Whirlybird Posted May 31, 2025 Share Posted May 31, 2025 (edited) Years ago, (2009), I was looking for a Hiller Raven in 1/48 scale. I wanted to build the version that was similar to the one my father used to buzz our farmhouse in Illinois Based on the photos I had, it was a G model with the Lycoming engine the big round bubble canopy. I got tired of waiting for a kit in that scale - so I got as much documentation as I could find and decided to give a scratch build a try. If I could make a master to vacuform the big "fishbowl" canopy that would take care of the most difficult part (so I thought). I scaled up drawings and profiled the canopy shape in laminated plastic sheet filled with Milliput and filed to shape, sanded and polished. I stopped when I couldn't get the clear plastic vacuform as clear as I wanted, and then family matters (mother got Alzheimers) and my own health issues took precedence over hobby stuff. I've recently pulled the parts out of storage and decided to pick up where I left off. Here's where I was when I started this effort. Edited May 31, 2025 by Whirlybird typo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted May 31, 2025 Author Share Posted May 31, 2025 (edited) Took the canopy I had for parts fit testing. Fabricated a tail boom and engine deck from Evergreen plastic sheets. Used the 1/72 Special Hobby Hiller UH-12 kit as a guide, then scaled measurements from 1/72 up to 1/48, along with some good documentation. The engine was fabricated from parts scavenged from the parts box and made some parts in Alumilite resin. Recently I finally found some K&S clear plastic sheet that is thin enough (0.10) to pull two halves of the canopy, and they look pretty decent. So, despite the fact LF now has a "B" version (sloped canopy) in 1/48th - (and apparently there is a "G" ver$$$ion out there), I decided to try and finish this build. Edited June 12, 2025 by Whirlybird Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted May 31, 2025 Author Share Posted May 31, 2025 (edited) Landing gear and skids....I decided plastic rod was too klunky looking in this scale and too weak, so I went with brass wire in different diameters. Getting the small parts aligned and trued up was more difficult than I anticipated. One corner would tend to pull off the level ground when the opposite side was level...or the thing would torque out of alignment. Disassembled it twice and had to adjust some parts to get it to sit level. Edited May 31, 2025 by Whirlybird Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted May 31, 2025 Author Share Posted May 31, 2025 (edited) This morning had low humidity so I put this in primer to see where it needs more clean-up and work. Temporary test fit the engine which has to work with the angled braces. Edited May 31, 2025 by Whirlybird Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tank Posted May 31, 2025 Share Posted May 31, 2025 She is looking good. 👍 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted May 31, 2025 Author Share Posted May 31, 2025 7 minutes ago, Tank said: She is looking good. 👍 Thanks ...just might get this done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted June 1, 2025 Share Posted June 1, 2025 That looks fabulous, especially as it is a genuine scratch-built model. This will look stunning when completed. LD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted June 1, 2025 Author Share Posted June 1, 2025 18 minutes ago, Loach Driver said: That looks fabulous, especially as it is a genuine scratch-built model. This will look stunning when completed. LD. Thank you...I hope can get this vacuform canopy to work out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnEB Posted June 2, 2025 Share Posted June 2, 2025 Great! I'm a huge fan of the old piston types...Bell, Hiller and Hughes...so it is great to see someone tackle a scratch built After waiting 40 years, they finally built Bell kits (though they do leave a bit to be desired), I'd love to see a large scale Hiller kit and some aftermarket details for the Bell. Good luck! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted June 2, 2025 Author Share Posted June 2, 2025 8 hours ago, JohnEB said: Great! I'm a huge fan of the old piston types...Bell, Hiller and Hughes...so it is great to see someone tackle a scratch built After waiting 40 years, they finally built Bell kits (though they do leave a bit to be desired), I'd love to see a large scale Hiller kit and some aftermarket details for the Bell. Good luck! Thank you...I like them as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted June 5, 2025 Author Share Posted June 5, 2025 (edited) Fabricated the tail rotor Edited June 5, 2025 by Whirlybird typo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted June 5, 2025 Share Posted June 5, 2025 That looks very tidy indeed. LD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted June 7, 2025 Author Share Posted June 7, 2025 Thank you. Working that Vacuform canopy...switched to a 0.015 inch thick sheet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted June 8, 2025 Share Posted June 8, 2025 That is looking really good! LD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tank Posted June 8, 2025 Share Posted June 8, 2025 She is progressing very nicely, keep it up. 👍 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted June 8, 2025 Author Share Posted June 8, 2025 Found some main rotor blades in the parts stash that cut down to proper size. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
drt786 Posted June 9, 2025 Share Posted June 9, 2025 Amazing scratch-building work! Seriously impressive complex shapes you've got there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted June 9, 2025 Author Share Posted June 9, 2025 1 hour ago, drt786 said: Amazing scratch-building work! Seriously impressive complex shapes you've got there. Thank you...been a real challenge. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted June 11, 2025 Author Share Posted June 11, 2025 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HeavyArty Posted June 11, 2025 Share Posted June 11, 2025 It is coming out great. Very nice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted June 12, 2025 Author Share Posted June 12, 2025 1 hour ago, HeavyArty said: It is coming out great. Very nice. Thank you....if the fishbowl canopy halves go together ok, I'll be on the home stretch. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted June 12, 2025 Author Share Posted June 12, 2025 (edited) After test fitting and trimming the joint lines on the canopy halves - I set the two parts together on my mold, secured the two halves and glued them at the overlap. This was the part I was most concerned about, as I started the build dimensioning from pictures. Looks like it works. Scratch building is a challenge as you have to organize the work sequentially and there are no instruction/assembly sheets...you just have to rely on experience building kits. Edited June 12, 2025 by Whirlybird Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phantom Posted June 12, 2025 Share Posted June 12, 2025 That is really good! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted June 12, 2025 Author Share Posted June 12, 2025 (edited) Trial fitting parts. Need to do interior and cockpit details, tail boom drive shaft, door frames on canopy, various antenna, final painting and decals. Edited June 12, 2025 by Whirlybird Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whirlybird Posted June 21, 2025 Author Share Posted June 21, 2025 Masked off the cockpit to get Olive drab applied Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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