maurizio Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Hi there, I'm back here with another heli/chopper after a break with a 1/35 scale scratchbuilt tank, an Italian Anti A/C APC, the SIDAM. Since I'm not able to fall in love with OOB kits (see my 1/48 HH-60J and AB-212ASW), I'm back with a not-very-easily 1/48 HH-3F. The project started back in 2008 or 2009 and put apart untill Jan. 2015 with some minor upgradeswith measurements jobs or styrene sheets cuts. I've bought the Hase SH-3 kit and the Attic resin conversion at that time considering to save a lot of time. After several weeks the parcel arrived and immediately my enthusiasm felt apart (see the pics.....). Both kits were put apart waiting for better days. Here are some picture of the very early stages of this building. It is not an easy building so it could be take some months or years. I wouldn't post pics of the well known _HASE SH-3. Cheers Maurizio Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maurizio Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 Here are some pictures of the Attic resin conversion set put apart after the arrival. The White resin was very fragile and warped with no internal nor external details. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Wow...that resin is a mess. Good luck with that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maurizio Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 Dear Whitey, I'm not going to use that conversion. I prefer a complete scratchbuilding job. I forget to mention that the Pelikan will have the interiors with the rear ramp lowered and the right side door opened. cheers Maurizio Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Dear Whitey, I'm not going to use that conversion. I prefer a complete scratchbuilding job. I forget to mention that the Pelikan will have the interiors with the rear ramp lowered and the right side door opened. cheers Maurizio Well alright! Looking forward to seeing that. I'd love one of those in 1/48 scale (USCG helo) but I'm not sure I'm up for such a build from scratch. Would like to build one like this...hopefully a kit will come along some day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chief Snake Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I made this exact conversion using two SH-3 kits and the Attic kit except I made the USAF HH-3E.If you study the difference closely you can pick out judicious selections of areas to cut and save much work. I elected to close the ramp so that only minimal interior detail had to be installed. That left only the cockpit area to need reasonable detailing under all that glass. There is also an article by a fellow named Randy Rothhaar that has this process in exacting detail laid out. I followed his guide and the result was great. Chris M Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maurizio Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 Dear Chis, thanks your your comment. Why did you use 2 SH-3 kits? is that article yet available? cheers Maurizio Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maurizio Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 This horizontal rudder (technical name on helis?) just glued. It need the putty and must be lenghtned a little bit with plasticard. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chief Snake Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 (edited) Two kits are used so that the number of windows are in place, the bottom could be extended and the issue of eliminating the SH-3 sliding door was easy. I have the article in print but I do not know what publication I got it from. I could probably scan it and send pdf to you via email. The only parts of the Attic kit used were the extended area in front, the back ramp area, the sponsons, the refuelboom and the tail assembly. Everything else was totally unusable from the attic kit. I had bought two of the Japanese SH-3 kits very cheap so it was not costly. Chris M Edited July 25, 2015 by Chief Snake Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 Wow... It takes some guts to ask money for a product like that! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 That resin conversion is rough but believe or not, I have seen worse. Merlin Models had a 1/72 kit of one of the early piston-engined Kaman helicopters and it was truly awful. Quality control was obviously a concept that never made it into the mindset of those at Merlin Models, at least when it came to putting the Kaman model out. I don't think there was a single component in the kit that was usable. Merlin Models make Amodel look like Hasegawa! Good luck with your build, Maurizio. LD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maurizio Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 Thanks all for your comments. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
italycrew Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Great work!!! Good scratchbuilding....like ever!!!! Enjoy my eyes....You know what about me HH-3 :coolio: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maurizio Posted July 28, 2015 Author Share Posted July 28, 2015 Thanks mate for your great and kind help! Drawings with first measurements and shapes. Please note that the tail is very angled. This is the real thing. I'm going to do the 15-29 since is a "Charlie" (C-SAR) version with several antennaes, chaff and flares devices, RWR and so on. Cheers Maurizio Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maurizio Posted July 29, 2015 Author Share Posted July 29, 2015 Cutting the pieces from the plasticard sheet for the rear zone. 3 pices, one as temporary central stand and 2 for the sides (extended fuselages). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maurizio Posted July 30, 2015 Author Share Posted July 30, 2015 Checking the dimensions. Another image of the real thing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 So far, so good. It looks like you have got the dimensions right, going on that side-on photo. LD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ST0RM Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 I used to love watching the Pelicans fly from Brindisi. We tried to arrange some formations and SAR training with our Pave Lows, but it never came about. Great progress! -Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maurizio Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 Thanks mates! Starting with the tail. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Niels Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Cool thread - always liked the HH-3 Pelican and will be watching this one! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChernayaAkula Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 wow! What a project! Fantastic work so far! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
admiralcag Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 My first job in the Air Force was working HH-3Es in Iceland. I am following your thread with great interest. Vern Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maurizio Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 Thanx all! The last pictures are dated June 2015 so there are more upgrades till today! Remember also I'm going on to add all the interiors..... cheers Maurizio Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maurizio Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 (edited) Filling the rear hole with some angled plasticard strips. Both semifuselages have been temporary glued together in order to obtain a strong base for the rear tail. Perfection is not necessary at this stage. Edited August 3, 2015 by maurizio Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maurizio Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 Filling the holes with more plasticard strips and Humbrol stirene glue. Note the lower stris are strongly glued together later with a CA glue and kitchen bicarbonate (powder - the same you use for washing the vegetables). This will give me a very strong glue when dried. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.