John Masters Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 It seems fitting that I should continue my new-found love of helicopters with this AModel kit of a Mil Mi-1M 'Hare', in the livery of the Republic of San Theodoros, while under the rule of General Tapiopca, General Alcazar's perennial rival. That's right. More Herge...more Tintin...😉 If you google 'San Theodoros', you'll find it somewhere in the northern part of South America, maybe south of the Guyanas or...who knows? It doesn't exist. It was a puppet state of Borduria, which also doesn't exist. I am sure I have lost most of you already. In any case, here's a wiki link...why this exists...I also don't know. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Theodoros And here are some of Herge's panels showing the colours and decal placement. Pretty simple stuff. I like the khaki buff. And here are the Blue Rider decals...just the flag, the red stripe and the call-sign, 'C04' And what's inside the box...an old-fashioned AModel kit with lots of flash, clunky moulding, etc...Lots to clean up here! Take a gander at those gates...pretty thick! --John 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestar12chris Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 John just love the Tin Tin stuff your putting out. All the best Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 Welcome back with another good addition, and a third tin tin installment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 7, 2019 Author Share Posted November 7, 2019 Thanks Chris and Dennis. It's a fun diversion for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 8, 2019 Author Share Posted November 8, 2019 These kinds of builds remind me that a) I am not ever, ever, ever going to enter any of my builds in a contest and b) to not take myself so seriously. Now, the kit... Break out the sanding sticks, the files and the precision snips. It's clean-up time on the bench. Such flash...such leaky moulds...thank the gods the plastic is in good shape and not crumbly like so many Amodel kits can be. Or HitKit...remember HitKit? Ghastly...but for a time they were the only source for A-H Albatri...I digress... Some pictures... After a very satisfying hour of clean-up, I now have this...btw...the rotor blade is not curved. That's the camera lens. ...and these... And I have constructed this nifty little cockpit... What's next? Priming. I'll give it all a good round of Vallejo Grey Primer and let it set overnight. I think I will also construct the rotor/armature pieces so I can prime them all after they have been glued. --John 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 9, 2019 Author Share Posted November 9, 2019 I really have no technical knowledge of helicopters and their rotor/motor assemblies, but suffice to say I have decided to out together this bit before priming. The instructions called for some scratch building of the little white rods (Evergreen). What are they? I think they adjust the tilt of the blades...In any case, I'll prime this afternoon. I think it looks pretty good. By the way...what colour should the blades be painted? Dark green? Black? --John 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 (edited) Good call John, another combo I have & well pleased to see you lead the way. Steve. Edited November 9, 2019 by stevehnz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 15 minutes ago, John D.C. Masters said: ...what colour should the blades be painted? Dark green? Black? Nice work on the rotor assembly and pitch control rods. Seen what looks to be both colours as well as faded to grey and, in one example, silver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 9, 2019 Author Share Posted November 9, 2019 Primed with Vallejo Grey primer. This has to set up for a full 24 hours or else the paint won't stick well. Any of the pieces that will be glued together will be cleaned off before hand... --John 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 Good work on your Rotor and helo so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zebra Posted November 10, 2019 Share Posted November 10, 2019 Nice work so far John. Looks like one of Amodel's cruder kits but you seem to have it under control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 10, 2019 Author Share Posted November 10, 2019 Thanks Dennis...thanks Zebra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 17, 2019 Author Share Posted November 17, 2019 Sorry for the delays. It always seems to take ne a few days to get back in the groove after returning from the mainland...anyway...I'm back and the Hare is coming along. In typical AModel fashion, nothing really fits very well. I had to remove the air filter from the top of the cockpit assembly and insert it post-cockpit-insertion. Then, of course, once I had it all ready togo, the fuselage halves fir well except for to parts on top. Grrr...Hmmm...well...so I will fill and shim and sand. AModel, where have you been? The last time I had this much fun was with their SPAD A2... In any case, here is a small montage. Sorry about the focus i the second picture. It is the air filter. --John 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srkirad Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 Amodel kits.. where you put more cement/concrete/styrene/putty/_______ (add yourself) and use all possible "construction work" tools instead of modelling tools 😁 I know your pain John... went through this few times, and hopefully not anymore... Anyway, going in good direction so far, I hope your modelling mojo won't let you down... few more steps and you're closer to the painting stage.... Cheers, S. