Scratchbuilding - Huey engine and transmission

Different sizes of solder work well for hoses, wiring, and tubing. It bends easy and paints well. Also, have you heard of creative gizmology. It is the art of using pieces from other kits, such as car/truck transmissions, engine parts, whatever, and assembling them toa reasonable faximile of what you are trying to model. It works great. You will be surprised at what you can use as other parts.

Good luck.

Yeah thought as much, most I can recreate with solder and styrene section.

Creative gizmology - never heard it called that before! Most pipework and features on the engine I can figure out how to recreate, but there are a number of large diameter (2-3" full scale) braided hoses which would be good to recreate if possible. They may be harder to do, but ultimately simplified if it is to difficult to recreate the braided finish.

Thanks,

Doug

QUOTE: Originally posted by tomcraft66 Yeah thought as much, most I can recreate with solder and styrene section. Creative gizmology - never heard it called that before! Most pipework and features on the engine I can figure out how to recreate, but there are a number of large diameter (2-3" full scale) braided hoses which would be good to recreate if possible. They may be harder to do, but ultimately simplified if it is to difficult to recreate the braided finish.

1/24? Crikey, that's a big kit!

The larger braided lines (ie. the fuel lines) *might* be recreated by covering a core of something (solder, wire, whatever) with the outer sheathing from parachute cord. Its braided and I betcha if you gutted it (yanked out the seven fibers running thru the middle) and painted it a bright silver it might look like those Aeroquip-style braided stainless lines. Then again, it may be out of scale. Not 100% sure.

That's just a guess. I haven't tried this yet, but that's one of the "back of my head" ideas for simulating external load slings when I get around to building that 1/35 'Hook hovering over a Milvan or Hummvee.

I'm not sure if you can find regular military-style para cord ("550 cord") smaller than the "usual" 4mm diameter, but I do know that civilian skydiving gear doesn't use that bulky stuff anymore in favor of newer technology braided lines made out of high-tech blends of kevlar, dacron, nylon and other materials. You might be able to obtain a short length of the smaller diameter from a local dropzone's rigger shop, although much of the newer material isn't tubular, its flat.

EDIT: here's some closeups of 4mm paracord: http://www.vtarmynavy.com/parachute_cord.htm

and 2mm+ "accessory cord"
http://www.info-central.org/recovery_cordinfo.shtml


Darin
CH-47C, 67-18500
Korea, '86-'89

dninness,

Yep the kit is pretty sizeable! Apparently its the biggest they (or any other manufacturer) do, but as I explained in earlier posts it is cronically bland in terms of internal detail. A prime example is the fact that the main instrument console still uses a large decal to include all the detail! Criminal. The external isnt to bad but again lacks some basic components.

The paracord idea is a good one. Will have to investigate further. It seems to have the detail I need, but 2mm cord would be more suitable for the scale.

Thanks

Don't know if it will work in 1/24, but I have a friend who supplies me with used guitar strings. They work for me in 1/72, and are braided, look good when painted. Maybe the heavier bass strings would work in your scale.

I will resist the temptation to mention G strings

Regards
Peter.

Check out model car detail items also, might find some tubing and other items that would work for you

Thanks guys,

all valuable advise!

Tom,

Your doing what I should have done to mine, I used a total of 3 kits to make my bird....with custom formed glass.

ONE NOTE: Electric guitar wire....the heavy ones are wrapped and look very good as oil lines etc, fine electrical wires ...some are red or black and have a good look to them plus easy to bend and glue. 1/24 scale AUTO detail sets! lots of COOL stuff for engines! some of the better hobby shops have them in stock.

You can see my 1/24 Huey here:

http://troysmodels.homestead.com/ModelsModelsandModels.html

Keep us updated!

Papa echo 64,

at first glance the modellooks really good! Is this the Monogram UH-1B version? If so some serious time must have gone into converting it to a completely different (??"H"??) model.

You have also opened up the front doors as I intend to do. Will have a better look later, but brilliant finish detailing.

Will definately keep in touch. At last I have found someone who can share their trials and tribulations on the same model as myself!

