Robert Stuart Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 3 hours ago, Colin W said: There's definitely something wrong with the front of the rotor head installation above the engines. The kit is not consistent with any pictures I've found. I think the fact that the kit was released in 1968 and the Puma entered service in 1974 means that the shape and detail probably does not reflect the final shape and spec of the real thing. After all the work you've done on this kit, Is it possible to correct this to look right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted May 20, 2018 Author Share Posted May 20, 2018 Have no fear, Captain Milliput is here! Incidentally they say one mans trash is another mans treasure. So tonight I was walking the dog past a local beauty spot. The sort of place young people go to walk dogs, watch the sunset, change light bulbs in their cars, throw empty light bulb wrappers onto the ground! A second glance showed me a solution to the 'contact lens' for the rear window. I reckon I can cut just what I need from this. Recycling in action! Colin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimB Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 15 hours ago, Colin W said: There's definitely something wrong with the front of the rotor head installation above the engines. The kit is not consistent with any pictures I've found. I think the fact that the kit was released in 1968 and the Puma entered service in 1974 means that the shape and detail probably does not reflect the final shape and spec of the real thing. Colin Colin, the main issue is that Heller have made the fuselage top around of the main rotor head mostly solid. The fairing should be thin, with just a lip around the top, See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aérospatiale_SA_330_Puma#/media/File:A_Royal_Air_Force_Puma_helicopter_over_the_English_countryside.jpg for a reasonable view. I think Heller just simplified it a bit and got the position relative to the rotor mast a bit too far forward. Regards Tim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted May 24, 2018 Author Share Posted May 24, 2018 I actually managed to find a top view of a French Puma on a ship which shows the collar around the gearbox is quite thin at the front and has tear drop shape. I've modified the top to reflect this. Its a bit hard to see with all the filler but I cut away the front and replaced the base with plastic sheet. A few layers of filler and I was confident to cut in the ventilation holes. Anyway as you can see I have put the glazing on and pre-masked it to protect from scratching. It needed a bit of bog on the port side But starboard was OK. Gradually working away at top and front now but I don't have to worry about breaking the cockpit anymore! Colin 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted May 27, 2018 Author Share Posted May 27, 2018 Well the fill sand and repeat cycle comes to an end for most of the airframe. There were quite few gaps around the cabin windows so I covered them with Squadron putty and polished them back before masking them off. I then sprayed a thin coat of Mr Colour 301 over the glazing and the filler to check for imperfections and to set the interior colour for the cockpit. I have also added a plate in the engine bay to sit them on once I have made these. This view also shows the 2 prominent fuel filler positions missed by Heller and for which I needed to reposition the undercarriage sponsons back by 4mm. Colin 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted June 15, 2018 Author Share Posted June 15, 2018 Hi Chaps I've been chipping away at this but not posting for various reasons. We had a storm last weekend which knocked the internet out for 4 days so no posting then! So since the last post the final paint has gone on the fuselage and rotors. I masked the rotors and the black undersurface but used wet tissue for the green which worked well Now on her wheels Colin 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 That's a rather handsome wobblychopter you have there. Looks great in the green and grey. Despite having never seen one, I've always rather liked the Puma. If only we had a more modern kit of it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 Echo Rob's comment, your Puma is looking good there Colin. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 That's looking great Colin. I've managed to obtain two editions of the old Matchbox 1/32 kit (why??) so have a keen interest in Puma's. I'll look forward seeing this one all wrapped up soon. Now, loosing the internet for four whole days must have been a real 'turn back the clock' moment. I'm sure if I gave my kids the choice - they would rather loose oxygen over the internet for such a long period of time! Cheers.. Dave 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 I've come late to this one Colin, but it's been very enjoyable catching up. Great work so far. Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 Thanks for the comments. Living in rural Thailand is great but it has its challenges. 