- Member since
May 2004
- From: Aberdeen, Scotland
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Viper,
Well, how long is a piece of string! Virtually every panel on the model needs re-worked! In answer to your questions, the tail wheel lives in a 'box' simply built out of plastic card and recessed into the lower fuselage. It is a simple job to build the box and make the cuts into the lower fuselage. As for the remainder, close study of photos will show just how much needs to be done. The glazing in the cockpit area (doors and lower windows) need altered by sanding off sliding panels, polishing and sealing. The roof panel forward of the rotor was altered to show the correct runners to allow it to be slid forward and the roof panel behind the rotor was scratchbuilt after the large modifications necessary to the engine exhausts. The fuselage sides were virtually rebuild after removing and filling the areas where the original windows were. Careful measuring and cutting is necessary to instal the sonobuoy launch tube openings. The undercarriage leg covers were scratchbuilt to represent the 60B style rather than the later version in the kit. The radar warning boxes were scratchbuilt for the forward and rear fuselage as was the circular radar cover under the nose.The biggest job is the re-working of the engine exhausts. These were built from the sanded and shaped halves of the central fuel tank from a 1/32 Phantom kit! The tail end of each tank half were placed inside the engine area with their insides facing outwards (if you see what I mean!) to form the exhaust outlets. Once that has been done, the roof panel on the helo. was scratchbuilt and the side panels on the model were sanded and test-fitted again and again to get the fit correct. That is a brief summary of the exterior mods. for the kit fuselage. Scratchbuilt MAD fish and boom, aerial posts, winch etc. were added later. Now, as for the interior......Hope this answers some of your concerns!
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