Doug Johnson

It's been awhile since I saw that kit, but most likely it is a B model, major, major work to convert to a H model, check photo's on B's and H's and you should see the differences

Yeah, back with the program now! It was a B model. Just looking at the wrong picture! That'll do it.

Papa echo 64,

What would you have said were the biggest challenges with this kit in its construction?
and.....What would you improve on next time round?

Doug

Hiya Doug!

First thanks for the kind words!

Well......the biggest challange was the clear parts...they are very thick and have shrunk over the last 35 or more years...in other words the molds were never re-engineered...just cleaned up. The chin glass did not fit at all any more....so I took the original parts and glued styrene to the edges to 'make them larger' , sanded it all smooth to a high gloss and thermo formed new parts. I then used a dremel to dig out borders where the new glass would sit from the inside of the fuselage parts ( almost flush with the surrounding sheet metal ) same for the windscreen.

I would try to by the oldest version of this kit as possible. I had the whole spectrum.....the RAMBO, Heli SWISS 'rescue' Chopper in all white plastic and the latest version which has the better decals. Look at the inside of the fuselage parts....notice how SMOOTH it is?.....thats from when it was all clear for the visible chopper at its FIRST release.

The cargo and cabin floors were a booger....so I used heavy cooking foil and rubbed it on a plastruc serface to get raised diamond partern. Hard to glue down and wasn't into two part epoxies yet.

Would do different?

More time on the finish work.....the project sat for two years before I finished it so I kinda rushed it.

I have been told that Monogram screwed up on this kit and it shares B and other later model configerations.

If you need any help just ask!

ttkje@verizon.net

Mmmm, redoing the glass work is not something I have tried to date, but I can understand where you are coming from. One of my biggest complaints about most kits is the clear window components.

As for fine details I will keep in touch via email, rather than clogging up the forum.

Sounds good Tom... No problem.

I have this kit as well. Actually, the hobby shop owner gave it to me to build to put in his shop. I looked it over and told him I couldn't promise anything.

Mine is the big 1/24 Bell Huey Gunship. The worst problem so far is that I can't seem to find walkarounds for a B model. Can anyone give me as FS number for the gray used on the interior? Also, would there be any chromate paint visible inside the chin window? For that matter, what color is the area in the engine compartment?

I haven't looked yet into opening a panel to show the engine, but it may be a possibility.

I assume there isn't any aftermarket for this model either, correct?

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bones-coa chromate paint visible inside the chin window? For that matter, what color is the area in the engine compartment? Its a dark grey they used in the cabin area of most hueys....I have found that Testors Euro grey is a pretty good match. Aircraft chromate is the usual for the Engine and Tranny ares. In fact I believe the most Nam hueys used that darker grey for the interior except for the sound proofing......anyone? I haven't looked yet into opening a panel to show the engine, but it may be a possibility. It would be much easier with a spare kit.....the THICK plastic makes it almost impossible to cut out just the doors or the panels without taking out too much styrene with it. I assume there isn't any aftermarket for this model either, correct? None that I have ever found. 1/24 Auto super detail parts and photo etch stuff helps.

Dark Gull gray FS36231is the correct color for the interior, zinc chromate would not be seen through the chin bubbles, engine area would be xinc chromate, if I remember rught the engine deck was natural metal, for sound proofing material try Tamiya's metallic gray XF-56

Bones-coa,

"Mine is the big 1/24 Bell Huey Gunship. The worst problem so far is that I can't seem to find walkarounds for a B model."

A reply that posted on another post on this forum answered this question. It is a book you can buy for about £12 called "Walk around uh-1 huey gunships" by Wayne Mutza (squadron signal publications).

I recieved my copy yesterday and have bearly put it down since. it is a really good resource and will answer most of the other questions you asked too. Well worth the money!

Papa-echo-64,

What did you do with your doors that you opened? Did you scrap the doors supplied and scratch build your own or use the doors as supplied and repair the surrounding styrene bodywork?

Doug

Hi Doug,

Sorry...I had a huge box full of 1/24 Huey parts and I tossed it cleaning up the hanger...I mean bedroom.