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UH-1D Huey


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Nice progress Jean!

I built this kit as a 'Slick' a couple of years ago - the only extra I did was to drill out the engine vents and 'back' with some mesh from fancy tea bags. 
I think I also put a little weight in a box in the cabin somewhere too, as can be a little tail heavy

 

36695589046_829f32f881_b.jpgItaleri 1_72_Bell_UH-1D_Iroquis_3_1024 by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr

 

Sorry for the thread creep.

Dermot

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Hi guys,

 

a very small update on my UH-1D.

@Dermo245 this Huey of yours is really well done and sexy! Congrats.

 

All I have done here is gluing the foot rests from the PE plate... I did say small update!!!

In addition I painted some aluminium paint, so that I can do some chipping to simulate the paint erosion from foot prints!!!

 

UH-1D Photo 12

 

That's all folks... for tonight...

 

JR

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Hi there,

 

just been painting the interior. It is gloss paint mostly, which will be varnished mat after weathering. Tricky fits in places but it could be worse.

I glued all the clear parts on the doors as well. After some uncertainty, I decided to glue them using Tamiya extra thin. Not unhappy with the result at all, but some clear parts are a fraction narrower than the window openings... Plastic shims to the rescue?

Anyway, here is a photo of the battle field.

 

UH-1D Photo 13

 

Thanks for watching.

 

JR

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Good evening all,

 

the build is moving forward and plastic quality aside, it is most enjoyable.

I stupidly decided to cut out the plastic meshed openings on the engine compartment and replace them by some nice PE from the Airwaves fret.

Here is a photo of the damage while in its infancy...

 

UH-1D Photo 14

 

I say "stupidly" because only when I was almost finished butchering the first hole did I realise the thickness of that terrible plastic... Which I will now have to thin out to the thickness of a sheet of paper in order to fit the PE mesh in its correct position...

Granted, the PE is much nicer, but at what cost... Oh well...

Have fun with your own choppers!

 

JR

 

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Hi everybody,

 

today I was supposed to finish my Stuka, but somehow I knew I would not do a good job... Wrong mojo...

So instead I went to the Huey... Mistake?

This plastic is so brittle I strongly believe that I have broken close to 50% of the parts! More time wasted repairing them to the best of my ability. 

Anyway, here is a photo of the last casualties:

 

UH-1D Photo 14

 

Apologies for the crummy light.

I fitted a decal on the overhead IP, as nobody can see it and using the PE would have just taken longer for nothing tangible.

Problem: the decal started breaking once on the kit, so I just stopped touching it. I suspect the whole decal sheet is suspect, so I may have to use the PE for the main IP. Not sure if I can do it justice. We'll see.

Question: anybody knows for sure the colors of the rotor blade? I suspect grey above and black underneath with yellow tips, but I cannot find a definite photo.

Any ideas welcome!

 

We'll see where this kit leads us. So far, fun and frustrating in equal amounts!

 

Have fun

JR

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Hi guys and girls,

 

Today I carried on with the cockpit and glued the IP that comes between the two pilots' seats. I did paint the PE to the best of my ability, and as nothing will be seen once all is in place, I am happy with the result.

 

UH-1D Photo 15

 

As is sometimes the case with Airwaves PE (I had actually forgotten this quirk...) you cannot help but wonder if it is designed for the kit written on the label! That was the case for this IP, which ended up being over 1.5 mm too long at the rear... I should have tried it first. Anyway, I just chopped off the excess with scissors and filed everything level. That will teach me!

 

More annoying is the rotor. It has a natural bend, which could be nice, except that the Huey rotor does not bend that much.

So here is the kit's rotor:

 

UH-1D Photo 16

 

The snag is that the rotor is bending upwards. Negative gravity at its best. As if I needed that on top of all the breakages incurred!

All I can think of if a hot water bath and a gentle torsion in the opposite direction. 

That does work with normal, fairly soft plastic........

 

Anyway, thanks for watching.

Have fun.

 

JR.

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Good luck straightening the rotors. Perhaps leaving them under a couple of heavy books for a day or two may help if the hot water doesn't?

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1 hour ago, Col. said:

Good luck straightening the rotors. Perhaps leaving them under a couple of heavy books for a day or two may help if the hot water doesn't?

I already have a plan B if hot water does not work.

We have a hippo coming every night at the kitchen door to eat some tit bits we give him. Any of his feet should be good enough to straighten anything... Worth a try!

 

Cheers Col.

 

JR

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1 hour ago, JOCKNEY said:

Brilliant, can i ask does the Hippo have a name ?

I wonder if the rotas were left out in the sun with the middle supported they would droop in the opposite direction  ?

Hi Pat,

yes, the hippo is called Steve. A baby of 2 years 10 months, weighing a tiny 800 kg. Good enough for ESCI's plastic I thought.

Leaving rotor dangling from string in the sun... Good one, except this is the coldest winter we have had, if my memory serves me right (Not sure what I had for breakfast this morning, but it does sound good to say that!) So sun not helping...

Plus I can guarantee that I would see the rotor pass by in a baboon's hands very quickly, with the baboon making "flap flap flap" noises... Boiling water seems the least worse bet for now.

Next post from the burns unit of the local hospital.

 

Have fun and a great weekend!

JR

 

58 minutes ago, modelling minion said:

Love the idea of having regular visits from a Hippo, we get excited if we see a Hedgehog in our garden!

Hi MM,

You'd look silly with a hippo in your garden! The neighbors may start bitching.

