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Whirlybird

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Posts posted by Whirlybird

    H-34 in 1/48th by Gallery Models

    in Helicopter Modeling

    Posted · Edited by Whirlybird

    6 hours ago, Tank said:

    You sure about it being Cutting Edge? I thought Cobra Company was the only one to do a set.

    It does get confusing....Cobra may have a made a set, I bought what I think was the earliest one available - Cutting Edge - marketed as an H-34/Wessex set.

    Nonetheless, either way -  the credit goes to Chief Snake...he made the masters.

    Cutting Edges H-34 2.jpg

    UH-1D/H huey - Nighthawk

    in Helicopter Modeling

    Posted · Edited by Whirlybird
    typo

    New Kitty Hawk kit has me looking at an older project I was working on.

    Seems to be a better model to work with.

    Made the hard part in the back from scratch, have the 1/48th mini gun...and a 50 cal. from aftermarket.

    Looking for other 1/48 weapons and crew stuff - but most appear to be for 1/35th....

    Anyone have a source for that kind of thing?

    Thought there was a French source for resin M16s...

     

    DSCN3145 (2).jpg

    mini5.jpg

    Is this for real?

    in Helicopter Modeling

    Posted

    I don't know if this is for real or if somebody is deliberately pushing up the price before running for the hills, but this is one expensive Osage. I know these auctions are a case of "How-badly-do-you-want-this-kit" but this price seems astronomical.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Special-Hobby-1-72nd-Hughes-TH-55A-Osage-Helicopter-kit-/230756926650?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35ba2f44ba#ht_500wt_1203

    It will be interesting to see what the final price for this kit will be.

    LD.

    Yeah..it will, cuz if it sells for that...I've got one I'll part with.

    Cobra Company has something new

    in Helicopter Modeling

    Posted

    The kit is hard to find because most people who have them don't sell them. Now with the impetus provided to make a decent build those people sitting on them may build them. Like me. I have 1 H-34D, 3 H-34G, 2 Wessex Has.3 and 1 HU.5 in Queens Flight markings. I'll actually build them now, the first H-34 I built was donated to the Helicopter Foundation International museum of kits.

    I agree that $10 for one of these kits is a steal!

    Chris M

    aka Chief Snake

    yep....Those of us that have them will build them...

    I have an H-34...(found it at Air Land and Sea years ago....Chief Snake will know what that is - or was), a Queens flight and a Wessex.

    Cobra Company has something new

    in Helicopter Modeling

    Posted · Edited by Whirlybird

    This is great! Looks awesome. Now where in the world are we going to find 48th scale H-34's for a resonable price, if you find one at all?

    Brock

    Maybe you can luck into 48th Revell Wessex...(I did...twice).

    Almost as good as scoring a H-34, and maybe, MAYBE, ... "someone" will do a conversion to make it into a H-34...

    1/48 Mi-2 "Hoplite" by Smer

    in Helicopter Modeling

    Posted · Edited by Whirlybird

    I don't know if the kits I got were Smer or some other manufacturer, but they were pretty rough.

    At least they were not "snap together" toys , but they were not that great either.

    The kit does not do justice to the interesting lines of the real thing...it is only a very bad approximation of the intakes, bulges and panel lines.

    Here's what I've managed to do in the way of converting and adding much need detail to the engine areas...., with the orginal kit shown for reference:

    http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/uu172/M...pg?t=1240035643

    http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/uu172/M...pg?t=1240035344

    Maintenance Stencils for OH-58D Kiowa Help needed

    in Helicopter Modeling

    Posted · Edited by Whirlybird

    I think this forum can get a ESCI 1/48th kit to you, one way or another.

    The Heller kit can be used...(I converted it) the question is how accurate you want to be.

    Do you want the "look" of an OH-58D for your own pleasure, or you want to survive the high scrutiny of someone with an engineers scale or calipers...?

    When I built mine I wrote Bell Textron for information, what I got was a manual:

    "Armed OH-58D Warrior - Program and Operational Highlights of the Armed OH-58D Kiowa Warrior".

    Apparently it was a presentation made at the 46th Annual Forum of the American Helicopter Society.

    It had a lot of tecnical information, (along with some historical info on operation Prime Chance) and a dimensioned drawing showing an overall length of 33 feet and 10.10 inches from the front of the nose to the back of the very end of the tail skid.

    The height from the base of the landing skids to the very top of the MMS "ball" is 12 feet and 10.6 inches...the main rotor diameter is 35 feet.

    I haven't compared this dimensioned data to any 1/35th , or 1/72 kit of the Kiowa to see how accurate the other kits are, or if the data matches.

    You can do a couple of things to decide on what kit to use...take a copy of any drawing you trust showing the side view and adjust it on a copy machine to give you the needed dimensions at 1/48th scale, and print out some good 1/48th reference profiles and lay the plastic kit sides to it...(of course we'll have to do that - since you don't have either kit...yet).

    I have both the Heller kit and ESCI kit and can give it a go ......and see what it looks like.

    Maintenance Stencils for OH-58D Kiowa Help needed

    in Helicopter Modeling

    Posted

    Ok...Thanks.

    I was very happy with the cockpit......and the overall shape seemed ok.

    It lacked detail in several areas...exterior of the doghouse, particle seperators would be good to do in PE brass ....the device for the MMS was rough and the main rotor was not as detailed as it could've been.

    My old camera does not take very good close ups...I've got a new one and I may get around to doing some shots inside.

    Maintenance Stencils for OH-58D Kiowa Help needed

    in Helicopter Modeling

    Posted · Edited by Whirlybird

    I used the Heller kit for my 1/48th conversion...did it back in 1995 (now being "restored" after cold storage..the kit landing skids are weak and I've broken it several times, stabs need to be replaced among other things).

    As for the Heller kit...it is a Bell Jetranger with incorrect panels etc.

    At the time...I used the kit I had, plus the best information I could find, which included my own walkaround pictures of two D's.

    Today...if I was to do it again, I would use the ESCI kit ....and I'd do a more modern version of the OH-58D...with the squat gear.

    http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/uu172/M...Warrior1-48.jpg

    There are many challenges, not the least of which are:

    - main engine compartment "Doghouse"

    - new cockpit and that instrument panel and panel cowling

    - the bubble top overhead canopy roof

    - the four bladed main rotor and the attachment points to hold the weight of the four blades

    - the mast mounted sight (MMS), and that "ball"

    - tail boom and stabs, tail rotor

    The weapons were, by comparision, the "easy" parts.....

    You'll have fun doing the MMS "ball"...you'll start looking at all kinds of spherical things in your daily life that might serve the purpose..and once you find one the correct diameter, then you'll have to make it look hollow...

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