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MPM Sikorsky HO3S-1 1/72


hgbn

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The obligatory photo of the not yet started kit, Clearly showing that I need to make me a vacform contraption of some sort to make a new set of the clear parts. that is not yellow :analintruder:

Edited by hgbn
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This build is going to be some kind of a learning curve for me. Never tried to vacform anything so this will be a first for me. I have bought a bag of plaster to make a female mold, however I'm a bit worried if the heat generated when the plaster cures is enough to distort the original clear parts :hmmm: anyone here who have experience with this sort of modeling??

My plan is to create a airtight box of plywood, drill lots of holes in the top of the box and a hole in the side for the Vacuum hose. Make a wooden frame to suspend the clear styrene card in the oven.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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The plaster mould I made from the original clear parts. The dark spots is 1mm holes drilled through the plaster mould. To get the soft Plastic drawn into all recesses. The Plaster mould was then duct taped firmly onto the Vacuum box so the only holes the Vacuum cleaner could breathe through was through the holes drilled in the mould.

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Finally I got something done that looks acceptable. I made a couple of cast's with white 0.5mm Plastic card partly to check if the mould was okay. Had a really hard time to find Clear material which worked properly. Finally found some clear sheets for a overhead projector. Tried CD covers, Acrylic sheet and some packing material. The overhead sheets worked best but is very thin. So if it need some kind of support the white will be used for this.

Now this delay is out of the way I can focus on building. Stay tuned

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Had to make some new set of the canopy. The Overhead material was to soft and flimsy to be at any use. Found a stash of disposable packaging clear lids. This is good. They are not as thick as the original but relative rigid.

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The instructions calls for a complete removal of the entire forward fuselage section to be replaced with the vac form bits. I suspect the thin plastic isn't strong enough to carry the weight of the model plus some lead to prevent it being a tail sitter. So I decided to leave the underside part below the cockpit floor intact. I have glued in the rear bulkhead and the floor first filling the void under the floor with lead.

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To make room for the entire Vac form parts I have sanded approximates the thickness of the vac parts so I can glue them flush with the rest of fuselage

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Thank you Mark.

It actually turned out a lot better than I dared hoping for. Given the fact that I never done it before. It feels like I just stepped into a much larger world. The best part is, now I can do my own conversion sets for projects I always wanted to build. I know I still have to manufacturing masters and female moulds. But like any true modeler I see opportunities not limitations.

Been working flat out this evening on the pit area, folding and gluing PE. correcting the floor and started on scratch building the rear seats, which need to be made of tube and webbing.. Haven't done any photo's of this yet

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WOW! I've never attempted this as it looks way too complicated.

I don't suppose you would make a video so we can see the process from start to scratch?

Great work mate. :goodjob:

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http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/HO3S_BB-62_1953.jpeg

I'm serious considering making a new master for this one. When you do a copy of a copy you lose vital detail. I want those prominent rubber seals around the clear parts on the nose, which has been lost when I made the plaster mould. I have two options to get them. Either glue some stretched sprue around each window directly on the clear parts I already have made, or to cast a new set in plain white Plastic Card, adding the needed details and then cast a new Plaster mould.and make new transparencies from the new mould? Actually I have 3 options now I think of it. If I dare I can engrave the seals in the current Plaster mould :pipe: :hmmm:I could make a white set. Cut out the windows and use it as a scribing template.

@heloman1 Like I wrote to James, I have plenty of spares if you're interested.

Edited by hgbn
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Been correcting the cabin floor, Scratch build the seat support, had to try my new wonder tool the punch & die tool set from Profimodeller and flight controls. MPM's were to be honest really clunky full of flash.

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Decided to give it a shot gluing stretched sprue for rubber gaskets, directly on the already made vac parts with super glue. Turned out a lot better than I had expected.

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Nope, preparred it with some Carefree Eterum floor polish, equals Klear I guess. And gave it a turn more when the gasket was glued to seal any voids if there was some. Besides my philosophy regarding fog is that it is the fumes that cause the fogging, therefore always turn the glued area topside so the vapors can vaporize directly upwards. Alway use super glue as a filler and to glue the canopy from the outside.

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Some paint added, did start scratching the rear webbing seat, when I remembered there was one in my spare box from a Italeri H-19B which had the right size. Yep saved me some time. Reminded me on how useful a good spare box is and another part recycled. Really need to get this one finished. Last day of my winter vacation tomorrow and I really want to have at least this one painted before I start at work again. My schedule for my vacation was got get this one, my F2H-2/2P's and the 2 F8F-2 Panthers finished

And this was bought for a OOB build :banghead:

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The Sikorsky was very close to end in the spare box today. :poo: I managed to crack the front part of the windows when I was gluing them to the fuselage :oops: Pressed a little to hard trying to persuade the part to stay where it was supposed to be staying. Lucky I have some spares. .

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The Sikorsky was very close to end in the spare box today. :poo: I managed to crack the front part of the windows when I was gluing them to the fuselage :oops: Pressed a little to hard trying to persuade the part to stay where it was supposed to be staying. Lucky I have some spares. .

These things were made to test us. :rant:

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