Having said that, a hippo is the best lawn mower you can think of. Beautiful job, no engine noise and cheap on fuel. I guess you could hire it out... Think about it.

Cheers

 

JR

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Hi all,

 

the build is still moving on.

I have started fitting the seats with safety harness on, along with the collective.The handling is going to become quite tricky.

I will have to scratch the two cyclic sticks as the original ones broke and disappeared sometimes after the last ice age.

Here is one photo.Matt varnish will eventually dull everything. Not sure yet about weathering, if any.

 

UH-1D Photo 17

 

Once the cabin is finished he rest should not take too long.

Have fun!

 

JR

Edited by jean
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Hi everybody,

 

the build carries on, and so unfortunately do the breakages...

Horrible plastic.

Here is a sample of the mishaps:

 

 

UH-1D Photo 18

 

The break on the fuselage is obvious.

The turbine exit snapped on both sides, along the seam line.

one corner of the IP snapped too (being fixed)

along with one arm of the counterweight (almost fixed)

 

And it is supposed to be a relaxing hobby!!!!!

Have fun! Just like I am having...

 

JR

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On 26/07/2020 at 17:16, jean said:

Question: anybody knows for sure the colors of the rotor blade? I suspect grey above and black underneath with yellow tips, but I cannot find a definite photo.

The rotor blades are Black underneath and Olive Drab on the top, with a yellow tips and wide White stripes (top only):

spacer.png

 

On 01/08/2020 at 23:32, jean said:

I will have to scratch the two cyclic sticks as the original ones broke and disappeared sometimes after the last ice age.

Looks great, I’m glad that you’re still having a mojo with all the troubles with plastic.

 

On 01/08/2020 at 23:32, jean said:

Once the cabin is finished he rest should not take too long.

I heard it so many times, Jean! 😹

 

8 hours ago, jean said:

And it is supposed to be a relaxing hobby!!!!!

Sure thing: the first relaxing moment when you’re opening the box and the second - on finish! 😬

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Good morning @Nikolay Polyakov,

 

thank you for the colors of the main rotor! Most appreciated.

The rotor is one of the very few parts that I haven't broken yet, but as I have to bend it under hot water to stop the blades sticking skyward, there is still hope!

Did I really mention modelling as a relaxing hobby? Scrap that! You are right. Opening a box and looking at the sprues is relaxing. It's usually downhill all the way from there on!

 

Have a great day.

JR

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1 hour ago, jean said:

The rotor is one of the very few parts that I haven't broken yet, but as I have to bend it under hot water to stop the blades sticking skyward, there is still hope!

I hope it helps, but not get tempted...

 

1 hour ago, jean said:

Did I really mention modelling as a relaxing hobby? Scrap that! You are right.

Yes, some kits are really off the party! 😉

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  • 1 month later...
On 01/08/2020 at 11:31, jean said:

Hi Pat,

yes, the hippo is called Steve. A baby of 2 years 10 months, weighing a tiny 800 kg. 

 

Hi MM,

You'd look silly with a hippo in your garden! The neighbors may start bitching.

Having said that, a hippo is the best lawn mower you can think of. Beautiful job, no engine noise and cheap on fuel. I guess you could hire it out... Think about it.

Cheers

 

JR

Great to hear that Steve is earning his keep. How did you manage to train him to eat in straight lines so the lawn has those lovely stripes in it ?

 

Your perseverance is to be admired with this build given what you have been going through.

 

I was even beginning to feel a bit guilty about having talked you into it, but then I had another sip of 12 year old Bowmore and felt much better 😉

 

cheers Pat 🥃 

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1 hour ago, JOCKNEY said:

Great to hear that Steve is earning his keep. How did you manage to train him to eat in straight lines so the lawn has those lovely stripes in it ?

 

Your perseverance is to be admired with this build given what you have been going through.

 

I was even beginning to feel a bit guilty about having talked you into it, but then I had another sip of 12 year old Bowmore and felt much better 😉

 

cheers Pat 🥃 

Hi Pat,

 

shame, you've just missed Steve! He has been stuffing himself at the kitchen door with the baboons and the bush pigs...Nice and lively company! He has just pushed off because we have a herd of elephants right around the house (who gave us a good adrenaline surge this afternoon), and hippos are not too keen on these big bullies... Anyway, you just have to show a hippo a lot of football matches, and presto, he produces these neat dark and light lines on your lawn...

Bowmore hey? Monsieur is a connoisseur. For you it is only a few short swims from Oban and a few longer walks and you can get your Bowmore. And you have Jura in between... Am I glad I do not live in Scotland!

Here, you can buy a single malt whisky distilled and bottled in Selibe Pikwe, with pure spring water from he Highlands... (Sic) Selibe Pikwe is a godforsaken small town in Northern Botswana (I have been there, so do not ask) and the last kilt they saw must have been either during the Boer war, or the Zulu wars... As for the pure spring water from the Highlands, they don't precise which highlands.... So talking of Bowmore is sheer sadism!

As for the Huey, have no remorse! I am having fun and learning a lot. And  I keep working a little bit on it as well when things are drying elsewhere..

I am learning from my previous mistakes and I want to finish one kit in time in a GB, so I am focusing on the 109. Then the MS 406 AND the Huey!

 

As you can see, I have a plan. Whether Life and SWMBO are in sync with my aspirations is another thing altogether!

 

Cheers mate.

 

JR

 

 

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