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Revell 1/48 Marines UH-34D Spacecraft recovery helicopter **FINISHED**


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Hello everybody!

 

  Wow!  I can't believe it's been more than 10 years since I've posted on this forum!   Family, work, other hobbies and life in general has kept me very busy. Scale modeling took a back seat for some years. I recently came back with some car models but it's been like 11 years since I finished an aircraft model!  Many stalled projects waiting to be resumed.

Anyways,  in a recent business trip to El Paso Texas, right before the coronavirus global meltdown, I found a hobby shop and as usual got a few supplies.  But I found this model as well. If I recall correctly, this old tool dates from the 60's and was discontinued for many years, making it very hard to find and expensive. This is a recent reissue.

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I want to build it as the the recovery helicopter piloted by Jim Lewis in the infamous incident in 1961 where Gus Grissom's Mercury capsule could not be recovered and sank to the bottom of the ocean. Long story short, the capsule filled with water as the hatch opened prematurely. The helicopter crew was able to hook it and tried to raise it, but the water weight was too much. After a short but very intense fight, it was let go as the aircraft was so overloaded it was about to be lost as well.  Many stories and legends float around about Grissom messing it up, but all evidence point that it was not his fault.   The capsule was eventually recovered in 1999. Jim Lewis was present at the recovery.  Unfortunately, Grissom died in the Apollo 1 fire in 1967.

 

My intention is to glue the fuselage together first to address the seams, then build the interior. I know, an unusual and risky approach.  Let's see how it goes.

So we are officially started on my first aircraft model in 11 years!

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Thanks!

 

Edited by ismaelg
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I bought one when they first came out, haven't touched it.

I know they are not as nice as the various Gallery kits, but then again, with my level of skill, I certainly don't need a $55.00 kit!

 

I would like the USAF HH-34 (the service got some used aircraft as an interim rescue ship for the Reserves in the early '70s) decals for it.

Edited by JohnEB
Fix typo
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Hello,

I may be on to something here:
I live in Puerto Rico. Hobby paint sourcing is a pain for me. Nothing available locally. Last hobby shop closed over a decade ago.  Can't hand carry paint in an airplane. I have to buy everything by mail. Paint is particularly tricky to mail. Not to mention expensive. So I can end up paying about $10 and wait a month for a little bottle of paint to arrive.
For this project it occurred to me: What about the paint dept at Home Depot? Long story short,  two days before the virus lockdown, I spent about an hour with the Home Depot paint guy and he was very enthusiastic and curious about this. We went thru the color samples and compared to online pictures. Yes, we were aware of screen differences. We decided that LANCO 4K3-8 SPLIT PEA green was the closest to the olive drab I was looking for. So he prepared me a quart of rust fighting enamel (cheapest alternative to Rust-oleum) so it can be thinned and airbrushed.
The quart was $8


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This will be enough for a whole army of probably hundreds of models as I'll be using maybe an ounce or so. Before you ask, I'd love to mail some to you but the post office will not let me.

So I did this little test.


2v2H1qTfNxJ21ND.jpg
 

It airbrushed beautifully and since it is somewhat glossy, decals should work well and dullcoat on top will take it to the finish line.

Here I did another experiment: This spare damaged car body was sprayed with aluminum paint from a spray can and then airbrushed the green on top.


2v2H1qTRCxJ21ND.jpg

 

Yep!  I think I could be on to something here.  And the model will not rust! 🙂

 

 

Thanks,

Edited by ismaelg
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Hello,

 

Added material to the sides of the cockpit back to force the fuselage out a few mm or so to help align the top cowls.

2v2HpHSn2xJ21ND.jpg

 
Added bracing to the top cowls to help panel alignment The metal tape will help conceal the huge gap. Will eventually add rivet details to disguise it.
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Also added material to the rotor base for a tighter fit.
2v2HpHS8CxJ21ND.jpg


Sprayed the body with a light coat of aluminum from a spray can as a :"primer".  Seems to be moving along!
2v2HpHV3TxJ21ND.jpg

 

Thanks,

Edited by ismaelg
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Hello,

 

The rotor is a helicopter's signature and soul. Adding blade pitch links made of wire. At the end, the rotor itself will be a 16 piece sub-assembly! Of course it needs additional painting.
Coming from 1/24 cars, this is rather small even for a "bigger" scale like 1/48

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2v2HpHSWzxJ21ND.jpg

 

Thanks,

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Hello,

 

  Took a little artistic license with the landing gear struts as they were slightly mis-molded.  A perfect excuse to use some brass.   I hope paint will disguise them.

2v2HpHSGoxJ21ND.jpg



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Thanks,

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Impressive work Ismael!

I remember the Revell kit in some aspects was a real pain. I built about six of them and f.i. have never achieved to remove the tail rotor blades of the sprue without each time breaking one or more...:angry:. The rotor hub always looked too small to me, but your work looks amazing!

 

Keep up the good work!

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Hello,

  You didn't think for a moment that I was going to trust my tail rotor to some wimpy unbalanced plastic shaft, did you?

Brass shaft. Added a sleeve inside the housing so the shaft can be installed AFTER both housing parts are glued together.


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2v2Hp4LpnxJ21ND.jpg

2v2Hp4LKWxJ21ND.jpg
 

Thanks,

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Hello,

Regardless of subject (cars, planes, armor)  or type of paint (lacquer, enamel, acrylic), airbrushing is such an enjoyable experience for me! It is my therapy. Love it!
 Will let it dry for a few days before inspecting and deciding if more paint is still needed or if there is any touch up required.  


2v2HcZasqxJ21ND.jpg

 

Thanks,

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6 hours ago, hawkwrench said:

Great job so far. I seem to recall a pic where the Army had 1 of these setup as a medevac. It was white with a red cross on it.

Pretty cool looking actually!

 

Tim


The bird is looking pretty good. 
 

Tim, Ray posted on here about 8 years ago when Gallery kit came out. The first Flatiron birds. 

There was another thread/post with about 4 or 5 more pics of the bird.

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Hello,

 

  Wow! I found some pics of the white medevac one!  If I only had seen that one before! I like it even better than the one I'm doing, but I'm too far down this one to change it.  Maybe there is another one in my future...

 

Thanks,

Ismael

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Hello again,

 

   From reference pics I've seen, the floor on these birds would show reinforcement ribs. Maybe from use? 

The kit's floor is just a smooth slab of plastic.
I first made the ribs by cutting thin strips of Tamiya tape. Then used household aluminum foil to emboss the pattern.
I will smooth the edges and apply some white glue to fix it before painting.
 

2v2HcZzfVxJ21ND.jpg


2v2HcZMqWxJ21ND.jpg

 

Thanks,

Ismael

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