AirMedical Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Hey Gang, I'm still in the modeling game! I know I have made a lot of text posts but now it's time to post some pics to back up my posts. So here it is. I have officially started my 1/48 scale Bell 222B to a Bell 430 conversion project. I'm using the Hobbycraft kit to do this as I have plans for my other two 222s planed for 230's. Feel free to see my hobby page on this project. The 430! Tgoetz, eat your heart out! Enjoy! John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Anthony in NZ Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Wow awesome progress John! Great to see you here again my friend. She is really looking great! Cheers Amthony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
markm1245 Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 Great Work!! ;) She going to look good in the Blue & Yellow of Survival Flight. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrittMac Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 Wow, what a task you have embarked on! I can't wait to see more of this one. Thanks for the link. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
markm1245 Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Hay John, How's the progress on the conversion coming? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tgoetz Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 (edited) Looking great John! And yes I am envious. Also glad you choose the Survival Flight bird. Always liked the blue and yellow together. Maybe this will help enspire me to get back to work on the B412. Keep the pictures coming. Todd Edited September 16, 2009 by Tgoetz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 John. Just read the progress report and WOW!!! Such a lovely porject and I look forward to folloiwng this thread... Question: Is styrene firm and strong and is it prone to " sway" and buckle? Thank you HOLMES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Wow, I'm in awe of guys like you that can scratchbuild to this extent. I would never even consider taking on a project like this. Post some pictures here as your project moves forward. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AirMedical Posted September 19, 2009 Author Share Posted September 19, 2009 Hey Todd and everyone, Thanks for the inquire. I did a few things since my last post but not enough to post anything of interest yet. Not to mention I'm working on four projects at one time. You can't build just one model. LOL! Regarding the strength of styrene. Good question. It will depend on sheet thickness. It is soft and plyable but can be strengthened by building the thickness up and carefully building overlaps on high curves and joining sections. Like brick laying so to spaeak. Then using filler compounds like Squadron putty and sanding to shape. The bonding cements are ideal because they weld the plastic together. As to sway and buckle. Everything is limited to the type of application. For what I am doing, no. I've also been working on a 1/48 and 1/32 BO-105CBS conversion and that small things require a lot of detail work. Some of you know what I am talking about. Also, I just had some surgery this week and am slowing working on some stuff as part of my recovery. So I'll try and post some pictures. Keep in mind my camera is not the greatest. It will be trile and error. I did convert my two bladed rotor mast to a four bladed mast. I will have to scrath the complete rotor head and blades. I think I will need to do some hand drawings to show in detail how I did my extention. Beleive it or not, that's the esiest part. Todd, so good to hear from you! How's the newsest addition to the family been doing? What?, you haven't finished the 412 yet? LOL! Thanks for following the project guys! Best wishes to all John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shark 64 Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I must admit thats just impressive work. Looking very nice. Cant wait to see more. Oliver Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tgoetz Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 John, sent you a message. Todd Quote Link to post Share on other sites
compucrap Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Looks awesome. Glad to hear your doing the Grand Rapids copter. I'm working on a Dolphin of the Kalamazoo Airmed! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 John, Thank you for answering MY question .. that clears that query up.... HOLMES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pegasus1 Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Great work! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AirMedical Posted September 26, 2009 Author Share Posted September 26, 2009 Hey Compucrap I would love to see your work when you get started. I have two Dauphin kits and plan on doing there Daulphin also because they are joint in a PART 135 with our local Toledo St. V Life Flight who also has a Dauphin which I will plan on doing. Thanks for all the kind words guys, now to get back to work. LOL! Best wishes to all John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
markm1245 Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 St.V's LifeFlight still fly Dauphin's? Last one I seen from them was an A-109. FYI Survival Flight is the University of Michigan Program in Ann Arbor not Grand Rapids. AeroMed, Operated by Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids flies S-76's. Nice work so far! I look forward to the next update. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AirMedical Posted September 27, 2009 Author Share Posted September 27, 2009 MarkM1245 "Survival Flight is the University of Michigan Program in Ann Arbor not Grand Rapids." My Bad! Brain fart! I clearly got lost. LOL! Duh! One of their ex-pilots now flies for UH MedEvac in Cleveland. Grand Rapids AeroMed just got new S-76C's. One of their pilots (Brad) used to fly for a defunct program (EAGLE) that was in my area back in the 80's. He was from Austria. Impressive pilot. He also worked on helicopters. St. V's Life Flight has only one Dauphin now that they fly as a backup ship. The rest are A-109 Powers. I got to see their 109's up close. Sweet machine! Cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 John, Iam sorry for asing you such stupid questions, but you know how the Jet modelers sometimes have a hard time fitting the wings and other parts, well for the Helos, do you have to ever adjust the Rotor blades to fit them prefectly or do they come perfectly made so you have no adjustments to make... Because when you guys make the Helos IT LOOKS PERFECT .... and I have read your report againn and still feel that this will be such a great build and looking forward to seeing more pics... Thank you for your patience.. HOLMES... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AirMedical Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 Good question Homes. Us helicopter builders have fitting issues too. Any model builder of any kind will run into fitting problems. The majority of fitting problems is because of the injection molding process where parts tend to warp or creep. It's the nature of injection molding. Either you're lucky to get a good molded kit/part or not. Time, temperature and pressure. Their are several here who have some neat tricks in dealing with these issues. Cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mustangbob51 Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Good question Homes. Us helicopter builders have fitting issues too. Any model builder of any kind will run into fitting problems. The majority of fitting problems is because of the injection molding process where parts tend to warp or creep. It's the nature of injection molding. Either you're lucky to get a good molded kit/part or not. Time, temperature and pressure. Their are several here who have some neat tricks in dealing with these issues. Cheers i guess i missed it. i only see the 2 pictures under the original link "the 430". did i miss something? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bell430 Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Same here, only see 2 pics Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AirMedical Posted October 10, 2009 Author Share Posted October 10, 2009 Hey Gang, Here's a link to my new model page showing the various projects going on. Hope this helps. http://www.airmedicalpost.bravehost.com/builds.htm Just copy and past link. Cheers John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Hey Gang,Here's a link to my new model page showing the various projects going on. Hope this helps. http://www.airmedicalpost.bravehost.com/builds.htm Just copy and past link. Cheers John That's quite the impressive collection of ongoing projects! Looks good, John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Anthony in NZ Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Hey John Great to see you back on-line. I just love those projects you have on the go. That 430 looks awesome. I must say that the BK-117's look great with the pointy nose and cable cutters. Cheers Anthony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hooknladderno1 Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 John, Looking at your workbench and projects is such an inspiration! The conversions and bodywork are seamless. It is great to see so many subjects/versions you have created that are not available in kit form. I keep going back to your website to admire your work. Glad you are on the mend, and look forward to seeing more of your progress. David Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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