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Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya - ANU Bell 47 (Armada A-051)


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Greetings all, first time on this forum.

 

Taking a long break from building classic Aegean galleys in wood, canvas, blood, sweat and tantrums, I thought about helicopters, as one tends to very very occasionally. Having watched Hotlips Hulihan and Hawkeye wield an army scalpel or two on the television recently, the Bell 47 seemed just the model for me to forget about making 270,000 oars or whatnot for my triereis and pentekontors for the time being.

 

I didn't want to do the MASH thing, so scouring the Webtubes a bit I found images of Uruguayan Naval Bell 47s forming Armadas 051 through 056 including 055 twice I believe, in service during the 50s.

 

1594196934795.jpg

 

Italeri's 72nd scale Bell (same scale as my pentekontors) was located in a Polish hobby shop for a few £ along with an Eduard Zoom PE jobby.

 

It's a fine kit. Of course the tubular bells framework is bound to be overscale but surely unavoidable given that the plastic employed is nasty brittle enough, upon inspection. The Lycoming engine is quite nice and the rotor really well done with its re-enforcement scallops. What a weird word. Scallops.

 

The colour scheme is a vibrant pale grey and cataract inducing vivid orange. Hataka paints will be used throughout and the tiny decals printed at home. There are sure to be plastic stretch sprue enough for fuel lines and well, you experts know the score.

 

More later, thanks for taking a peek.

 

 

Edited by Martin Bond
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Correction: Armada Nacional del Uruguay Bell 47. 🇺🇾

 

Hi Bounce.

 

Yes I think she's a beauty with her latin american anchors. Inkscape, the free Corel Draw-a-like program is going to come in useful. There's not much to do really:

1. Typeset 'ARMADA'  and '05x' for the fuel tanks (051 probably for reasons explained much later).

2. Two tiny national flags on the tail structure.

3. These anchors behind the doors.

 

All very small in this scale. All saved as a .SVG file because that's the future of everything, everywhere. No jaggies on my Bell...

 

1594207759284-01.jpg

 

o7

 

A source: http://www.pilotoviejo.com

 

 

Edited by Martin Bond
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Yes, especially as the navy is in 72nd scale (Dusek ship kits are mostly this).

 

So the plastic is really brittle but supple together if that makes any sense, which allows for fine detail but you just know there will be snaps and snags along the way. The skids are perilous fragile, that much is evident.

 

Until I can resize the workbench photos down to a more appropriate size, here is 055 (one of them) with its tanks attached.

 

1594196839190.jpg

 

Til next time, friends.

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Martin

 

Judging by the photo you posted, the Italeri Bell is actually the correct model of the 47 for your project.

Simply, it has the correct larger (taller) fuel tanks as well as the longer tail boom. Neither the Revell or MRC 1/35th scale kits would not be correct for the example you're building.

 

Despite their similarities, all Bell 47 variants are not alike, there are noticeable differences between the  47D-1 (MRC kit, and the only correct version for a correct MASH-era example), the post Korean war 47G (Revell) and the later 47G-3 or G4 that Italeri makes.

 

Good luck with it!

Edited by JohnEB
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Good day John.

 

You're quite right regarding variations. This Italeri Bell branded boxing has a scheme for the GB Royal Army so we read that Westland Bells have a larger soap bubble to the Italian (?) and US versions. Not included in the box.

 

When I first decided to leave off with making 540,000 oars there was interest in a very minimalist Chilean FACh Bell 47 "03", overall powder blue with a single national star on its boom fin and FACh on the tank. I noticed this single tank and its design with its cradle support  - like Bounce's 32nd example (supposition). Easy enough to carve that out or construct from beech sheet, but the kit offers the overall look of the FAU example so that was that.

 

B-47-G-2-Sioux-056-2-96.png[

 

20200812-220436.jpg

Armada 056, FaCh "03"

 

I can zip up the bench photos and any SVG files if anyone wants them, Bounce, but perhaps they'll be of little value for your project?

 

Today let's get some progress photos uploaded. I can already safely say the skid could do with a cast white metal replacement from aftermarket : It is exceptionally fragile.

 

Edited by Martin Bond
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But now to construction; beware. Here is, verbatim, instruction from the 4079th Mobile Army Field Hospital Chopper Field Guide (acronym MASH.CFG). Or if it isn't, it should be.


"The rear boom is self-evidently an inverted triangle, soldier. The uppermost 'Z' lattice must fit snugly INSIDE the tubular V formed by the sides at its top. This is common Army sense.

 

FAU15.png

 

The kit itself nudges you to glue it on TOP of the V due to its over-scaled thickness. Its a very tricky fit; try to complete the whole shebang in one careful sitting or you will be put on latrine duty. This Z lattice can use a great deal of sanding/deburring as well, so plan an angle of attack strategically rather than tactically, as one Maj. Margaret Hulihan has credibly suggested. 

Assemble the boom logically from front to rear -- but tape not glue the section immediately in front of the tail 'empannage' leaving it free. In this way you can quickly insert, glue, insert, glue this Z lattice in small sections and finally seal her up when it rests inside the V's top edge completely. The long aluminium spar which travels the whole top length of the boom from the engine assembly has distinct places for it to be glued to its 'eyelets'. Keep this in mind, soldier."

 

FAU12.png

 

FAU17.png


To make your day more fun, now would be the time to add in any control wires from fine fishing line et cetera. When the boom is assembled and dry, it'll be too late. I used a fine needle to thread through the entire length as per various photos of 055 and 056. Of course a tensioning 0.7 gram needle is just the thing to break the feeble skid arrangement... 

