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South Vietnamese Choctaw ++Finished++


CliffB

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Hi all.

My build for this GB will take me back to the kit brand that I love to hate - Faller.

Faller have produced a unique range of 1/100 scale kits, but all too often they are woefully inaccurate.

 

I'm going to build their Sikorsky S-58 kit, which was first released in 1956.  To my untrained eye, the basic shape looks OK - fingers crossed.

A couple of interesting features are the use of metal axles for both rotors and a two-part canopy (comprising a clear part and a separate frame which overlays it).

 

P1110633.JPG

 

P1110634.JPG

 

P1110635.JPG

 

As you can see, the decals are well past their use-by date, although I'm hoping that I might be able to salvage the 'Danger' signs at least.

I'm going to finish the model as a South Vietnamese Choctaw - more specifically the restored example at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum.

 

It'll be a while before I can start (too many interesting GBs this year), but I will be along sometime!

 

Cheers

 

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Where on Earth do find these kits Cliff? Yet another that I never knew existed!

Great to see a Choctaw being built, especially one in VNAF markings. A great many of their aircraft flew with very little in the way of markings (especially the King Bee ones) so you could get away with only needing the "danger" decals.

I look forward to seeing this one once you are able to make a start.

 

There are some great pics on this site Cliff;

http://vnafmamn.com/VNAF_sikorsky.html

And some unique colour schemes.

Edited by modelling minion
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27 minutes ago, modelling minion said:

There are some great pics on this site Cliff;

http://vnafmamn.com/VNAF_sikorsky.html

And some unique colour schemes.

Thanks Craig, that looks to be a fascinating site.  I haven't read the words yet (just looked at the pictures), but will revisit it once I'm underway.

 

Cheers

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10 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Looking at the kit Cliff the only glaring issue is the cargo door on the port fuselage. These only existed on the starboard side of the fuselage. 

Thanks Dennis.  That hopefully shouldn't be too difficult a correction, although the cabin windows do have a quite delicate frame which I'll need to replicate.

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Welcome along Cliff with another one of your amazing finds/models!  :thumbsup:

 

Like everyone here I just can't believe how you manage to find these wee amazing beauties!

 

I was really hoping you'd join us here.....I suspect there were quite a few other members as well

 

Good luck with the build, I'm looking forward to seeing you work your magic on this one.

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  • 1 month later...

Wow, where's the time gone?  It's been two months since the last post.

Anyway, I'm pleased to say that I'm now working on the Choctaw.

 

The first job, as @Corsairfoxfouruncle pointed out, is to correct the port side of the fuselage.  This incorrectly shows a sliding door (complete with rain channel above), which also means that its window is too far forward.

Also, along the bottom of the fuselage you can see three circular depressions. They look like ejector pin marks but are actually quite good representation of fuel filling points.  Unfortunately, they too are only present on the starboard side.

 

P1110745.JPG

 

So I started by cutting out the window section from the door.

 

P1110746.JPG

 

I then sanded off the remains of the door and filled the hole where its window had been (sorry, no photo).

I then cut another hole into which I fixed the loose window section that had come from the old door.

 

P1110751.JPG

 

The eagle-eyed amongst you may also notice that the engine vent openings are too small (particularly the two on the side).  I've decided though, to leave these uncorrected.

 

Cheers

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Nice work on the window correction, Cliff. An interesting kit.

If pushed, I'd say that the Starboard door is a little too far forward. But maybe I'm being picky!

For the decals, Pop them in a plastic bag and tape it to a window facing any Sunshine that happens to drift by.

A couple of days should see the yellow disappear.

 

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17 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Nice work on the window correction, Cliff. An interesting kit.

If pushed, I'd say that the Starboard door is a little too far forward. But maybe I'm being picky!

For the decals, Pop them in a plastic bag and tape it to a window facing any Sunshine that happens to drift by.

A couple of days should see the yellow disappear.

 

Thanks Pete. 

Yes, I think you are being very picky about the door and you may change your mind when the (rather thick), canopy framing is in place :winkgrin:.  Then again, if you were referring to the box-top artwork.....

Thanks too for the tip about the decal bleaching.  I taped them up this morning and managed to grab a few hour's rays before the rain came back.

 

17 hours ago, modelling minion said:

That is really nice work Cliff, especially in such a small scale.

Great attention to detail mate.

Thanks Craig.  You may change your mind about my attention to detail when you see what I'm not doing in the cockpit :blush:

 

Cheers

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A little more progress to report folks.

I've been through a couple of fill/sand cycles with the repositioned side window and am now happy with it.  I've also added some bits of card to prevent see-through to the cabin and engine grilles.

 

P1110758.JPG

 

Cheers

 

 

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...... and he does correct work/modifications to these wee beasts as well!  :yikes:

 

That window move/door removal is first rate work!

 

....... and i was almost expecting you to do PE work in the cockpit.......very disappointed!  :D

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20 hours ago, trickyrich said:

...... and he does correct work/modifications to these wee beasts as well!

 

Thanks Rich, but I'm actually being quite selective about which of Faller's little challenges I chose to accept ;)

 

I probably will try to get the canopy framing looking less weird (I'm getting a Soviet vibe at the moment, for some reason).

 

P1110763.JPG

 

 

But I've decided to ignore the droopy tail :shrug:

 

P1110762.JPG

 

Happy days!

 

 

 

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37 minutes ago, CliffB said:

I probably will try to get the canopy framing looking less weird (I'm getting a Soviet vibe at the moment, for some reason).

That is because it is a spitting image of an Mi-4 Hound. A very odd representation of a H-34's canopy, maybe removing a couple of what look like superfluous bits of framing will help Cliff.

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14 hours ago, modelling minion said:

That is because it is a spitting image of an Mi-4 Hound. A very odd representation of a H-34's canopy, maybe removing a couple of what look like superfluous bits of framing will help Cliff.

 

13 hours ago, trickyrich said:

surly they didn't copy the H-34!!!! :yikes:  Those naughty fellas!

 

Thanks guys.  

I think the number of frames is correct, the problem seems to be the aspect ratio of the windscreen panes - they're too tall and thin.

The frames themselves are too wide, so thinning them will help to widen the panes. 

Likewise, the frame which runs across the top of the side window should continue horizontally across the top of the windscreens.  In the kit however, the frame curves upwards over the windscreens which makes them too tall.

So hopefully some delicate surgery on the framing should greatly improve the appearance.  As I mentioned earlier, the framing and the glazing are separate pieces.

 

P1110764.JPG

 

You may also notice that I've decided to fill in the engine grilles, as it was becoming increasingly clear that they were always going to look messy!   I'll paint them on instead.

 

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On 11/14/2020 at 7:17 PM, modelling minion said:

Good luck with your micro surgery Cliff, if anyone can pull it off its you. 

 

On 11/14/2020 at 10:31 PM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Don't know if I would cut them, Id try to sand them thinner with a flat file ? 

 

 

Thanks Craig and Dennis.

 

Here's where I am now.  A combination of frame thinning (using a file), re-locating the screen-top frame and building up the top of the nose.  It's still not 100% right, but I'm much happier with how it looks.

 

P1110768.JPG

 

P1110763.JPG

 

Cheers

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