EH-101 AEW Petrel

[kitnut617]

After a very busy weekend (joys of being self-employed I guess) I got a bit done this morning.  Played around putting a few 'lumps & bumps' on just to see what it would look like.  Plus tried a bigger exhaust nozzle.  I've a day or two off right now so I hope to get more done,  Captain Canada' spare rotor hub arrived so now I can use some of the parts to finish the new rotor too.

[kitnut617]

A few photos, this is very close now I don't think I'm going to change or do anything else, it's just going to be glue it and paint it from now on.

[kitnut617]

I've added an APU to the starboard rear and lengthened the tail plane though:

[John Howling Mouse]

Pardon my ignorance but is that also a tail-rotor hinge?  If so, did that come with the kit or is it also a mod you came up with?

[Scooterman]

Gawd I'm loving this thread......

Is it just me or does the side view look MH/CH-53E-ish?  Kinda like a modern version of the Big Iron.

[Captain Canada]

Woah......that is just fecking awesome !

The tail hinge is from the naval variant.

I have to agree with Brad, it sure has taken on an MH-53 beater kinda look ! Are you sure the CSAR competition wasn't reopened to allow this bird to compete ?

[kitnut617]

Thanks guys,

Barry, as Cap says the hinge is for the Merlin, but the parts are in the Cormorant kit  It will be a navy variant

I'm having to take that part apart though as they don't quite fit correctly and I've got the tail part too high.

Scooterman,  well I got the idea from the MH-47E kit as you get this huge extra sprue in the box which has all the necessary parts.  My original idea was to use the smaller sponsons that you have to cut off the kit but the bigger sponsons looked better on this project --- sooooo! I bought another MH-47E kit(and Cormorant) to replace the two I've bashed as I want to build those versions as is anyway.   

So now I've got two spare Merlin/Cormorant rotor hubs and four rotor blades left over,  ------- I'm thinking for the Chinook an upgrade --------- just need to make two new four blade hubs, some opposite hand rotor blades -------------

edit: I just re-read scooterman' post,  yes it does look MH-53-ish , I think it's because of the length, now that I've added the fuselage extensions.

[kitnut617]

Small update,  the main rotor is now done, just the painting to do.  Made the five blade tail rotor and postitioned the IFR probe.  Duplicated the starboard rear wheel bay/sponson

[John Howling Mouse]

Wow, it's not even painted yet but you could call it whatever you wanted and I would completely believe that it was an authentic scale representation of a helicopter that just had to be real.

mmmmmm...

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

I think Mr. Shrieking Rodent has nailed what I was about to write. Just fantastic work so far, here's hoping the paint goes as well as the build - certain it will !

Ian

[nev]

I'm loving the big and heavy "H-53" look 

[kitnut617]

Thanks everyone, glad you like the build.

[Captain Canada]

Oh yeah....that's really looking tough now ! You know what I suggest ? Using your other kit parts to extend the wheel sponsons out a wee bit. They just blend in so much they kinda disappear.

[kitnut617]

Oh yeah....that's really looking tough now ! You know what I suggest ? Using your other kit parts to extend the wheel sponsons out a wee bit. They just blend in so much they kinda disappear.

That's an idea, I'll have look and see how it comes out.  At the moment the new sponsons are a tad smaller in width which would make it more compatable with ships hangers, I've seen some photos of Merlins being shoe-horned into frigate hangers.

[K5054NZ]

Oooh wow, this honey is coming along VERY nicely! What a way to make an already very attractive machine even hotter!  Further to Baz's comment, you could do this in an unfinished or "sales" scheme with a G- rego, take it to shows and fool almost everyone!

Must return to the Kiwi Burrow for some alone time, I think....