Yes.

 

Now there are some stretch sprue things to do as there is horizontal tubing which needs careful adding equidistantly across some upright sections of the boom. I added three as per 055 although 051 will probably be my girl because reasons, as all the cool kids say. 056 is currently in 2nd place competing for my heart.

 

FAU13.png

 

A quick word on the Eduard etch. It is meant for the 47's angry cousin, the OH Sioux military chopper: some brass parts are a bit over-large for the 47 but more on that in a bit. Test fit everything, of course, before commiting.

 

I can only upload 124 Kb per pic directly here, apparently, so bear with whilst I convert some files over to pngs.

 

FAU11.png

 

My cute SVG sheet. The roundels are for a Dragonfly. Done in Inkscape, fonts: Arial Bold and Amarillo. Beware that Amarillo is third party trialware if you like it and want to use it.

 

20200723-221257.jpg

 

The moustachio'd figure is from a Zvezda Russian Revolution figure set. I prefer not to see him as Stalin but merely a good natured mechanic and he is borrowed from my Shavrov Sh-2 hydroplane project. Keen eyed viewers will regard the 90 degree connection in the skids with outright disdain, as theres a 10 per cent cant forward in reality. But this thing is being permanently butt joined to that sheet of beech there, for strength. Per se.

 

Anyway, Za FAU! as Stalin might have said. Chiling words from beyond the grave, I daresay.

Edited by Martin Bond
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Hello Loach Driver.

 

It is, but it's a draw because of a certain advantage. No filler*. Sanding more than in a very, very limited way is bound to destroy something or other. To take in some less stressful time (wasn't this meant to be a de-stressing time away from wood shavings?), an A37 Dragonfly kit was purchased. It'll be FAU too, Uruguay's frontline assault rally car.

 

Thanks for looking in.

 

* My ongoing battle with Vallejo putty. It simply refuses to bite into polystyrene. Watch the video, apply technique, back to square one. Milliput is too heavy duty for this kit.

Edited by Martin Bond
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Martin

 

You are correct about the size of respective "bubbles".

However, to the best of my knowledge, the extended bubble is not limited to the Westland/Agusta examples (the British Army ships were built by Agusta but assembled in the UK by Westland).

 

It's not widely known that throughout its history, the 47 had three cabin widths, and the extended bubble was available on later examples.

And not having access to a list of factory options, I don't know if the larger bubbles were limited to only the widest available cabin or the intermediate one as well. Also, I don't know if buyers had the option of specifying either a standard bubble or the larger one.

 

Like the VW Beetle, Porsche 911, or the Ford Model T, the Bell 47 had a long production history and like those, many people don't appreciate the differences in various models despite their outward similarity.

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That's why these discussion fora are so valuable. John, thank you for your help. During these bad times, people sit down to take the time to help out or provide their deep experience to strangers with all manner of things when they need not have. I think that's fantastic.

 

Cabin width! Isn't that an improbable co-incidence, because the Eduard etch for the Sioux has parts for the cabin floor  -- and they're too wide for this tubular Bell. This was something immediately apparent so either Eduard's R&D people are perfectionists, or it really is an improbable co-incidence. I suppose it's already been noted hereabouts. If I leave the doors off, as per 056, there's an ugly, visible, gap between etch and plastic. Doors locked up , the painted part will just cover it, assuming no clear part width issues. Now, that soap bubble concerns me for other reasons as well. More later.

 

Whilst we're here, both 055 (1) and 056 seem to show the back of tbe cab behind the seats, and on the floor, a sort of red primer colour. It's definitely a reddish hue, but unsure if it's actual primer left as is. I can't post my only image of 055 (2) to compare because its copyrighted, watermarked and would self-destruct if it could, after posting it. It's a very different looking machine, though, with high viz orange lining around the doors and sports a much earlier FAU Naval Anchor insignia of 1935 for some reason. But tbat's off piste for my purposes and grand designs.

 

1935-Emblema-en-hidroaviones-Cant-18-del

 

Looks a beaut though.

 

Anyway, more exciting pics, Stalin lookalikes and commentary on their way. O Happy day.

 

o7

Edited by Martin Bond
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A note about the actual Bell 47s Uruguay used so as not to keep tripping up by cross purpose.

_________________________________________________________

Serial numbers: 

 

1411    A-051: Aviacion Naval d/d 1955; ANU-001     <<<<<<<<<<<<

1412    A-052:  Aviacion Naval d/d ; ANU-002

2050    A-053: Aviacion Naval d/d 1971; ex BuNo 57-1812

     ?       A-054: Aviacion Naval d/d 1971

7947    A-055: Aviacion Naval d/d 1971; w/o 1990

6679    A-055: Aviacion Naval d/d 1992; ex N9010C

2904     A-056: Aviacion Naval d/d 1995; w/o 24oct97

___________________________________________________________

Source: https://www.helis.com/database/modelorg/1215/

 

 

 

Edited by Martin Bond
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20200816-141216.jpg

 

Nothing to report, except a sort of an artistic impression of a dry fit. Decided to hand paint these breakable skids with a dozen applications of actual Industrial liquid titanium*. They've broken three times by a puff of wind. That chunky thing at the base of the rotor cage is as per s/n 7947 and will be painted black.

 

Or. A-051 of ANU revealed - and badly cropped - by an eerie early morning Uruguayan sunrise, sans pilot and evacuee. Those poor devils.

 

* Store at 450 degrees Farenheit.

Edited by Martin Bond
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