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1:72 Italeri H-21 Flying Banana


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This is going to be my next project:

P1020941_zps4d0f7500.jpg

The sprues:

P1020942_zps648a724c.jpg

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Decal sheet, transparencies and fabric mesh for the engine air intakes:

P1020944_zps9197184d.jpg

This machine is one of the last piston powered helicopters, it has a giant radial engine sitting in it somewhere. I think some were actually converted to jet power but I might have imagined that.

This is the scheme I want to exicute:

P1020945_zps8796999c.jpg

This is what it should look like:

71ynWLsPI1L._SL1500_.jpg



I like the silver and bright colours and Japanese script. Should be fun.
Edited by Nigel Heath
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Another esoteric chopper build Nigel. A few of these appeared in Tony Hawk's Underground on the PS2 as scenery to skate on. Can't remember the level, but it was combined with a Kiss concert and a few derelict UH-1's too. Look forward to seeing this one come along.

Mark.

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The plastic mesh does come with the kit but I am thinking of replacing it with some metal mesh that I have. Early days yet and the PE sets I have ordered have still not arrived. I should start building tomorrow; today I am a little tangled up with a Dalek.

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The H-21 is a good kit, one of Italeri's better chopper kits. Nice one, you got five decal options in your kit. I have to admit to not having seen that boxing. There is another Japanese scheme where the fairframe is yellow, which also looks quite stunning. I think you are right to go with PE for the engine air intake, that supplied with the kit is way too overscale.

Colin

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Banana Build - Day 1

Before I start to build I have a cathartic tidy up of my workbench.

After finishing my Dalek I think I can safely stow my Dremel and soldering iron, It would appear unlikely that they will make an appearance on this project (I was wrong about this):

:

P1030003_zps4e5787cc.jpg

I compaired the black plastic mesh that came with the kit and some of the other metal and plastic meshes I had in my modelling materials storage facility:

P1030004_zps1d5fb40c.jpg

Also consulting references I could see that the real mesh is really quite fine and transparent, I concluded that the kit mesh is better than anything I can come up with and will go with that unless something better comes along.

I started to snip off and clean up some of the components involved in cabin and cockpit assembly:

P1030006_zpsee262e88.jpg

Of course I was still feeling my way around this kit, I did a little peruse of the sprues and found this broken part:

P1030007_zpsf1570c34.jpg

Fortunately it does not matter one iota as:

a] I would have replaced it with brass rod anyway, and

b] It is not actually required on the version of the machine I am building

As I said I am still waiting for my PE sets to arrive (from Germany and Poland, maybe this is why is it taking a long time) but I can study the Eduard instructions on the internet. They advise removing the detail from the IP in readiness for the replacement PE IP:

P1030008_zpsda558e54.jpg

I think a better idea is to just use a bit of plasticard and pocket the kit part for another time. This card just happens to be a piece leftover from my Dalek (I am knee deep in surplus card thanks to that):

P1030009_zps8c1d9d54.jpg

Glued in place like this:

P1030010_zpsb0645756.jpg

You may be wondering why there is a piece of channel section glued underneath, some sort of secret superdetailing manouver perhaps?

No, this ding bat snipped off the location tab while removing it from the sprue, a school boy error that it is embarrassing and painful to admit to. The channel just happens to be the right sized substitute. And why is it off centre you ask, now seriously doubting the competence of this moron. It just is like that, OK?

My references further informed me that there was a panel on top of the IP. I had procured a sheet of these excellent Archers resin decals for just such an eventuality and a suitable one was installed:

P1030011_zps251a6b03.jpg

Inside the cabin area there are a lot of ejector pin marks that require attention:

P1030012_zps6ef7cce1.jpg

A fit check of the fuselage halves revealed that the panels lines do not line up too well on the roof (and indeed the underside as well). I am not sure what to do about this, I will have to have a think:

P1030013_zps2e2b45ef.jpg

There are some sink marks on the front of the cockpit floor which will also require some filler:

P1030014_zps4b21bbc6.jpg

This is the extent of progress tonight.

