RidgeRunner Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 9 hours ago, TonyOD said: I am to be a grandfather. I was holding an Exacto knife at the time, and I very nearly took a finger off. Congratulations, Tony! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 Your Alouette is looking great Tony, and congratulations on becoming a grandfather! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted March 17, 2021 Author Share Posted March 17, 2021 @RidgeRunner @modelling minion Thanks guys, as a reasonably youthful 52-year-old (or at least I like to think so) I won't pretend it wasn't a massive shock, but now I've got over that I'm delighted. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 Congratulations! Hope the finger gets better too... Helicopter looks great - I love the interior, reminds me of the old Peugeot 205 GTi with the bright red carpets and trim! Regards, Adrian 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted March 17, 2021 Author Share Posted March 17, 2021 21 minutes ago, AdrianMF said: reminds me of the old Peugeot 205 GTi with the bright red carpets and trim! Thanks Adrian on both counts. Reminds me of the interior of a car I once travelled in, I was export manager for a company whose UAE distributor's sale manager was a Lebanese guy called Backer, he had this big old American car, Chevy or Buick or something, likewise the interior done out in red leather (or possibly "leatherette") and carpets. Very swanky but impractical in the heat - we drove from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in almost 50 degree heat (it was July, highest temperatures I've ever experienced) and when left parked the upholstery got so hot he had to fire it up, turn on the a/c and leave it running half an hour while we retreated indoors. I wonder if Mobutu had the same problem? 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 Ah but did it have a blue tinted sunroof? Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted March 17, 2021 Author Share Posted March 17, 2021 19 minutes ago, AdrianMF said: Ah but did it have a blue tinted sunroof? I don't remember, but knowing Backer it was perfectly feasible. He was a character. Used to teach me the lyrics to Lebanese love songs. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share Posted March 22, 2021 Little bit of progress in that she is now green. I went with Revell 42 and think it looks very decent for it. Two layers of Klear before the decals go on. In a Moment Of Clarity I realised that the tail fins were, in fact, standard sized 😁. Out of shot, bits of engine and rotor assembly being painted. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted March 22, 2021 Share Posted March 22, 2021 Nice shade of green Tony, and a good glossy surface for the decals. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted March 22, 2021 Share Posted March 22, 2021 OOO errr.. Nice one, Tony! We had a lot of them flying around nearby at Soesterberg (300 Sqn) - even had a display team with Alouettes Still, those were pretty standard, and not decked out in true Potentate style with red leather 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted March 23, 2021 Author Share Posted March 23, 2021 11 hours ago, alt-92 said: even had a display team with Alouettes That's a striking formation! ("Potentate". A word we don't use enough.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 12 hours ago, alt-92 said: even had a display team with Alouettes Yep, I (like many, I'm sure) remember the Grasshoppers :). One of the Dutch Alouettes is the subject of my build .... to come later, and courtesy of Tony @TonyOD Martin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted March 23, 2021 Author Share Posted March 23, 2021 (edited) Some bits and pieces. The sprues offer two different engines, one of which is an approximation of the one on this chopper. There’s a limit to what can be achieved on 1/72 but I’ll have a go at jazzing it up with etch and wire and stuff. Edited March 23, 2021 by TonyOD 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted March 24, 2021 Author Share Posted March 24, 2021 @RidgeRunner to the rescue! Many thanks Martin. Decals on, give or take a couple of the tiny ones. I've also just noticed some black vertical lines either side of the fuselage near the steps that I'll be able to knock up from bits of leftover walkway lines. It's a smart, colourful scheme. I particularly like the understated restraint of the general's stars under the doors. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 12 minutes ago, TonyOD said: @RidgeRunner to the rescue I’m just pleased to help, Tony :). She is looking great. Having now seen the decals in the correct scale (!) I can imagine how petite that model is :). Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 She looks fantastic Tony. The national markings stand out very nicely against the dark green. Very subtle general's markings, obviously he was a shy retiring type. