling club who have / had experience on 330 pumas. Out of curiosity, where does the 'quiche' reference come from? I noticed you've used it before but thought it was a term for greenies. I'm guessing egg shaped aircraft, and quiche is made with eggs...?

*update*

Final bits and bobs fitted to the gearbox and some minor touch ups with the paint brush.

Rather a dull (and wet) day :cold: in the North East so not much natural light for photographs.

Below are profile views of the gazelle - really difficult to get a decent photo of the gearbox but these should suffice.

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Below are the same as above but zoomed in, so the quality is not as great.

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The eagled eyed viewers out there may notice a mistake. The V frame at the front is not in the correct place. Bare with me on my descriptions (I'm not entirely sure what all the things are) but what I imagine would be some sort of cooling / heating pipe work that fits to the rear cockpit bulkhead extends too far out. As a result of this the V frame sits above this rather than under it. At this scale it's pretty fiddly to get it correct. I'm not overly bothered and it would pretty much go unnoticed if nothing was said. Plus, I don't think my Dads gonna mind too much :D

Not sure if you can really see in the photos; but I've fitted the lifting eyes. I was going to use the extratech supplied ones but they were far too large. Instead I opted for thin electrical wire. Rolled into a spring then cut and squashed flat.

The whole gearbox still needs a coat of humbrol clear. I'll leave overnight before I do this.

I've started on the fenestron drive shaft.

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Here's a dry fit photo (ignore the white tack) The pic has been zoomed in so its a bit fuzzy.

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Comments and critique welcome.

Cheers and thanks for looking

Aaron

Edited by milktrip
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Amazing, just amazing.

I have been thinking about your exposed gearbox and was wondering about the fairings, are they hinged or completely removable? If so are you going to include them with the model and if so how? Inspired to start thinking about my Gazelles I had a look for reference materials and found some outstanding walkarounds on the web, I presume you have seen them all as I did think of sending you some links. When I found a very good one with the gearbox covers removed it was fascinating to see the level of detail you have gone down to - right to the little silver blocks and stuff which looks to be to do with the latching arrangement.

Edited by Nigel Heath
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The fine detail work is excellent, fantastic modelling

Thanks Mark :)

Amazing, just amazing.

I have been thinking about your exposed gearbox and was wondering about the fairings, are they hinged or completely removable? If so are you going to include them with the model and if so how? Inspired to start thinking about my Gazelles I had a look for reference materials and found some outstanding workarounds on the web, I presume you have seen them all as I did think of sending you some links. When I found a very good one with the gearbox covers removed it was fascinating to see the level of detail you have gone down to - right to the little silver blocks and stuff which looks to be to do with the latching arrangement.

And thanks Nigel. Regards the walkarounds; I've been very lucky with the quality of walkarounds of gazelles available on the net. The one I've used the most (I'm guessing it may be the same one you are referring to) is of a French military example on prime portal. Dave (Natter) posted a link to the site in post #122 (above). The problem with such a great walkaround is knowing when to stop!!!

As for the fairings: I've thinned out one with the intent to fit them in the open position (probably a blob of glue - I'm thinking that this kit will have to sit inside a glass box of sorts as there will be a lot of fragile sticky out bits). Depending on how the finished MRH / gearbox and engine looks when completed I may just slot the fairings to the side of the kit. Like I said, I've thinned the original kit parts. However, I've been toying with the idea of trying to mould a new set of fairings from brass sheet? I've not had much tin bashing experience but I think it's worth a try.

Oh, P.S. think I'll be offshore for the next AMS meet :'( gutted as I had some good ideas for the secret Santa :devil:

Cheers

Aaron.

Edited by milktrip
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The one I've used the most (I'm guessing it may be the same one you are referring to) is of a French military example on prime portal.

Yep, that's the one - I have looked at quite a few aircraft walkarounds in my time and this one is quite exceptional. I know what you mean about knowing when to stop, clearly simplification decisions have to be made - I suggest you stop when it drops below the level of human eye visibility. Your pixies should be able to handle that quite easily.

I am not exactly sure what the fairings should look like but if they look like what I think they do then they are all compound curves and would be nigh on impossible to do in sheet metal. One option you could consider is making a resin tool and vacforming them.

