![]() ![]() 1/32 scale REVELL Eurocopter EC-135 helicopter of Korps Landelijke Politie Diensten (KLPD / Dutch Police) |
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The Eurocopter's
EC 135 helicopter is a twin-engined multipurpose helicopter and entered
service around 1996. Construction uses lightweight metal and composites
and the tail had the Fenestron tail rotor. The standard version carries
the pilot and six or seven passengers with sliding doors in the cabine
but also depending on customer needs, various configurations are possible.
This includes MedeVac and Police duties with various equipment.
The helicopter
regularly flies over my house (photographed by me):
UPDATED: REVELL has issued a brand new 1/32 kit of the EC 135 ADAC (kit # 04659) end 2013. It has much better details and parts. If you can choose, buy this newer kit released!
Some scratchmodelling was done for
the mission specialist station, adding a computer laptop and screen and
some other details using plastic card and rod. The overall interiors was
sprayed in a base coat of brown-light grey and details painted in various
colours.
The rotor of the real EC-135 is very
simple, being a rigid hub design. Only minor detailling was needed on the
kit rotor parts. New pitch rods were made, not using part #59.
IMPORTANT:
I discovered a few years later that I assembled the rotorblades reversed
with their tips in the wrong rotation direction. This is not very clear
in the Revell instructions...
With every helicopter build, I always
spray first the areas around the windows and also the interior sidewalls
before next assembly. So grey sidewalls and black outside window panels
were sprayed (this is better than using the black window decals).
The real windows also have rectangular
sliding panels. These were suggested using cut out FRISK FILM.
The gear box area was detailed with
some rod and electrical fuse wire.
NOTE: do not glue the forward nose section together, only the aft mating areas. The reason is that the windshield on the kit is TOO WIDE. This can only be nicely corrected by inserting a plastic strip later on between the two halves at the nose later on. Mask the windscreen to protect it.
Note that at the inner edges, an additional panel is white on the real
EC-135, so mask accordingly.
Next, the tailboom was assembled. Do not fit yet the fenestron rotor part #44, first fill the gaps and edges on the tunnel. On the fenestron aixle, I added a round cut plastic circle disk to have a neather appearance. I found that there are tiny recesses for grips and handles at the rear fenestron duct on the real EC-135, but this was left as is and the kit parts were used. The tailboom on the KLPD helo also has a boxed fairing below the tail. This was made from plastic card. On the fairing there is also a bulge. Carefully study the antenna layout, some parts are not needed. Next, all the gaps were filled with white putty on the overall kit. This is not a lot of work and only minor sanding was needed. Please note that there is a clear step where the tailboom meets the fuselage, so not extra work needed here. The Revell kit depicts it correctly.
The major outside parts were give
a coat of lightgrey, followed by white, using REVELL enamel semi-matt white
#SM301. This is a very good white paint to apply with the airbrush.
While at it: as the KLPD helo has colourfull striping, I also sprayed white decal (eg. from Bare metal foil or use another brand) also REVELL Blue #51. Also, the dayglow stripes were sprayed on white decal, using REVELL #332 RAL3026. Also, the rotor blades were not forgotten as they are on the upper areas white with dayglow stripes, so mask and spray accordingly. The lower areas were sprayed black.
Now it was time to add the blue and
dayglow striping, using the prepared decals. This took a lot of work, using
cut out paper templates for both right and left sides.
The required KLPD logo's and markings
were downloaded from Internet and printed, in the correct size, a white
decal from BARE METAL FOIL suitable
for Inktjet printers at 2400 DPI.
The kit has several options for the skid. I used the lower skid parts. It is not indicated in the instructions, but still is in the sprues! The skid was painted black. Some gaps were closed on the lower
fuselage area with some filler needed. A also added a flat piece of cart
at the retractable landing light (decal 24).
Final assembly was now done, adding
the better windscreen wipers #216 also in the kit. Below, the search light
can be seen as well. The various smaller parts were added and painted.
Particularly on the lower fuselage, various details were added. Hard to
describe, check pictures. The pitots #176 + 177 were refined as well. The
black speakers are in the kit.
The grips and handles were replaced using plastic rod. Antenna #228 was repositioned. (no hoist and parts like the large wire antennas #224 are needed on the KLPD helo). The model was not weathered, being
brand new and being kept in splendid condition bij the support crew.
After assembly,decalling and finshing,
the model was almost ready. The model got a couple of clear gloss coats
of JOHNSON FUTURE/ PLEDGE.
Some views of the finished model.... |
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References:
http://www.politie.nl/KLPD/ |
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Created this page November 15, 2009 |