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Whirlybirds 1/72 Sikorsky HH-52A Sea Guard helicopter US Coast Guard


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Doing more test fitting with the parts, it seems that if I use the cockpit floor in the nose, and the cabin floor aft, that it properly sets the fuselage sides at the correct width.   This leaves me with a wedge-shaped gap from zero at the aft end to about 2mm at the bow*.  

 

The idea of making a long, curved wedge/shim out of styrene doesn’t appeal to me- getting the taper just right would be a challenge.  

 

The cockpit floor is a thick, sturdy piece.  I’m thinking I could glue the fuselage together, joining the parts at the aft end directly, and using the cockpit floor as a spacer to set the angle correctly.   Once that cures, I’d now have a small canyon to fill.

 

I’m wondering if an epoxy putty like Milliput or Green Stuff would work here. I could pack the seam from the inside, and then sculpt the “vee” bottom on the hull from the outside.

 

I have never used either product before, but I have watched a few videos online. I understand they are similar, but with some different properties which may make one more suitable for my model.  I’m unsure which would be best for an application like this:  Milliput Super Fine or Green Stuff?

 

Any advice from those who have done this sort of thing before?

 

-Bill

 

* -  (I’m finding it easier to use ship terms when talking about the flying boat part of the fuselage.)

Edited by RC Boater Bill
fixed old typos, added new ones
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Milliput super fine is very good for shaping and sanding. Two part car body filler (P38 in UK; Bondo in USA) is runnier, smeller and faster to dry, and sands a bit more easily. If your two part Green Stuff is the same as the one I’ve got then it doesn’t set rigid and won’t sand - good for organic/figure modelling though. My Snargasher build uses the first two if you want an illustration.

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

Love the working elevator BTW!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I tried using Micro Crystal Clear to make a trial fuselage window- didn’t like how it came out at all. So on to “Plan B”.  I thought I’d try making some windows out of clear acrylic sheet. I have some 2.5mm thick leftovers from a display case I made- it is just about the same thickness as the resin fuselage sides.

I’m a member of our local Maker Space, so this morning I popped over there to use the laser cutter. It only took about 15 min to cut a bunch of perfectly square little 7mm pieces.  

I think I’ll try mixing some flat black paint into some canopy glue to install them- the hope is that will simulate the black outline from the rubber gaskets used on the real aircraft….

 

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Edited by RC Boater Bill
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  • 3 weeks later...

I’ve been very busy with work and spring projects- haven’t had much hobby time at all.   But I did finally get time to install the acrylic windows….

 

Last night I installed them, using a mix of white canopy glue mixed with some Vallejo flat black paint as an experiment. It worked well, leaving a dark grey edges around the clear pieces. ( I do have one edge to clean up, by wicking in a bit  of paint from the outside.)

 

The only other work done so far was making the floor and rear bulkhead from sheet styrene.  (The kit provides paper templates in the instructions.)

 

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Edited by RC Boater Bill
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