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Hi guys,

 

My crazy project currently started in May this year, is to taking the ancient and basic Heller 1/50 scale SA330 Puma in early SAAF service, and scale it up to 1/48. The fuselage required to be lengthened and increased the height. This was very difficult, as continuous curves that get interrupted don't line up after the extensions. Will have to scratch build a lot of extras, as most of the other parts are either inaccurate or too basic. A lot of work ahead... The tail fin was too thick, so the inside was built up, to avoid the plastic collapsing from too much sanding. The tail rotor gearbox location also appeared a bit off, and it was. The tail fin shape was corrected after filling the old tail rotor gearbox placement, and a new cutout was made in the correct place.

The fairing around the main rotor also needed some more work, as it was a few millimeters short at the front. A 1.5mm thick strip of plastic was heated and bent around a file handle to make it into a curve. It was glued onto the front and shaped. The the main rotor fairing has a flat surface on top, and the opening for the rotor mast had to be enlarged. Also the side profile of the fairing, which is supposed to be a curve down to the back was wrong. It also had a slight downward angle to the front, which needs to be raised level. Then discovered it's also too long at the back and the overall shape viewed from the top is wrong. This plate on top will be removed completely and replaced with a styrene sheet with the correct shape and size. The bottom of the fuselage halves were slightly warped inward. A rough slot was cut on the inside to make a weak spot to bend it out. Luckily it worked first time.

 

With the panel line scribing completed on the port fuselage, after filling the trench like cabin door guides. Scribing was tricky on the hard kit plastic, extension joints and areas where filler was applied, because the pressure applied during scribing has to be adjusted over the various materials. The heat shield has been detailed behind the exhausts, and a resin copy was made for the starboard side, as this was very tricky and time consuming. They will be cast as separate parts from the fuselage. Also made the recess with the two connection points above the sponson. The cargo sling bay was re positioned and cut out. The cabin windows were made larger. Then major corrections were made to the port sponson so far. Not only was the original sponson corrected in height and length, but now also discovered it was too wide! It was cut down the length and made narrower. The Heller kit had no engines, so I made one, from which a copy will be made. Not going to detail the engines crazy, because not much of it will be visible once installed. Still a long way to go to get to a good shaped "shell" of the Puma, and once this has been sorted out, some normal building can begin. Here are some pictures from the start of the project 🙂

 

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Cheers,

John

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Thanks guys 🙂

Got some more work done on the Puma. Made the engine deck from plastic card, Added some detail to the gearbox and made the lower part of the swash plate. Here is a picture of the test assembly.

 

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Cheers, John

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Work started on the interior. Had to trim the cockpit floor at the front and extend the rear of it by 1.5mm. Built the two bulkheads behind the cockpit from plastic card. Also had to lengthen the cabin floor quite a bit, and scribed majority of the panel lines.

 

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Thanks L.D. and Salvine,

 

Some more progress on the 1/48 SA 330 Puma. Made the instrument panel from plastic card. Started detailing the center console. Also made the two cutouts at the front of the cockpit floor for the pedals, scratch built the pedals from plastic card and rods.

 

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Cheers,

John

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Thanks Greg 😉  You should send me PM with your contact details again, because my cellphone died a horrible death.

 

Got some more parts completed on the 1/48 Puma. Detailed the back of the bulkheads, modified the intakes and made the overhead panel that will fit underneath it. Also started making the acoustic padding for the cabin interior.

 

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This picture is just an overview on the parts so far.

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Cheers, John

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Hi guys, thanks for the compliments 🙂

 

On 7/16/2018 at 3:54 AM, huey_crew_chief said:

very nice!  I love the Puma!  What are you using for the sound proofing?

 

Made a rubber mold over a very common pattern found on tools,  firearm handles and  sports equipment, then cast a layer of resin over it to make the  acoustic padding.

 

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Cheers, John

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Good evening guys,

 

Masters completed, test assembly of the first parts has been done. The kit has around 105 parts. Still testing options to cast the main rotor blades to prevent the blades from sagging too much.

Here's a couple of pictures.

 

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Cheers,

John

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  • 2 weeks later...
9 minutes ago, GeejeeZ said:

 

That is an option. I can recommend ordering direct from John. As I recall it was pretty quick across the pond to the US.

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