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Some
years ago a mate of mine picked up a few of these Heller water-bomber kits
and on-sold them to a few other members of the Australian Defence Force
Helicopter School, including me.
The
kit contained a few items that were needed for the Australian Army, Royal
Australian Navy (RAN) or Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft.
Useful items included the high skids and hoist. |
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interior was detailed with belts for all seats, the pilots’ seats
modified to high-back items with different cushions, a control pendant for
the hoist, intercom leads and controls, new Honeywell panel (centre
console), fire extinguisher and map case. The landing light area was also
blanked off. |
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| The fuselage
rear section was modified with an extra access hole on each side of the
transmission cowls, holes for the bleed air exhaust and accessory drive
module magnetic plugs. Holes were drilled at the rear of the engine cowl
and fishing line fitted to represent the sand filter exhausts. A new short
tail rotor drive shaft cowl was scatch-built, the hoist hole relocated to
the correct position and holes drilled for the HF long wire. The
anti-collision light was removed and a new base for the strobe light made
up from plasticard. A base for the lower strobe light and the Doppler
antenna were made up from brass sheet. A UHF homing antenna was made up
from wire, fishing line and PVA glue and fitted to the nose. Steps were
also made from brass sheet and fitted to the skids, as was the vibration
absorber on each skid. |
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Click
on images below to see larger images
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The rotor head supplied
with the kit was woefully inadequate, so a new one was scratch-built using
the kit parts for some bits (it helps being able to check against the
subject aircraft every day!). The main rotor gearbox received a set of
torque links, too.
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tail rotor was modified and received a set of pitch change links. The
vertical stabiliser was filed down and the lower surface had a fence
installed. The tail skid also needed reducing in thickness. A DMEA
(boomerang) antenna was made, along with a pair of radio altimeter
antennae and these were fitted to the lower tailboom, a UHF antenna for
the roof was also made and fitted. The VHF/UHF antenna from the kit was
also fitted to the tailboom.
The aircraft was painted
using Testors Blue enamel and Humbrol Gloss White. This was a mistake as
the gloss paints ended up way too thick, although the bright orange
plastic didn’t help here! The main and tail rotors were painted in grey
enamel with the blades painted using the actual Aerospatiale paint used on
the aircraft. Colour bands were added to the main rotor components (these
aid maintenance during rotor assembly and balancing).
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A cargo hook was made up from
plastic sprue and brass sheet, with fishing line making up the control loom and
manual release cable. Fishing line was used for the HF long wire, with wire used
for its bracing wires. Wipers were made and fitted, as was the temperature probe
on the windscreen.
Decals
were made up from Letraset and the
unit graphic artist and copied onto decal sheet. The roundels and fin flash came
from the Roodecals RAAF general sheet.
Overall,
a lot of work but in the end, worth the effort.
Rob
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