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted March 25, 2021 Author Share Posted March 25, 2021 (edited) 30 minutes ago, modelling minion said: he was a shy retiring type. Quote from Mobutu: In our African tradition, there are never two chiefs; there is sometimes a natural heir to the chief, but can anyone tell me that he has ever known a village that has two chiefs? That is why we Congolese, in the desire to conform to the traditions of our continent, have resolved to group all the energies of the citizens of our country under the banner of a single national party. Basically saying "Democracy? Nah, that's not what us Africans are all about, is it?". Justifying single-party dictatorship by appealing to his countrymen's sense of national pride. Got to admire his chutzpah. Still, there's a school of thought that says that in fact democracy isn't for everyone... but that's a whole 'nother discussion (or rather, a whole 'nother website!) Edited March 25, 2021 by TonyOD 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted April 1, 2021 Author Share Posted April 1, 2021 (edited) Wheels on, masks off. The front transparency came off as I was peeling off bits of Tamiya tape, no great surprise as the match between that and the main body isn't great and it was only stuck on with a bit of Clearfix. Not a bad thing as it could do with some tidying up around the edges before I slap it back on. The wee grab bars are in place, the finest plastic rod I had looked a bit clunky so I painted up some 5 amp fuse wire and used that. Fiddly! Edited April 1, 2021 by TonyOD 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted April 1, 2021 Author Share Posted April 1, 2021 (edited) Bit of further faffage this evening. Just trying the rotors for size for now. I've done a bit of tidying up in the front transparency but there's no getting round the fact that the fit is pretty dreadful, I think i could probably have done a better job of this. The red light on the top was damaged in the box (it's split between two transparent fuselage halves and one of the halves of the light had snapped off) so I made a new one from a gloop consisting Clearfix and clear red Tamiya acrylic of the same type used to tint the windows blue, underlaid with kitchen foil. I'm mentally gritting my teeth in readiness for etch hell around the engines. This feels like a huge amount of effort for a tiny outcome (I reckon I could've OOB'd a Lanc in less time) and i'm eager to put this one to bed now. Edited April 1, 2021 by TonyOD 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchem Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Looking good Tony. It's not an easy kit to build so you've done a cracking job to get this far. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted April 2, 2021 Author Share Posted April 2, 2021 If for the rest of my modelling "career" I never see another piece of photoetch, I'll be a happy man. Anyways, the engine is on, dressed up with some bits of Brengun PE and a little bit of fuse wire. One fairly prominent (but still tiny) piece pinged off the tweezers into an alternative dimension, or it might as well have because I'm never going to see it again (observed my particularly malevolent green patterned carpet monster). I would have had a hard time fitting that one anyway as it was supposed to go around the engine before it got glued on. The tiniest bits of etch (with their "seriously now?" callouts) I'm not bothered with. Just the tail rotor and some more bits of etch to deal with now. The full horror of the front transparency fit is on display in this pic. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchem Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 2 hours ago, TonyOD said: If for the rest of my modelling "career" I never see another piece of photoetch, I'll be a happy man. I know the feeling! Photoetch and very runny superglue - hate them both with a passion 🤬 Excellent progress on the model nevertheless 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 11 hours ago, mitchem said: I know the feeling! Photoetch and very runny superglue - hate them both with a passion 🤬 Excellent progress on the model nevertheless Me too, mate. The Superglue one is another that I hadn’t considered until you mentioned it. I hate such glue that refuses to stick! Certainly, in my experience, dont try to use it close to anything marked with a Sharpie! :(. We were brought being warned about superglue - it’s quick setting properties, etc - but I must use some from a parallel dimension! ;( Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted April 3, 2021 Author Share Posted April 3, 2021 4 hours ago, RidgeRunner said: The Superglue one is another that I hadn’t considered until you mentioned it. I hate such glue that refuses to stick! I knocked a cockpit on a Crusader together using one of those fancy Eduard prepainted PE sets this morning and actually it wasn't too much of a trial. I've decided to use the Superglue gel instead of liquid, a tiny dab of that gives at least a bit of instant adhesion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted April 7, 2021 Author Share Posted April 7, 2021 Not much going on with the Alouette other than spending several days nursing the tail rotor along. The etch set has a very flimsy affair that might be dimensionally more accurate but one of the blades broke off so that was that, back to the kit part. The kit provides “wraparound” decals to represent the red and yellow stripes but they looked like a load of faff so I decided to mask and paint instead. Bit of touching up needed. Nearly there! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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