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Ok guys, I'm in, in spite of my abysmally poor record at finishing anything since I joined LSP or participated in in any GB. The reasons I am joining are as follows: 1. Someone mentioned cookies 2. There will be cookies 3. Teresa's cookies are said to be without par 4. Why not have fun with eveyone else ? 5. Yeahh ! There will be cookies ! 6. It's a good opportunity to restore my modelling mojo, which has been flailing even more than before since my burn-out in october last year, 7. And finally, I have heard the word "cookies" ! I have chosen an unusual subject : a sled-dog that acted as St Bernard, but was named after a Mexican Chihuahua : Kaman's HH-43 Huskie, code-named "Pedro" (hence my title),. Introduced in october 1964 in Vietnam (well in Thailand really) for Air Rescue missions, it lasted there until well after the end of the war, the last Pedro detachment leaving Thailand in 1976, although it was progressively superseded by the tougher and faster UH-1. In spite of its speed and range limitations and initial lack of any armour, all of which made it a choice target for Vietnamese Forces during their perilous missions, the HH-43s are credited with more than 1 100 saves during the war, of which 888 (out of 2 039) during the 1966-1970 period, and achieved some records in availability and number of monthly missions flown. So all in all an important, if not glamorous, aircraft in this war, and an "esoteric" subject in line with my tastes. This one was represented in kit form, in 1/32, a few decades ago by Hawk, and can still be found on eBay for a few bucks, and is regularly reissued. A nice kit, simple, with some detail limitations, understandable given its age, but that can result in a nice model with some TLC. As some of you know, I am not keen on camoed aircrafts, and too-efficient killing machines. When I bought the kit off eBay, a few years ago, my grand plan was to finish it in a civilian livery of post-Air Force use. So this GB has had me change my plan, however not to the point of going for a camoed version. So I will go for a HH-43 B at Tan Son Nhut in 1965, where the Pedros were still painted aluminium with bright yellow rescue bands. Here is the compulsory pic of the box content. I will enhance the kit with some AM. Thanks to Kagnew, who helped me go round Cobra Company's self-imposed payment limitations, which make it very difficult for non North American residents to acquire these sets, I also acquired the detail set for the kit (now OOP I understand). However, liking detailing and scratchbuilding, I will not use the set, apart for some eventual inspiration, and do all teh corrections / detailing myself. The set is bookmarked for Karl (Blackbetty), with Bruce #2 in the queue. I will however use Airscale's intruments and bezels, and restore the visible rivets details (some of which will be lost in the cutting and fitting) using the HGW dry-transfer rivets' set. Finally, when finished (!), I will use SWS' nice PSP base. I have decided to not even check the shape and dimensions of the kit, and focus on detailing it. The tweaks' list I have worked out, and will complete as I progress includes already : - Detailed cockpit, new seats, new IP, new center console and upper console, food pedals and sticks ... - Detailed interior of the cabin - Have a go at representing the strssed skin affect that affected the rear fuselage; - Open-up the intake grilles and therefore include the oil-cooler details and a reasonable representation of the engine. Replace solid plastic grilles with suitable see-throuch ones - Represent the transmission cones, visible trough the side openings of the transmission-cowlings - Detail the landing gears and wheels - Detail the inside of the side-doors - Detail the rotors and their flaps system ... Ok. Now to the workbench ! Hubert.