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De Havilland RU-6A Beaver (Hobbycraft 1/48)


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Hi modellers,

few days ago I’ve started a new entry to my Vietnam War aircraft collection. It was the De Havilland RU-6A Beaver in VNAF colors.

 

In the early 1960s, the Electronics Warfare Laboratory developed airborne radio direction finding (ARDF) electronic gear and installed it in three de Havilland U-6A Beavers, re-designating them RU-6As. Apparently no special code names were applied to those aircraft at the time. Assigned to the Vietnam Flight Detachment of the 3rd Radio Research Unit in March 1962, those three aircraft became the first Army reconnaissance airplanes in Vietnam.

Time later a group of ARDF Beavers went to the Mekong Delta in 1964. Sometime before 1966, three RU-6A aircraft equipped with standard U.S. Army ARDF equipment were given to the South Vietnamese Air Force. Those systems worked so well that more Beavers and U-8Ds were converted under the ‘R’ version, incorporating AN/ARD-15 surveillance equipment for Vietnam service.


Example 51-16862 /mM available on decal sheet was delivered to US Army on January 1953 as L-20A and re-designated U-6A in 1962. Later converted to RU-6A.

Then this aircraft was given to VNAF, served with 33rd TW (tail code mM), 716th Rec. Sqn. AF.

It had the earlier style airborne direction finding equipment (with Collins R-390 radios) instead the newer AN/ARD-15 system that the U.S. used for their RU-6As.

 

(photo credit: http://www.dhc-2.com)

32826268617_794709f13c_b.jpg

 

Kit is the rather basic Hobbycraft in 1/48 scale but it is a good point to start, a sort of blank canvas…

As my usual, I love to show my models fully opened, so that first step was to separate front/back doors from the clear fuselage and replace them by styrene.

 

47717577352_92157c9f37_c.jpg

 

46853605315_cd92fdeb82_c.jpg

 

According a lot of pictures taken in http://www.dhc-2.com website, I was quite sure that cockpit floor was wrong. Much better to replace it by styrene too…

 

47769971461_d0f2a3e9e1_c.jpg

 

Instrumental panel next to come…

 

(photo credit: http://www.dhc-2.com)

46853608625_29cb30b40b_z.jpg

 

Ciao, Alex

Rome

Edited by _frequentflyer_
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New IP by styrene and Airscale PE. Check the differences...

46853605045_e8a3607c21_c.jpg

 

46853605735_6911e3036e_c.jpg

 

Cockpit floor upgraded. Rudder pedals by Reheat PE

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They look quite close to real

46853608075_86ff4ccbd5_c.jpg

 

Alex

Edited by _frequentflyer_
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I Like the approach with the cockpit. I have to add though, the rudder pedals are set in a deeper level than the floor from my recollections of flying in Beavers in Canada . They are in a sort of trough. Maybe too tricky to depict in a model.

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On 5/8/2019 at 12:57 PM, _frequentflyer_ said:

As my usual, I love to show my models fully opened, so that first step was to separate front/back doors from the clear fuselage and replace them by styrene.

 

:oops: Modelling an open Beaver!

:sorry: Put it down to a juvenile sense of humour and misty memories!

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Can I suggest making the front doors bigger. I fought shy on doing this on my first Beaver and have regretted doing it since. Extennding the line of the forward edges f the front doors goes a lng way toward  fixing what looks wrong with the model. I'll be doing so on my next one.

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matti64, this is an interesting point of reflection....

 

Above all, dry fitting seems to be ok. Cockpit floor is at door level.

46980813184_9028d55780_c.jpg

 

According to you, which side of the front doors has to be widen?

(photo credit: http://www.dhc-2.com)

47788291132_83b74f6d93_z.jpg

 

 

Edited by _frequentflyer_
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front edge on the upper slope and the vertical.

Your photo shows what it needs and that will also distract from the slightly too sloping windscreen angle. I wish I'd done it with my AAC Beaver

.

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12 hours ago, matti64 said:

front edge on the upper slope and the vertical.

Your photo shows what it needs and that will also distract from the slightly too sloping windscreen angle. I wish I'd done it with my AAC Beaver 

.

That's true, I'll keep in mind!

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Slowly ahead with this unusual aircraft....

 

Interior almost completed, now masking upper/front/side windows

48067626613_3048cfe179_c.jpg

 

New front doors area according to @matti64 indications (thank you very much)

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I took the opportunity the get new doors by styrene 0,4mm as well

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Bye for now

Alex

 

Edited by _frequentflyer_
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  • 3 weeks later...

Start painting...

Not easy to get the right tone of grey by pictures taken many years ago. I chose Testors Model Master #1740 Dark Gull Grey.

 

48067574131_4a1be47fa4_c.jpg

 

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To be continued with weathering...

Alex

 

 

 

Edited by _frequentflyer_
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