3DStewart Posted April 15, 2019 Share Posted April 15, 2019 I've 'won' the Zhengdefu 1:72 HAP-Tigre in our club's annual random modelling competition. Irrespective of the kit's merits (or not), the rules say I have to make it, but it's a subject I know little about. There are plenty of photos on the web of service machines, but I can't find any of the 1995 Paris demonstrator, or the French Army evaluation aircraft, which are the decal subjects in the kit. I'm particularly keen to know what style of gun turret and fairing (if any) these aircraft had and what the rotor head detail was like as the model's parts are noticeably different from service machines in these areas. I have found a photo of the prototype's first flight in 1991 and while its rotor head matches the kits', there's no gun turret carried. Please can you help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XV107 Posted April 16, 2019 Share Posted April 16, 2019 Original configuration: https://airbus-h.assetsadobe2.com/is/image/content/dam/channel-specific/website-/products-and-services/helicopters/PT2 Tiger.jpg?wid=1000&qlt=85,0 First flight of HAP prototype, 1993* http://www.hottail.nl/special/prototype/multinational/TigerTigre/images/Tiger.jpg - this is 1993 at Le Bourget https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5006/5209613235_e43bcfacbf_b.jpg - as is this https://www.airliners.net/photo/France-Army/Eurocopter-EC-665-Tigre-PT/214501/L - as in 1999 https://www.airliners.net/photo/France-Army/Eurocopter-EC-665-Tigre-PT/166674/L - this from 2001 when the HAP prototype was down under as it went for selection by the Australian Army *The first prototype - the 1991 first flight - was, I think, in the HAC/PAH-2 configuration https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1991/1991 - 0353.html?search=tiger Not quite the airframes at the times given on the decal sheets, but maybe a start? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3DStewart Posted April 17, 2019 Author Share Posted April 17, 2019 Thanks XV107, that's really helpful. It's interesting to see how relatively little has changed between the prototypes and production machines. Apart from new sensors, the only obvious difference is the removal of the fairing for the gun turret and changes to the rotor head upper detail, which may simply be to do with changes to the mast sighting attachment point. I can continue with my Zhengdefu kit, knowing that it does reasonably portray a prototype machine, although some parts need refinement and the seats completely replacing, as they appear to have been sized for 1:144! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tempestfan Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 No idea which one featured, but you could probably consider the bird from Goldeneye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Bunker Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 16 hours ago, tempestfan said: No idea which one featured, but you could probably consider the bird from Goldeneye. This one? 😉 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hwallen1410 Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 The aircraft used in Goldeneye was PT-1 F-ZWWW. Spent 5 fun years working on the software for Tiger and NH-90 down in Ottobrunn. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3DStewart Posted April 20, 2019 Author Share Posted April 20, 2019 Having been distracted in the mid 90s by a young family I never saw Goldeneye, so didn't realise that the Tiger featured in it. I've now seen some clips on YouTube, but it doesn't look like the version I'm modelling. No gun turret for a start, but it's still nice to see it working and in the black livery the early machines carried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 (edited) Isn't the real issue the person who put the model in the competition? Has the perpetrator of this vindictive act been identified? Have they been kicked out of the club as a result? Or even been kicked in with size twelves? I suggest applying rusty pliers to fingernails as an opener when you find them. Good luck with your project. Edited April 20, 2019 by Truro Model Builder 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3DStewart Posted April 25, 2019 Author Share Posted April 25, 2019 On 4/20/2019 at 1:18 PM, Truro Model Builder said: Isn't the real issue the person who put the model in the competition? Has the perpetrator of this vindictive act been identified? Have they been kicked out of the club as a result? While Zhengdefu have a poor reputation, this particular kit isn't awful (merely unattractive) and is at least buildable. Panel lines are heavy, but fit is generally OK, though modelling skills are needed. Shape wise it is recognisably a prototype Tiger/Tigre and I can't see any obvious mistakes, other than the hugely overscale rotor attachment plates (1:48?) and hugely underscale seats (1:144?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3DStewart Posted May 7, 2019 Author Share Posted May 7, 2019 An update as it nears completion: the decals are wrongly sized and look like they're actually 1:48. If anyone knows where I can get 1:72 decals for the French evaluation machine from 1995 please let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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