1/72nd Amodel HUP Retriever RCN, HMCS Assiniboine 1963

[Mr T]

As There is still a few weeks left to run in this group build I thought I would do another build. From the stash I have retrieved the 1/72nd  Amodel kit of the Piasecki HUP Retriever. I am going to build it as one of the three Canadian helicopters of this type and using  decals from Print Scale.

The Retriever was designed to a USN requirement for a rescue and communication helicopter for use on aircraft carriers and ships. A prototype  first  flew in 1949 and entered service in 1951. There were four variants. The HUP1 had horizontal stabilisers on the tail, which were deleted on the HUP2 as this was fitted with an autopilot. Some were built for antisubmarine use, but apparently saw little use in this role. The HUP3 was similar to the 2, with more powerful engines and some were converted (including the three Canadian ones) from a US Army version called the UH25 Mule. the UH25 was to be used as a light transport and communications helicopter, but was found not to be rugged enough for Army use.

The A model kit is moulded in a hard white plastic with little flash and some reasonable detail Some parts like the engine support look quite delicate and will be visible through the air intakes on the spine. As moulded only the upper set are open  and photos vary as to whether the lower set of intakes are open are not. The photos of the aircraft I am building so them to be open and it is straightforward to open them up as there position is indicated on the fuselage halves by engraved lines. Nice to build a kit that can be stuck together with styrene cement.

Edited August 17, 2020 by Mr T
Inserted missing words

[Andwil]

What’s the weird red marbling in the plastic?  Looks like strawberry ice cream topping.

 

AW

[Mr T]

No idea, the only thing I can think is of is that by mistake a red pellet of styrene got into to the hopper full of white pellets. It seems to be plastic as the surface finish etc is the same. 

[JOCKNEY]

On 18/08/2020 at 00:36, Andwil said:

What’s the weird red marbling in the plastic?  Looks like strawberry ice cream topping.

 

AW

Does it come with a bag of sprinkles  🍦🍨🍧 ?

I really like the colour scheme, have you made a start since we last heard from you ?

cheers Pat 

[Mr T]

An enforced break to posting photos since my original post, but work is underway, although at a slower pace. A lot of bits to do before you even get the fuselage together and some issues like no instrument panel (well a blank one anyway). It is happening. 

[Mr T]

After holidays, computer breakdown, decorating etc. this build is now progressing. Fuselage interior has been started and now at the stage where the various internal sub assemblies are ready to fit into the fuselage halves and some windows that might be problematic to fit later in the build have been added. The fit is not stunning and some fettling has been and will be required to get everything in and settled nicely. The location points for some parts are a little vague. There is an engine and transmission in the rear fuselage and a surprising amount of this will be visible and so worth using the kit parts. Tonight I will fit the fuselage interior bits in ready for getting the fuselage together tomorrow.

[Mr T]

I have finally got the fuselage together. There are no locating pins or tabs and I had problems with one of the bulkheads at the rear of the cabin being greater than the fuselage, which meant that the fuselage would not fit together until the width was reduced. Once resolved, the fit e-was still not good as the halves had a slight warp. So with patience, some cyanoacrylate and kicker and clamping the fuselage has been stuck together. Once the cyano had set the joints were flooded with Tamiya Extra Quick setting glue. Miliput was also added when everything seemed dry to the most obvious gaps to help keep the fuselage together and allowed to set before the clamps were removed. The whole thing is no going to be left for a day or so before I do anything else. This is not a kit for the novice. 

The big hole in the bottom of the fuselage is for  engine cooling. There is a radiator and the engine is just about visible behind it.

[Jinxman]

That looks like some heavy duty modelling - the raspberry ripple swirl is lovely though. 

[Mr T]

Yes, it does add something to the kit (what I am not sure). The kit is moulded in a shiny  white brittle polystyrene that I associate with cheap toys from my childhood. There are plenty of mould lines but not much flash and location points are not that deep. With this GBI reckon I am some sort of masochist*I I have built a kit with a vacformed fuselage with resin and PE, virtually finished a kit that is mainly PE and resin and now building a kit that is definitely short run.

*This reminds of a story from someone I knew it uni nearly 50 years. She had a very nosey neighbour and so sometimes she would stand in a room with an adjoining wall and shout, loudly, 'beat me, beat me, I'm a raw egg'. 

[Col.]

You've certainly kicked this one off to a good start regardless of its unwillingness to be built.

[Mr T]

A bit more progress with the Retriever. The first go at dealing with the join line on the fuselage. The whole of the joint has had a layer of Miliput which has been sanded down to something that looks smooth but a coat of primer I am sure will prove otherwise. Assembled the rotor blades to their very small hub. One was OK, but the other had an issue in that I had managed to put one blade on the wrong way round. Nothing a bit of brass wire and superglue will not cure. This is going to be a fun project.

You can see a fair bit of Miliput on the join, it is the same all the way round.

[Mr T]

Getting to grips with this kit now. The fuselage is cleaned up with only minor bits of refilling to do and the somewhat bare kit supplied rotor heads have had some detailing work on them. I have drilled holes for grab handles to be added later in the build and fashioned a fairing on the starboard side that seems unique to the Canadian machines. Paint on soon all being well!

[Mr T]

I have made further progress and a step or backwards in this build. As can be seen the fuselage and rotor blades have been painted. The rotor blades would have worked better if I had rechecked the way the blades were aligned as I managed to get one wrong on each rotor despite 'checking'. Fortunately this was before I had fully painted them. A bit of brass wire and some drilling soon sorted it. Various hand and foot holds have been added from brass wire as well as tie down rings that were surplus from the PE sheet in the Dragonfly.  The paintwork has not been without  trauma. The fuselage band and rear rotor fairing appears to be finally finished in a Fluorescent orange. This colour, we all know, is the complete and  utter devil to apply. A satisfactory finish was achieved  and then masked and the greys were applied. The masking was removed  and  the fuselage band was a serious mess. A search in my decal boxes revealed an ancient sheet of Scalemaster fluorescent orange decal that must be about 35 years old. Much to my surprise and pleasure it seems to have worked and responds well to Microsol and it does not look too bad with just a couple of areas to cover and then on to the PrintScale sheet for the rest of the decals. Getting there at last. 

The rotor blades are just balanced on for effect, they fit into collars that go on each rotor head and are distinctive on the original.

 

Edited October 5, 2020 by Mr T

[JOCKNEY]

Nice one MrT

Whilst disappointing to lose the raspberry ripple, its great see this one progressing 

Cheers Pat 

[Mr T]

I suppose I could go into ice cream sculpting. The decals are going on now and there are a lot of stencils, as the decal sheet was a bit pricey I feel obliged to make use of them. 

[desert falcon]

This is going to be a great looking heli !!

[Mr T]

The HUP has had it bits and pieces added. I thought the undercarriage was going to be difficult as it didn't look easy to line up, but once assembled and everything had set hard, it was quite sturdy. 

It is now finished and in the gallery.