Pete's Eurocopter

[Fernando N]

Hi Peter, just had a good read trough from the start.:smiling4:
Sorry to read about all the troubles this one has given you but you're making a very nice helo.:thumb2:
Good luck with the landing gear fix.

Fernando

[stillp]

Sorry to hear that Joe. Not too much damage I hope?

Pete

[stillp]

Well, after spending a few sessions touching up the overspray as well as working on some of the external details, I thought I'd better try to fix the undercarriage before starting on the decals. So, a few minutes with a 0,8 mm drill, and a couple of short lengths cut from a paperclip, and we have this:
[ATTACH]303358[/ATTACH]
A couple of blobs of thick CA glue, and it seems to have gone back together quite well - I'll leave it alone for a day for the CA to really cure. Meanwhile, I have rotors to paint and assemble!

Pete

[flyjoe180]

Sorry to hear that Joe. Not too much damage I hope?

Enough to have to spend a day doing repairs rather than painting. It's my fault, one of those moments we all seem to have every now and again.

Your fix is coming along nicely too, the use of the paperclips to create a join is well done.

[papa 695]

This is fighting you all the way Peter, your putting up a good fight and you will beat it I'm sure.

[Steve Jones]

Wow! What a challenge. I admire your tenacity to stick with this build. I am sure it will all be worth it in the end. Great stuff:thumb2:

[stillp]

Thanks Steve. I might not be skilled, but I'm stubborn!

A few more bits done: these little beggars have to be fitted to the rotor blades:
[ATTACH]303812[/ATTACH]
They're a little less than 3 mm long. There's a tiny recess on the end further from the ball, which looks as though it should fit on a pin on the rotor blade, but there is no pin to fit them to. After several failed attempts to hold them in place while the cement took hold, I settled for applying a blob of Tamiya cement on the blade, placing the ball-ended thingies in the blob, and letting the surface tension of the cement pull them into place.

There are also 4 pitch control links to fit between the blades and a slotted disc on the spindle, which don't show up well on the photo:
[ATTACH]303813[/ATTACH]

Surprisingly, none of the parts were captured by the carpet monster, so here's the rotor complete except for decals:
[ATTACH]303814[/ATTACH]

Revell give you a choice of having the main rotor permanently attached, or removable, and I've gone for removable so I could assemble and paint it separately from the main body. The repair to the undercarriage went well, so the next stage will be a massive decalling session, then I'll add the numerous little bits (aerials, grab handles, rescue winch, nav lights, etc) that would inevitably get knocked off if I fit them before finishing the decals.

Pete

[stillp]

Started on the decals; the main rotor:
[ATTACH]303970[/ATTACH]
The main body (LH side only so far):
[ATTACH]303971[/ATTACH][ATTACH]303972[/ATTACH]
Currently waiting for the Micro Set to dry.
I still haven't decided whether or not to add the 'phone number on the side windows, as shown on the instructions here:
[ATTACH]303973[/ATTACH]
It's made up of 3 separate decals, and I think my chances of getting them all lined up correctly are slim, and they'll obscure the view of the interior. Any thoughts anyone?

Pete

[flyjoe180]

That's looking very smart Pete. Personally I'd leave the phone number off, it detracts from an otherwise attractive scheme.

[stillp]

Thanks Joe, I agree, it would look a bit cluttered with that number on.
More fun with the decal numbering - decals number 169 go on the tailplane - but which 169? There are two different pairs with that number!
[ATTACH]304171[/ATTACH]
Must be the upper ones, which state "No Handling". Done:
[ATTACH]304172[/ATTACH]
RH side now completed:


As I've said before, I'm very impressed by these decals, which allow quite a bit of pulling about with tweezers to get them in the right place, and they respond well to Micro Set/Sol - this big one on the underside was a wrinkled mess where it goes over the protruding panels, but settled down nicely after a couple of coats of Micro Set.

[ATTACH]304174[/ATTACH]

Checking over the decal instructions showed that I'd missed a couple on the LH side. They're now added, but I won't bore you with another photo as they're too small to see anyway!

Now on to adding grab handles, aerials, and other fiddly bits.

Pete

[papa 695]

That is looking fantastic Peter, all the hard work is starting to show.

[stillp]

Thanks Ian. Amazing how decals can improve a model isn't it.

Pete

[Steve O]

Totally agree with Ian fantastic job, i like it.

Steve.

[minitnkr]

Amazing exercise in tenacity. Some good decisions enabled an excellent outcome. PaulE

[Jim R]

Hi Peter
I see this is still giving you grief but sheer bloody minded determination will see it done. Masking the windows has actually worked pretty well. Shame about the drop but as you say it is repairable - just another :flushed: :worried: :cold-sweat: moment.
Jim