Bye for now,

Nigel

Edited by Nigel Heath
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Good start Nigel.

Have you got any information on those archer resin decals?

Regards the mesh - I was given a tip on my gazelle build. Space ranger mentioned that Lipton pyramid tea bags come in a very fine nylon mesh. I'm heading to tesco tomorrow; will keep you informed.

Edited by milktrip
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On the Archer decals go here.

I have used their rivet and louvre strips on other builds and when I had a general look through their catalogue I thought these panels could come in handy, I also bought a sheet of raised panels lines. They mainly cater for the choo choo brigade but there are some useful aircraft items in there.

Yes, please keep me informed on the mesh, the kit part is a bit heavy handed really.

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This is a great subject, so much so that I was stupid enough to build the Fonderie Miniatures 1/48 kit a few years back. My researches at the time indicate that the H-21 was never fitted with jet turbines. Nice start!

Martin

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I do like that helo alot. Bright color all the way on this one.

Another helo that should come in 1/35 scale.

As far as the seams not lining up lines. ....putty the holes and rescribe new ones.

Oliver

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Banana Build - Day 2

This is what the mesh should look like:

H-21_Engine_bay_looking_forward.jpg

So, its diamond not square like that supplied with the kit, and as you can see very see through.

See!! The IP is offset and there is only a wiper on the pilots side:

P1030018_zpsf90ef933.jpg

Seems a bit stingy on the wiper front, perhaps they were in short supply in the 1950's.

One of the reasons for starting on a nice modern kit was to avoid things like rescribing, ah well.

I think most of tonight will be spent trying to find more reference material, I am really struggling to find decent cockpit photos.

Edited by Nigel Heath
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Nigel, what's that big hole at the back end for? It doesn't appear on the actual aircraft (756) unless it's been modded. Actually, I can just see what used to be that hole but it's definitely covered on the real thing

photo of IP about halfway down page http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/models/Aircraft/Piasecki-H21.html

and full cockpit here http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cockpit._Helicopter_Piasecki_V-44%D0%A1_%28H-21%D0%A1%29_%22Work_Horse%22_%28Shawnee%29_%289977393035%29.jpg

Edited by hendie
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During my researches I have found some photos of the actual machine:

caption.jpg

filename-313-jpg-thumbnail0.jpg

Could be handy those.

The black holes are supposed to be the exhaust ports I think - not looked at your links yet hendie.

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I just lost my post (grrr) as it said the internet had stopped working - as if that's ever going to happen.

I will try to remember wot I rote.

Corr hendie, that's brilliant, I will post the IP picture here:

Piasecki-H-21-Cockpit.jpg

See Kallisti, this one is fitted with the anti-grav skirts:

P1030019_zps1d555e00.jpg

I am nothing if not a stickler for historic accuracy and getting my research correct.

Edited by Mike
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Corr hendie that's even more brilliant:

Cockpit._Helicopter_Piasecki_V-44%D0%A1_

Far better than anything I have been able to find.

There seem to be a lot of colour variations in the cockpit alone. Some are grey like this and some are an almost emerald green. I have seen the seat padding black like here, leathery red, quite bright red, grey and olive. The seat frames grey or a bluey green. The control columns all sorts of combilations of black, grey and brown. The rudder pedals grey or black and so on. I don't think olive green has a place on a civillianishy sort of machine but other than that I could have free reign.

That could be dangerous.

Edited by Nigel Heath
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Today hendie I had mince, taties and skirlie bought for me, yes for free! I'm sure that will appeal to the Scot in you (even if you are dangerously naturalised - I am sure you still have some faint Scottish tendancies). It was very tasty.

I did get a little bit of actual work done tonight, I filled and sanded all the ejector pin holes and sink marks:

P1030020_zpsd3eebd9a.jpg

Still no sign of the PE though and it is starting to bug me somewhat.

Edited by Nigel Heath
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