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SA 321 Tzir'a


Dukie99

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After finishing my Mi-8 Gunship and seeing that there are still three months left to the GB, I decided to tackle another big helo that has been in the stash for quite a while: the Heller 1/35 Super Frelon and so I plan to go from here:

Box_zpsv23ibh98.jpg

to there:

Israeli%20Frelon%205_zpsfhas5hys.jpg

and very likely that particular bird:

idfisraelisuperfrelonbucket_zps22sucsea.

Isreali%20Frelon%206_zpsm1bjvwxe.jpg

There is no aftermarket for this kit and I am no great scratchbuilder so I plan an OOB build to focus more on painting and weathering the tri-tone Israeli camo, but I do plan to scratchbuild the gun mount on the side door and the landing gear frames (eliminating the floating devices). I have not decided if I want to open the ramp or not, It took me so much time to detail the mi-8 cargo hull that I am not sure I want to repeat the experience just yet.

 

Thanks for watching and merry Christmas to all. David

 

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Artoor, Maru, Brian,

 

Thanks for posting. This will indeed be a huge beast again the fuselage is actually on par with the Mi-8 but it will slightly less space as the rotor is smaller in diameter than the Mi-8. Here some pictures of box content: huge fuselage:

Fuselage_zpsfkabnjiu.jpg

Lots of raised rivets which from my reference pictures is acurate for that airframe:

rivets_zpsnggqfuaz.jpg

I have some polishing to go on the main glasshouse:

glass_zpswfirh3zs.jpg

Very good details on the main rotor for a kit that dates back to 1979 (for this particular rebox, the initial kit came out 40 years ago in 1975):

rotor_zpssynyercx.jpg

This kit has more than 600 pieces. I assembled the main rotor and it numbers no less than 33 parts and each of the six blades numbers 4 parts.

 

I have almost finished the cockpit and the main cargo bay and will try to post pictures tomorrow. Until then I wish you all a happy new year, may it bring you joy, health and happiness.

 

David

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  • 2 weeks later...

Have always thought this was a lovely kit - and one that belies it's age (late 70's IIRC?).

 

Have one in the loft (Aeronavale version) so looking forward to this!

 

And those rivets - if only other companies like Trumpeter and Revell could do the same with their helicopter kits...

 

Iain

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the initial kit came out 40 years ago in 1975)

What a nostalgia trip - I built a Heller Super Frelon way back in 1976-77, I seem to remember different box art with a cammo scheme, plus a full comliment of crew and about 20 soldiers in the box.

 

It's certainly a big chopper in 1:35.

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What a nostalgia trip - I built a Heller Super Frelon way back in 1976-77, I seem to remember different box art with a cammo scheme, plus a full comliment of crew and about 20 soldiers in the box.

 

It's certainly a big chopper in 1:35.

 

Crikey - yes - I remember that release with all the figures!  :thumbsup:

 

(feeling old...)

 

Iain

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi There,

 

Finally some progress. This kit is engineered in a way that it is made of separate components (cockpit, bulkhead, cargo bay, engine compartment, rotorhead) which will all go together at the same time upon closing the fuselage and it is hard to tell if everything will eventually fit together. I am hoping that there will not be to many fit issue when glueing the fuselage together because I would hate to lose all these raised rivets. Anyhow I am not ready to close the fuselage yet but I am getting there. Here are some pictures:

Bulkhead:

bulkhead_zpsgq57x8pw.jpg

cargo floor:

floor_zpsscehlimz.jpg

Cargo hull (in progress):

Cargobay_zpsclwu2ohp.jpg

Cockpit (in progress):

cockpit2_zpsc4snybkw.jpg

cockpit_zpsggqnct1s.jpg

 

Rob, you built the initial release (1975) which had a camouflaged version on the box art. Mine is the 1979 rebox but I believe it is the same kit, I also have the 20 French commandos in the box. Since I am building an Israeli bird I will not use them. If anyone wants them I would be happy to send them to a good home :) .

 

Till next time, thank you for your comments.

 

David

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Guys,

 

Thank you for all the nice comment. This project has been on the back burner for a while but I made some progress: closing up the fuselage, scratch building the main landing gear and reshaping the turbines intake which are covered on the Tzira' by some kind of sand filter (or so I assume). I am pretty happy with my effort on the landing gear: I recycled the wheels and the lower part of the landing gear and the rest is scratchbuild from a brass tube and different diameter of plastic rods and styrene sheet. I need to add the brake line but otherwise it should look OK under a coat of paint. I am less pleased with my effort to reshape the turbines intake, it is a bit crude and I spent hours trying to get the right shape and a smooth finish but it eludes me. I will move on now with primer and the tri-tone camouflage. Thanks for following this build. Till next time.

 

David

Landing%20gear3_zpsgdwpkleg.jpg

Landing%20gear1_zpsaglbynhh.jpg

Landing%20gear2_zpsmarwgw2d.jpg

and the picture I used as reference:

Landing%20gear4_zpsnmodu9ii.jpg

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Had a first crack at the camo this evening using the Mr. Paint Israeli airforce paint set. I did it freehand and need to go back to it to sharpen the lines a bit more but I love to finally see some color on this bird. I also could not resist taking a picture with the rotor (work in progress). We are getting there.

 

Thanks for watching.

 

David

Camo1_zpsyqsrbxar.jpg

Camo2_zpsfdbpvip3.jpgCamorotor_zpsfod7qvpt.jpg

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