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1/32 HC.1 RAF Puma Northern Ireland


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This is a fantastic piece of work, well done. To go slightly off topic, does anyone here know which Pumas were in Belize in December 1977? Just trying to fill gaps in my aging memory! 33Sqn were there on the det, but I think the a/c were from 230Sqn...

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On 26/05/2021 at 12:15, Tornadofairy said:

This is a fantastic piece of work, well done. To go slightly off topic, does anyone here know which Pumas were in Belize in December 1977? Just trying to fill gaps in my aging memory! 33Sqn were there on the det, but I think the a/c were from 230Sqn...

I only remember the 33 squadron being there in the second half of 77

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http://gary-brusselsblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/northern-ireland-worrying-developments.html?m=0

 

 

There is a drawing at the llink above, lenses were 12 inch 24 inch and 48 inch, the drawing looks very like the camera I used in NI and Belize


The photo here shows scale
https://rafphotographersmemorial.co.uk/post-war-f96-camera/

The photo below is of an older version of the camera but shows colour

 

 

 

 



Role%20Equipment-Williamson-1956-3140.jp

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Well the decals are now on. ZA937 but coded CV. I’ve just got the red lines around both doors and I’ll add the black tape around the nose which won’t take long at all. They decals are quite thick but micro sel/set have done their jobs quite nicely. I’ve painted the hydraulic pipes on the head whilst the Klear was drying and it’s all coming together now. This week I shall mostly be weathering. For now

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Edited by speedy
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Nice stickers! Have you got the jettison handle for the front LH door/panel?* I think there was a warning/operation label next to it?

I remember a 33 cab that went to Germany. They put the son of Berlins' Mayor in the LH seat. He managed to jettison the panel in flight!

* On RAF Pumas the LH cockpit 'door' was merely a jettisonable panel. Other Air Forces had a proper hinged door.

 

@Tornadofairy I was stationed at Odiham from '76 to '83 and we regularly had Pumas flown in by C-130 from Belize for servicing. All 33 Sqn as far as I know.

We used to fish some (dead) huge beetles out from behind the soundproofing!

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well I’ve been away from home for over a week, so picked this back up. To date I have sprayed some post shading stripes on the boom and area around the sponsons. It’s still gloss and I’ve added the black tape to the nose section. Then lastly tackled the cabin doors. As you can see the lines are way too thick and not to mention the carrier film. I’ve quickly taken a shot of the thick stripe which I subsequently removed and cut them all down (now drying). Further photos to follow:

 

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The progression continues…..

 

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So to bombard you with updates a certain change from the last year!. I’m off today and it’s rained all day here, so modelling it is. I trimmed down the red lines for the cabin doors which made a much more realistic appearance. The wire mesh cover has been glued on the tail rotor drive shaft opening. I’ve done a lot on the head today adding the coloured bands and I painted the hydraulic pots with a grime colour (dirty brown). Now I’m planning on this being in flight. So I painted the 4 pots and the central reservoir but then added more paint to the outside of the pots and the outer ring of the reservoir, so as to give a nod to centrifugal forces that would throw the fluid outermost. I’m going to gloss the head as reference photos show them to be a bit shiny. The tape on the nose section was added with fantasy print shop decals, but once applied they were more blue than black so they got hand painted over. You can now see where I’ve done the preshading and after a final inspection for any unglossed decals it’s time for matting off. Once done then I’ll dirty it up. Still plenty to do yet though, thanks for staying with me.

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So it’s Matt time using my go to W&N varnish. So I placed the model on its side to do the underneath first an sprayed it Matt. But it dried with white dots certainly visible against the black. So I ended up flicking them off, deep cleaning the airbrush and washed down the lazy susan. I purchased a new varnish (again W&N) and resprayed it and got the finish I was after, I also sprayed the side as all was going well. It’s curing at the mo for a couple of days then I’ll flip it over. So note to others white dots is safe to assume it’s gone off. I checked it this morning and it looks loads better Matt rather than glossy. Coming together nicely now. It’s my birthday today and never in my life before have I been building the same kit over 2 birthdays😵

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Edited by speedy
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So I left the Matt varnish to cure for a couple of days; probably not needed. Today’s progress has been weathering. I’ve painted a dirty wash mainly around the engine panels and vents, then washing off. I’ve then concentrated on the back end and the exhaust staining. Using my Tamiya pastels a combination of soot and brown I’ve gone from the exhaust outlet and along the boom. I’ve picked out the rivet lines and done a light darkening on the stabiliser leading inner edge. What do you think, too much or not enough. I’ve removed the sponge from the cargo hook area and all is well in there. I think next is to remove the masking from the glazing and see what I’ve been left with🙏.

