Heller
[ page 6 ]
Alouette III models in 1/72 scale
... continued from page 5....
This model for a SAR was fitted with the Artouste engine and both the left crew and sliding doors were cut open and a floor panel removed (see how on page 2 note [4]+ [5]).
The model was given first an overall white coat with the airbrush, using Gunze Sangyo H1 acrylic. Masking was done and the green areas a coat of Gunze Sangyo 302 for FS34092.
The hoist and floatation gears were made as described on page 2 [9+10].
The markings are available aftermarket but these were unusable as the roundels were printed off-center.
So the markings were home designed ande made. As the underlying surfaces are white, this is quite easy.
UPDATE NOTE: a few years later I used decal laser printing. Interested in a decal set? Look at my decal pages here....
Each home printed decal was cut out and applied as usual.
The tail bar was painted orange-red, the cabin roof transparant green and rotor tips yellow. The remainder of this model was completed as described for the previous made kits.
MALTA
[ area: 316 sq.km | population: 520,000 | capital: Valetta | GDP 30,000 Euro per capita nominal ]
Malta has 3 islands , Malta and Gozo and a small island Comino. Being a British colony from 1813, in the Second World War due to its strategic location, it was heavily defended but remained British despite the Axis attacks. Malta became independent in 1964 and is a democracy. A small air arm was set-up with 4 ex-West German Agusta-Bell 47 helicopters and an ex-Libyan Ghadhaffi supplied AB.206 Huey. Three ex-West German Dornier Do.27 and 4 ex-Libyan Alouette III arrived.
The current Armed Forces of Malta obviously defends the islands but with the illegal migration with boats crossing the Mediterranean, patrol and rescue is also an important task. The small Air Wing plays an important role. In 1991 fixed wing aircraft were acquired like 5 Cessna O-1E Birddogs and pair of BN Islanders. Two Hughes 369 helicopters came and 2 ex-Dutch Alouette III (A-247, A-292 and A-209 and A-399 probably for spares). In 2000 the Birddogs went out of service and some 5 ex-RAF Scottish Aviation Bulldogs came but with civil registrations. The new codes are "AS" for Air Squadron. Recently 2 Beech B200 patrol aircraft were acquired as well as a Agusta AW-139 helicopter.
The main operating base is at Luqa airport.
Postage stamp of the Malta Air Show 1994 with an Alouette III
SA.316B, Malta Air Wing , AS9212, c/n 2315
Luqa airport
UPDATE NOTE: a few years later I used decal laser printing and made a few decal designs. Interested in a decal set? Look at my decal pages here....
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This Heller 1/72 model was made as a Danish helicopter fitted with floats and the standard Artouste engine. Denmark acquired some 8 SE3160 for the Navy, many fitted with these floats. A section of the floor was also removed as for the SAR with hoist. See how on page 2 [9+10].
According to the manufacturer Technical Specification the AERAZUR floats have each 5 watertight cells and floatation is done with compressed air. Their length is 4,7 meter (so 6,5 cm in 1/72) and diameter 0,72 m (so 1 cm in 1/72). The installation weights 103 kgs.
More visual details can be seen at the IPMS NL Walk around photos my modelling friend Peter made in 2012 at Castle Egeskov.
The floats had to made from scratch. But I was lucky to have a MACH2 Alouette II kit that has smaller floats to start with.
(note : there was also a Whirlybird 72013 set but that's very expensive!)
I lengthened the MACH2 kit floats with inserts made from fuel tanks from the spares box to get the overall 6,5 cm length. Putty and sand in shape...
Than, the floats and rest of the fuselage was airbrushed base grey followed by an aluminium coat with Revell Aqua 66 Aluminium acrylic.
The orange panels were airbrushed in a mix of 80% Gunze Sangyo H24 orange and 20% H23 red acrylics. Also airbrush a small decals in case any repairs are needed.
The float support structures were made with pieces of metal and plastic rod looking at the walk around. I also added a harpoon to secure the Alouette on a frigate deck grid.
The masking tape was removed from the cabin glazing.
The markings were partly home made and also I was lucky to have a very old IPMS Denmark "Flying Colors" decal sheet that had the markings such as the naval "anchors".
The numbers were home printed and the roundels came from the spares box (probably left overs from an ESCI F-100 kit).
Note also the black bands, made from Xtradecal stripes.
The model also got the hoist with a bit refined kit parts. At the nose from stretched sprue a search light was installed. The main rotor blades were airbrushed light grey with bright dayglow-orange tips.
DENMARK
[ 42,933 sq.km (excl. Greenland) | capitol: Copenhagen | population 5,7 million | income USD 55,000 per capita ]
The Danish Navy operated the Alouettes for naval patrols, fisheries surveillance, often from frigates. They were fitted for deck landing securing with a harpoon. The Alouette support base was at Vaerlose and the Alouettes flew until December 1982.
For more information about the Danish armed forces, look at my F-16 page here...
SE3160, c/n 1070, code M-070. The roundel is hardly seen as the door is open.
... in the snow...
... at Greenland ...
UPDATE NOTE: a few years later I used decal laser printing and made decals for this scheme and others. Interested in a decal set? Look at my decal pages here....
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Created this page
April 27, 2021