Pete's Eurocopter

[colin m]

I'll say this quietly, so only you hear me. Tiny decals, if you get them wrong - who will ever know !

[stillp]

Colin, thanks, you're right ... but I'll know!

Looking at the box photo, they all seem to be on the outside.
Ah no, just looking at the alternative Medstar scheme, and there are 4 minute red dots in the corners of those cabin windows, but they're not shown on the police version. So, the only decals on the inside are two of those red dots on each side. Seems a bit pointless, but I might as well get it right.

Pete

[stillp]

Well, I contacted Revell Customer Service, and a nice helpful chap from Revell USA sent me a link to the instructions for a different kit, their EC135, which explains much more clearly which decals go where. I think there's enough commonality that I can work out a plausible (if not correct!) scheme for the decals.
Struggling to get the cabin windows to stick at the moment, they're difficult to clamp as they are bulged, and the curvature doesn't match that of the cabin sides. They are currently held in by a bunch of clamps, tape and blu-tak while the Gator's Grip sets, but I've a horrible feeling I'll be taking them out tomorrow and trying CA.

Pete

[Steve Brodie]

:crying:

[stillp]

Two steps forward... three steps back! The outer cabin sides don't fit with the windows in, so they're soaking in a dish of water so I can try to remove the Gator's Grip, take the windows out and see where they need sanding. :loudly-crying::loudly-crying:

Pete

[stillp]

Sorry for the lack of updates recently. Not much has happened, as I've been trying to get the fuselage sides to fit together around the inner cabin parts shown above. It's been a real struggle, not helped by the fact that I can't really see what's stopping them going together. I've sanded quite a lot from the cabin sides and roof. Another problem was that the insides of the doors were slightly warped, and they came unglued while trying to bend the fuselage sides to fit. I had to cut a notch in the forward part of the roof to get clearance for the doors.
[ATTACH]295601[/ATTACH]
Decals are now on the inside of the doors (why does the pilot need an EXIT sign on his door?)[ATTACH]295602[/ATTACH] and have been clear coated with Galeria matt.
[ATTACH]295603[/ATTACH]
so tomorrow I'll try to clamp/tape/rubber band the fuselage sides in place and then run some Extra Thin into the joint. Wish me luck!

Pete

[papa 695]

That's the problem when you need to put the sides on, it was a struggle even with the Airfix Merlin I'm doing, I had sanding and gaps to fill afterwards. Nice work so far though.

[stillp]

Thanks Ian. I think the windscreen is likely to need some filler round the edges, so I'm expecting to need to polish it after sanding the filler.

Pete

[stillp]

Well, fingers crossed, it went together quite well.
[ATTACH]295687[/ATTACH][ATTACH]295688[/ATTACH][ATTACH]295689[/ATTACH]
Woke up in a panic this morning thinking I'd forgotten the front lower windows, but luckily they get fitted from the outside!
And finally, on its own feet:
[ATTACH]295690[/ATTACH]
There's a bit of filling and sanding to do, but it's not looking too bad. That pointy bit of the roof over the centre console has to have a decal added!:fearful:

Pete

[papa 695]

Looks like it's gone together rather nicely Pete.

[stillp]

Thanks Ian.
Quite a bit of filling and sanding to do tomorrow, but it's starting to take shape now.

Pete

[flyjoe180]

Looking good Peter. .

why does the pilot need an EXIT sign on his door?

Passengers and supplementary crew members could also use that door as an emergency exit, hence the label.

[stillp]

Thanks Joe!
Interestingly, the Medstar version doesn't have 'EXIT' above the doors.

Pete

[stillp]

A bit more progress. The bit on the top over the engines (I'm sure there's a technical term for that) Didn't want to fit (why am I not surprised?) as the boss that holds the pin on which the rotor will turn clashed with part of the interior structure that supports the air intakes. I had to shave a good 2 - 3 mm off it before I could fit the top part.[ATTACH]295989[/ATTACH]
Then the rear of that part (engine cover?) was mis-shapen right at the part where the tail boom attaches, so I had to control that with the usual mixture of tape, clamps and rubber bands, then do some filing, but at last the tail boom fits! [ATTACH]295990[/ATTACH]
Still need to do something about the front though: [ATTACH]295991[/ATTACH]
Maybe it'll look better when it gets some paint on it. Actually it'll probably look worse!

Pete

[papa 695]

It's fighting you all the way this kit Pete, but I'm sure you'll get the better of it.