Beany's brace of Pumas - 1/32 beasties

[beany]

These are the two Matchbox 1/32 Aerospatiale Westland SA.330 Pumas that I started several years ago for the other Matchbox GB but they came to little due to the other builds I had going on for the same GB. They have now become something of a restoration and repair project, but Martin has kindly let me continue them as part of this GB, as I know Ted had an involvement with this particular kit.

I always like doing the schemes other people tend to avoid, and have never seen one of these finished in the technology demonstrator scheme that is shown on the box art. It is pretty rare and I can't even find a Google Image of the real McCoy in this scheme. The other will be finished in the British RAF markings supplied - and will be motorised.

Here are the pictures from the last build. Nothing has been done since these were taken so this will be the starting point for me on the 15th.


One rotor section already in need of repair - and I am seriously hoping that I can find the missing blade somewhere as well!

And this is probably how the blade got broken - testing the Airfix motor. A battery pack will be fitted inside the body out of sight and a switch fitted in the door underneath the main fuselage.


A bit more thinning of the side walls is required to close the two motor body halves to full enclose the Airfix motor.


The rear rotor with the tiny piece of brass tube fitted as a bush in the centre to give the motor shaft something to fit into.


Drilling a hole to mount the small pager vibrator motor.


And test fitting of the motor


Ah - there's that rotor blade I was looking for...


All for now - to be continued (from the 15th)
Cheers
Al.

[Ian]

Good stuff, Al. Looking forward to seeing these done!

[JamesPerrin]

It lives!

[aeroplanegripper]

Nice one mate, I have never seen this particular kit before, looks impressive.

[SJPONeill]

Al,

I am in awe of you (again) - not one but two major builds on the at the same time + whatever else is going on in your work area...

Did you reinforce the blades on the main rotor? They are quite hefty and even at low rpm I'm wondering if they might not develop an ugly flutter?


Simon

[beany]

I am in awe of you (again) - not one but two major builds on the at the same time + whatever else is going on in your work area...

I'm flattered Simon, but I wouldn't expend too much awe just yet mate - I reckon I must be the worst serial non-finisher of GBs on this forum, as the Kursk GB is about to find out unless I can blitzbau my nominated subject in the next few days!
However, in honour of Ted I will really try to apply myself to this double project.

Did you reinforce the blades on the main rotor? They are quite hefty and even at low rpm I'm wondering if they might not develop an ugly flutter?
Simon

No reinforcement - the idea of the motors is to turn the rotors for effect and make the model look less static rather than spin them at any great speed. However, this could well turn out to be one of those occasions that merit a "just because you can, doesn't mean you should" type of comment.

Cheers
Al.

[SJPONeill]

I reckon I must be the worst serial non-finisher of GBs on this forum

Get thee away, Pretender!!!

I've finished one GB in the six years that I have been a UAMF member...not an 'acheivement I am particularly happy about but I've had a lot of fun getting there...

[Martin R]

I reckon I must be the worst serial non-finisher of GBs on this forum

Get thee away, Pretender!!!

I've finished one GB in the six years that I have been a UAMF member...not an 'acheivement I am particularly happy about but I've had a lot of fun getting there...

Al,

I hope you're going to break your run of bad luck for this GB!

How are the Pumas doing?

regards,

Martin

[beany]

And so it begins...

I am going to work logically through the instruction steps in number order, which as usual begin in the cockpit with this kit. Parts have been previously assembled but will need tidying up and re-painting.






Over the course of time the control sticks and pedals have taken a bit of a bashing. One stick is missing completely so will have to be fabricated from a bit of brass rod and then something to replicate the hand grip - either putty or a wrap-round of rigging thread maybe. Here the seats have been given a coat of Humbrol 126 Satin Medium Grey and the consoles with Revell 9 Anthracite (for the Black-Grey).



The most frustrating thing about this kit is that the colour call-outs are for general colours and no matches to any paint manufacturer are given - so you have to decide which Medium Grey, Black Grey or Deep Blue for example you are going to use.

The interior padding for the Civil Demonstrator version is given as Buff so I've used the last dregs of some Tamiya XF-59 Desert Yellow here which I fear I may have over-thinned, but hopefully once dry it may look like normal wear and tear of the fabric?!.
The blue on the underside I seem to remember was Humbrol 25 Matt Blue applied in my pre-airbrush days all those years ago when I first began this build. I have looked at the blue of the decals and now think a closer match is Xtracolor X152 ANA152 USN Pre-WWII True Blue for which the Hu25 should now be a good undercoat/primer.



Cheers
Al.

[ShaunW]

Going through the instructions in a logical manner? that's a novel approach to modelling Best of luck with these two beasts Al, there's a lot of work there!

[Martin R]

Go for it, Al - and good luck!

regards,

Martin

[PaulBradley]

A good wash on that quilting, then a dry brush with a tan colour should really make that cabin pop, Al.

[Ian]

I love your instruction sheet, Al. It looks like most of mine with the notes written all over it!

[beany]

Out with the faithful old Aztek airbrush this evening, and a application of Xtracolor X152 as mentioned above.


I only have the artwork painting to go on but I must say I'm very happy with this shade of blue as a match. I've never found any photographs of the Civil version of this Puma, so the box art will have to do.


Smaller part dry in my Acme drying stand - an off cut of pine with holes drilled in it in which to put the wooden skewers onto which the parts are blue-tacked.


A bit more Humbrol Hu87 Steel Grey applied to the interiors. I have re-opened on set of doors that had been closed as it may provide access to the batteries that will be used to turn the rotor motor I am going to be fitting.


Cheers
Al.

[splash]

I forgot how big they are.

The blue looks great.

Regards Splash