The Seabat Choctaw whatever *FINISHED*

[did_nev]

And a second chopper for my ever growing Belgian air Force.

Hobbyboss UH-34 Choctaw.
In fact it's gonna be a Sikorsky (Sud Aviation) HSS-1 Seabat (S-58)...

http://alturl.com/eh8kb

[splash]

Watch out for the direction of rotation of the main blades, HB have modeled several versions of the Choctaw and the very early versions had the main and tail rotors turn in the opposite direction to later models. (this was correct as Sikorsky modified the a/c )

[did_nev]

Watch out for the direction of rotation of the main blades, HB have modeled several versions of the Choctaw and the very early versions had the main and tail rotors turn in the opposite direction to later models. (this was correct as Sikorsky modified the a/c )

Thanks for that, I'll be on my guard!

[ShaunW]

Nice one Did Nev, those Belgian markings look very striking. Splash is the man for rotor blade rotation knowledge it would seem. I know little beyond the fact that they spin round and get the thing into the air

[did_nev]

Nice one Did Nev, those Belgian markings look very striking. Splash is the man for rotor blade rotation knowledge it would seem. I know little beyond the fact that they spin round and get the thing into the air

Thanks ShaunW

And Splash is right concerning the rotation... Main rotor as tailrotor are the wrong way
Ah well, we'll see about that in a few days

I must resist untill 15'th...

[martin hale]

You won't be hanging about then!

Martin

[did_nev]

Box and sprueshots





It looks quite nice, but it has a lot of pinmarks on the inside and that's a pity.
The rotor is turning the wrong way and I did something..........

But anyway I started to make those holes disappear



I used some foil from a packet of sigarettes to make it look like those blankets they use on the inide.





In all my enthusiasm I wanted the easy way out in reversing the rotorblades

Remember, this is how they looked like, yummie pieces of plastic,ready for assembly



I dipped them in hot water, using a round object to keep them in shape.....

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggghhhhh...
remember that thread? Well here is my Aaaargh-moment





I think I'll start scratchbuilding some new blades....



I've had it for today, I'm off to bed.

[splash]

Have you tried clamping them between lolly pop sticks and putting them back in the hot water?

Regards Splash

[mightymikeD]

To quote Blackadder, "I believe the expression rhymes with 'Clucking Bell'"

Splash's solution seems to make sense and is at least worth a try before you start mucking about with plasticard and sharp things.. and you can soothe your "AAAAAAAARRRRRGHH" pain with lollipops in order to acquire the sticks..

Hope it works out because it looks like a nice kit (other than the aforementioned flaws)

[MerlinJones]

What Splash said!
Hot water did the...er....damage, hot water should fix it.
Personally, I thought that the blades were droopy enough.

Regards,
Bruce

[ShaunW]

Oh dear Did, that is a bit of a disaster. I think Hobby Boss had pre-shaped the blades with built-in droop for your comfort and safety Splash is right, try the hot water technique to try and get the excessive bend out first before resorting to possibly time consuming scratch building.

[did_nev]

Thanks gents, but I was bending them the other way around. I wanted them to rotate counterclockwise...
And I don't think i can fix them. But some good old scratchbuilding will rescue the build. grrrrrrrr

[did_nev]

Indeed... I just left them in the box today and will adress to them when all the rest is finished.

I did someinterior decorating



Did some dryfitting... a slight gap was present



Did beat the gaps into submission



Left her drying



That's it for today!

[ShaunW]

I that's what you call a slight gap Did, I'd hate to see what you'd call a big one Well done for beating those chasms into submission!

[did_nev]

If that's what you call a slight gap Did, I'd hate to see what you'd call a big one Well done for beating those chasms into submission!

Let's keep that between us

I finally had the heart to adress too my blast-up with the bendy twisty rotorblades.
Gladly I am the owner of a big stash of redundant pieces.
I found some rotorblades in there from an old 1/48 Revell S-58C. These were excellent for the task at hand.
The rounded tips are right about correct to the original set with hobbyboss.



First, cut them to size, trim the trailing edge, prepare for fitting in the clamp.



I cut off the clamp from the originals, I did make a gap where the new blades had to come and glued the in place.

And presto, about 1,5 hours later, you get this.



Now I need to bend the extremeties......

Anyway, while I was at it, I finished the main assembly for my Seabat.





And I sprayed already some orange...



Almost had a calamity as well with that. I had runners all along the underside of the fuselage. Sigh....
It's fighting me all the way.