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Edited by speedy
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8 hours ago, speedy said:

 What do you think, too much or not enough

I think we had a 28 day wash cycle on them. So they gradually got dirtier down the boom until washday. Yours looks like about a weeks worth, so nicely done.

The belly got a bit greasy too. A mix of Hydraulic fluid and engine oil with added cut grass and dust/mud.

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So just before the football starts. The masking has been removed and all the glazing re-kleared. I had quite a bit of bleeding so some gentle scraping and re-coat was needed. The circle above the starboard pilots head was added. The 3 windscreen wipers have been painted and added. It’s at this point that I’ve noticed the centre rib across the centre canopy panel is moulded as an exterior frame. Looking at photos this frame is actually on the inside. So I painted it black and matted it off. Shame but given the quality of the glasing on my kit I wasn’t scraping it away. The cabin doors have been fitted, but they bowed out way proud of the fuselage, so glue was added at the 4 corners to keep it down. I’ve then painted the red squares on the edge of the doors as per reference photos. The hand rails have been added, not 100% accurate, I may come back and revisit them. The warning tabs on the crew doors have been added and I’ve painted the black stripes. The undercarriage has been glued in placed. The load pole installed. Still got a bit to do yet but it’s coming on nicely now and looks the part.

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Thanks for looking in.

Edited by speedy
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It's really looking the part now. Colours and decals look good. 

I just noticed, no external handles on the sliding doors? I assume they are yet to be fitted.

From memory, that circle on the window is for the thermometer. 

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Hi PiL,

 

Towards the end of my builds I make a to do list.

 

Door handles

2 x white aerials underneath

landing lamp

blades

crewman

pole + base

re-weather after handling

colour in the holes black on intake filter ( i dark washed it but I’m not convinced)

wendy house handle

ez-line, port side aerial

gun

NI fit antenna

etc…….

 

I’m informed the disc is - Circular removable transparent disc. This disc is removed only for the removal of a flight  control push rod that is apparently too long to be manipulated through the fuselage structure. I too thought it was the thermostat.

Edited by speedy
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You're right. you jogged my memory, the pushrod. I think I only saw it done once or twice.

I'm sure I remember an OAT gauge but not where it was!

A to do list, nice. I usually just forget stuff. Mostly, where I put the to do list.

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Well there must be Football on as I’m making an update. Since the last post I’ve added the two antennas underneath in front of the cargo hook hole. My 1/32 crewman has been started by modifying the helmet and painting. I wasn’t happy with the visor gloss so I ended up using good old enamel and that came out wonderfully well. The smell though, to think that was the paints of choice as a kid, phew. I’ve ordered a couple of bits from overseas so the build came to a natural halt. Not one for idling around I chose to press on with the blades. Now in my mind and what skills turns into reality are two different thinks. So I cut out 1mm thick plastic and measured up the main blades and widened them by eye, not percentages or arithmetic here. Again the tail was cut and I measured the tail rotor hub and cut a hole to marry the two up together. I searched images of the blades in movement and this was an acceptable compromise and I’m happy with the out come as a representative approach. The main blades are a thin shade of green above and black below and the tail blades are green with a fine edging of clear red. I am going to affix a thin rod below the main blades to eliminate the droop. The rotor disc nicely tilts forward but will be more apparent once the droop has been adjusted. 
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As always thanks for sticking with it. I’ll be going a little quiet with the build for a mo until my orders arrive.

 

Steve.

 

Edited by speedy
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Looking very good, really like the way that you have done the blades.

 

The control rod that had to be taken out through that circular transparent piece was known as the Long  Yaw Rod. Strangely enough someone on our team at Gut ordered 5 of these as he wanted to replace the tail rotor control rods. Got the wrong parts from the Vol 3 and there was much merriment and crating when they arrived.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just thought I’d drop you all a line. Whilst waiting for the live resin stuff to arrive all I’ve done is add the white GPS(?) disc on top of the Wendy house and I wasn’t particularly happy with the dirty wash to fill in the holes of the PIPs, so I’ve inked these with my fine pen and wiped away the excess which has darkened the dimples quite nicely adding definition. Then the base has been made using a bit of Oak which I’ve then oiled with my Cuprinol decking oil (great stuff).

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Edited by speedy
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That's just stunning... super work sir!

 

I especially like the bare metal around the exhaust ejectors. incredible subtle detail that makes the work pop so well!

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Bored and waiting with intent, so I made the 3 small tie down eyelets on each side. I think they’re a tiny bit big but it’s the smallest I could make them. I’m starting to think on the Nightsun figment. If anyone has decent photos on how it attached to the cab it would be greatly received.

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