🙂 Tonight there is an error message telling me the pictures cant be embedded? Sorted! Anyway a fair bit of progress this weekend. This kit is not really worthy of the level of detail in Tims picture on page 1 so i built the basic unit and added a swash plate, some oil tanks and a bit of piping from lead wire. Meanwhile the lack of detail on the tail rotor sent me to the spares bin where I found an old Hasegawa 5 blade tail rotor from their Seaking kit. I trimmed the blades and now it looks much better Hasegawa Heller I looked for some better wheels but actually these are not a bad representation of the real thing. Finally I went with the large contact lens idea for the rear window. This is moulded solid on the kit but has been cut from a blister pack, see above. Colin 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 Quick update tonight. I made the decal sheet last night and sealed it tonight. XW226 of 230 Squadron RAF Odiham. I'm not sure if its a tiger and a palm tree or a puma? Traveling for the rest of the week so next update on Sunday. Colin 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyf117 Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 (edited) Content withdrawn - I will NOT be threatened by a moderator, simply because I queried the actions of another... Edited June 27, 2020 by andyf117 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 Puma ot tiger, those decals look good either way Colin. How do you make your decals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 Yes a Tiger of course. The decals are printed on clear decal film using a standard ink jet. The ink is water soluble so needs a couple of thin coats of varnish to seal. Easy as really I usually use Xtradecal for the roundals so I don't have to match the colour. Colin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 20 hours ago, Colin W said: Quick update tonight. I made the decal sheet last night and sealed it tonight. XW226 of 230 Squadron RAF Odiham. I'm not sure if its a tiger and a palm tree or a puma? Traveling for the rest of the week so next update on Sunday. Colin Enlarge them to 1/32 scale and you can retire early!! ... and I’d be very happy to be your first customer. Some 33 Squadron badges and codes would be nice. Cheers.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted June 24, 2018 Author Share Posted June 24, 2018 Well some more decal fun. The only issue with home printed decals is the white. I missed the chance to get an ALPS years ago so now have to montage the decals to get white. Here is a square of white decal film added as a base. The red has been printed with the letters left clear. Red decal applied over the white to get the border and white lettering A bit of alignment to tidy up. Note the poor printing of the professional Xtradecal! Where did the white crescent come from? Colin 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 Colin, It's looking good. And in proper grey, green & black too. They are just wrap around two tone green now & it looks wrong to me. In your post 36 above, the main rotor head. The green and black on the blades continues to the root end of the blade. The gearbox and head are a dark grey semi gloss. See the picture in post 12. I recently unearthed an Airfix Puma and a Matchbox one I built in the mid 80's. Both need more than a bit of refurbishment! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyf117 Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 (edited) Content withdrawn - I will NOT be threatened by a moderator, simply because I queried the actions of another... Edited June 27, 2020 by andyf117 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blitz23 Posted June 26, 2018 Share Posted June 26, 2018 Colin great job, looks fantastic. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted June 30, 2018 Author Share Posted June 30, 2018 Quick update on the last few days work The decals are now matted down with Microscale satin. Aerials added from the Flightpath Seaking set. I found this also had a hook made from 4 lamonations on PE. Since my main reference picture also had the hook I decided to add this. Doors fitted. I peeled off the cockpit masking and I have to say I was quite pleased with the overall outcome. The end is nigh! Exhausts and side steps to add and the aerial wire then done. Oh and the rotors, Duh! Colin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Fox Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Sows to silk purse. well played that chap. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted July 1, 2018 Author Share Posted July 1, 2018 Cheers Andy. I've quite enjoyed this build as its been a nice balance of the kit giving a reasonable shape and opportunity to do some reconstruction and detailing without getting the microscope out. Well last session today. I have added the last of the aerials and the brass work for the steps and skid. Here's an overview before painting. Side steps and tail rotor defender from 1mm wire. Aerial rigging with Eezee line on a double laminate strut from Flightpaths PE Seaking set. Also from the same set is the hook and the main blade aerials although I had to reduce the size of the upper one. IFF aerials from a generic PE sheet. The 3d printer is here but its my sons school project and he took off to sunny England yesterday and I don't want to use it without him so I made some blanks over the exhausts. I'll make some engines in September when he's back. Same aspects from a different angle. You can see the tail aerial (Carbon fibre rod) and just make out the red nav light The brass needs to be painted, rotors popped on and then she's done. I'll post some finished pictures in the Gallery. Thanks Rob for moderating and to Enzo for putting this GB on as an extra when we all thought it would be lost with not enough votes. I have never managed 2 models in 1 GB before but good to have this very long serving machine represented I think. Colin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted July 1, 2018 Share Posted July 1, 2018 That's turned out really well Colin. All your improvements have made a big difference. Cliff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted July 4, 2018 Share Posted July 4, 2018 Thanks to you Colin for taking part. You've done a good job here, I've seen it in the gallery surrounded by crew - well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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