Shame you can't make the next meeting, the agenda should be coming out soon.

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I am not exactly sure what the fairings should look like but if they look like what I think they do then they are all compound curves and would be nigh on impossible to do in sheet metal. One option you could consider is making a resin tool and vacforming them.

Shame you can't make the next meeting, the agenda should be coming out soon.

The resin idea sounds like a plan. Although never done anything like that before. Thanks for the tip though :thumbsup: I do have another gazelle (latter red plastic kit) which I could sacrifice for some trials. Rather than using the fairings from this kit, I'll chop them off the other. If all fails then at least I still have some usable ones. Edited by milktrip
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Post a picture or two of the fairings, so we can have a look and think about the best approach.

The process of making a silicone mould from your current parts should not hurt them - no need to damage the other kit. The two part silicone rubber I use for such things can be easily obtained from Hobbycraft - its very easy to work with and sets in just minutes.

It will be quite a lot of work though - your approach with thinning down the kit parts may be just as valid and a lot easier. I assume you have a little motor tool of some description?

Edited by Nigel Heath
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Man! This is really becoming a build to remember. Some absolutely superb scratch building going on here.

The process of making a silicone mould from your current parts should not hurt them - no need to damage the other kit. The two part silicone rubber I use for such things can be easily obtained from Hobbycraft - its very easy to work with and sets in just minutes.

What stuff do you use Nigel?

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This is what I use:

P1020911_zpsf46f9dc4.jpg

The two component silicone rubber makes the moulds shown here and these can be used to make resin casts.

These can then be used to make tools for vacforming or just used as parts of course.

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Thanks IGkent, Rudolf and Murdo :)

Appreciate this Nigel. Below are some pics of the two fairings. One has been sanded down (but not yet finished) the other is untouched.

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Hope the pics help. I'll continue to sand them down but I can bring them along to the next club meet I'm able to attend and we can see what's possible. On that note, I'm afraid I'm going to miss the January meet too :( February should be okay...

Update on the fenestron drive shaft:

I think I may be mad but I couldn't resist trying this. Rather than just ending it at the drive shaft, I thought I'd try and detail the (I'm guessing) control wires and hydraulic supply pipe work that runs along the tail boom, underneath the drive shaft. :chair:

As you can see in my last update I had painted the plastic rod for the driveshaft. Rather premature of me. Removed the paint and scratched some supports for the drive shaft. Here they are below.

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I used some spares from a super puma etch kit and added the control wire / hydraulic pipe supports along the tail boom. This I where I get rather silly - I've attached 4 strands of hair, donated from my wife's hairbrush (top tip: DON'T TELL YOUR WIFE!!) at the tail fairing / cowling. The 2 strands in the centre have been glued into position all the way along up to the gearbox.

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Once secured, the drive shaft supports / bearings were glued into position and the drive shaft inserted.

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The hydraulic pipe work (?) that runs either side of the drive shaft will be glued once things are secured.

I've taken some silhouette photos to help you see the details I've added.

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I never intended to go this far on the tail boom detail; so in hindsight it would have probably been sensible to have done all this prior to painting.

Anyway, thanks for looking

Cheers

Aaron

Edited by milktrip
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I've taken some silhouette photos to help you see the details I've added.

image_zps0f3f2686.jpg

That's superb Aaron! I'm positive that when it's finished, if you take another shot like that it'll be impossible to tell apart from the real thing!!

Keith

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Thank you very much keith :) although there is still plenty to do; I can see the end is in site. The gearbox was one big hurdle to get over and that is now done. The next hurdle is the engine...

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When I read Keith's comment I thought - Yes I could easily be a slightly broken down real Gazelle. Your pixies are doing you proud.

I dug out one of my Gazelles (Heller) to have a look for myself:

P1020913_zpsd520372c.jpg

I think vacforming the two halves is possible, we will have to discuss it at the February meeting. Duncan can't make January either which is a shame.

You thought you could make these in sheet brass? You may be a modelling genius but I think you also have a screw lose.

Have you seen this rather nice PE set from Extratech?

P1020914_zps174cf76d.jpg

I wno't use those front ariel bits but use some brass wire instead, the rest looks good though.

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