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 17, 2019 Author Share Posted November 17, 2019 1 hour ago, srkirad said: few more steps Its not difficult, as we all know. But after building so many well-fitting kits from so many other makers, this just brings me back to the time when AModel was a source for oddball and/or unique aircraft--and we were stuck with it! Like HitKit...Yuck! Thanks srkirad. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael louey Posted November 18, 2019 Share Posted November 18, 2019 Hi John, Good to see you making progress on the Hare. Remember from my build to paint the tail boom stripes - The decals won't fit. Regards Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 18, 2019 Author Share Posted November 18, 2019 2 hours ago, Michael louey said: The decals won't fit Good to know! Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 18, 2019 Author Share Posted November 18, 2019 OK...A bit of nipping and ticking going on here. That big gap on the top of the cockpit proved to be a quandary. If I were to just fill it in, then the glass would not fit--it would be too narrow. So my only solution was to squeeze it together as best I could, glue it with thin Tamiya Cement (to run into all the nooks and crannies) and then fill it using putty. Then some more glue and then the clamp. I'll let it set up overnight. The remaining gaps were easily plugged and filled, sanded down, etc...I gave all the glass pieces a good test fit and I think it will be alright. I am going to leave the doors open on this so one can see whatever cockpit is viewable. The vent on the bottom...before... and after... Instrument panel...accurate? No idea...but it'll look the part. --John 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srkirad Posted November 18, 2019 Share Posted November 18, 2019 Maybe you could've glue that upper cockpit part with superglue - it would hold very well, and it would save you some time in waiting Tamiya glue to cure. On the other hand, there could be possibility for super glue to crack somewhere in future time... Tamiya glue will bond the plastic together and it will be 'together-forever'... Clear parts seem to have few bubbles here and there? Hopefully not so annoying. Cheers, Srđan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 19, 2019 Author Share Posted November 19, 2019 8 hours ago, srkirad said: Clear parts Yes... the aren't the prettiest of pieces. They are also a trifle thick. I will have to make do. At least they fit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 21, 2019 Author Share Posted November 21, 2019 The masking of the glass...I had a brainstorm regarding this task...use a hole punch to make small discs to establish the corners. It seems to have worked. Since I will have both the side doors open (suicide door style!) I have masked both the inside and outside. As you see in the first image...the instrument panel is in! Glass...I cleaned up the edges... Side doors... I will let the glass set up overnight. Tomorrow I will hit the areas with some putty, clean up the seams and whatnot, fill the interior with foam and prime it. --John 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 23, 2019 Author Share Posted November 23, 2019 (edited) It always seems as if there is a short period of hemming and hawing about whether to send the build down to the paint shop or not. Is it ready? Hmmm...In this case, I think so. The glass is in, the putty and filler is applied...sanded down, polished as much as I can...and I have filled the cockpit with foam. First, I painted the rotor. The blades are now aluminum. I will hit them with some Russian-ish Dark Green later, worn and weathered, as a surplus Hare would be if sold to a fictional tin-pot banana republic... I have opened up the exhaust port to give it a bit more realism. And this is how it will sit on the fuselage. I will permanently install it at the end of the build. And the fuselage is ready...as ready as she will be. Primer this afternoon. --John Edited November 23, 2019 by John D.C. Masters 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 24, 2019 Author Share Posted November 24, 2019 While I wait for the primer to dry on the fuselage, I have been able to do some small painting bits...wheels, exhaust, rear rotor, main rotor...and primed fuselage. Paint shop tomorrow! We are supposed to get a big storm tomorrow, into Tuesday. Perfect modelling weather! --John 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 25, 2019 Author Share Posted November 25, 2019 (edited) The printshop returned the model in good stead. I only needed to paint the body, the external fuel tank, the doors and I gave the main rotor a slight dusting to take the edge off of the dark green. I must say, I really like this Vallejo Air M495 Light Grey (71.298). It is slightly warmer than Deck Tan. It seems to be a staple for the 1970s-to the 80s Russian helicopters. Very nice. The light Grey Blue underside will be a nicely subtle touch. Tomorrow... Edited November 25, 2019 by John D.C. Masters 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 27, 2019 Author Share Posted November 27, 2019 I had a bit of 'paint peel' after masking the Hare for the blue underside. I had to repair it free hand. Not too noticeable if you don't look too closely. Without the window masks, I am happy with it. I think it's time to do some more building! --John 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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