SACG SH-360 Aonyx

[Damian2]

Hi guys!

Well it all started when our own infragable JJF posted that the first person to ask would get a chance to build his creation found here

I got in first like the greedy African I am and as a result of this I now have the following items:



The items included are:
1 x UH-60
1 x SH-3
0.5 x CH-46
Mic. bits of plastic "greeblies"
4 x C-130 turbo props (soon to be used!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA)

So thats a whole heck of a lot of plastic! :O I've begun fiddling about as yopu'll soon see but major work on this is on hold until I'm done with my SAAF MiG.

JJF proposed two versions, the first was an amphibian UH-60, the second was an SH-3 with the UH-60's power train.
By way of some "encouragement yet to be sent" I got John to do the following profile based off the line work:



As you can see I settled on the SACG/SAKW scheme Providence then smiled upon me at George airport where I got this pic:



Now I have a profile and a few pics to use as well as some spiffy decals on the way. I'll be using the Silver Falcons' crest as a ficticious service crest in my little world. But enough rambling on to the early mock ups!!!

1. Here I've got the SH-3 sponsons on the side to give to an idea of my evolution. The UH-60 power train has obviously not been moved as yet but I've got one (1) UH-60 rotor blade in the SH-3 rotor hub.





2. Here's what I'll be replacing the sponsons with: CH-46 sponsons taken from the half Frog that was sent. She'll be in flight so I'll make up some grear doors for fully retracted main gear once the build is under way. Please note that as this is just a mock up the CH-46 sponsons haven't been cleaned up fully at this point.







As you can see I may be incorporating more parts from the CH-46 as I go along. Also to be added are a hoist, thimble radar and a FLIR pod/turret.

There I'm done >phew<

D

ps. Still don't have a name for the SH-360, was think of KingHawk? Any suggestions??

pps. I also don't know if I'll use the 4 blade UH-60 hub or the 5 blade SH-3 hub. If its the latter I need to find another UH-60 rotor blade

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Damian,

This looks good so far.  The incorporation of the CH-46 parts to replace the smaller main landing gear parts of the H-3 makes it looks all the more seaworthy.

[Taiidantomcat]

  This is great!! Cool to see a Helicopter.

[Maverick]

Looking good so far Damian,

The larger sponsons kinda remind me of the old HH-3 USAF / USCG version.  The Kust Wag scheme is definitely a looker too.

Regards,

Mav

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Another benefit of the larger H-46 sponsons is that they provide symmetry that the original H-3 parts did not since one was set up for smoke markers and the other was rigged for the MAD device they were very different from each other.  That is where the benefit of the larger sponsons come in real handy as they can hold fuel as well as provide additional flotation for the H-360.  That Hasegawa H-3 kit was pretty much useless as far as providing any interior save for what could be viewed from the front office.  The H-46 bulkhead definitely gives it some depth and hides the huge void in the back.  Odd thing that Hasegawa took the time to create an entire floor for the rear cabin complete with rear bulkhead but there was nothing in the kit to fill in the empty space except for the stairs molded to the inside of the crew access door on the port side of the fuselage.

[Captain Canada]

Wow, Damian....that's frickin' awesome !

Great shot of that Super Puma as well....another one of the world's finest lookinf helicopters.

[Damian2]

Been thinking about how this sucker would operate and I've decided to emulate the USGC HH-60J scheme with a black front end. All appologies to John for the buchery of his profile



What do you think of the new scheme??

D

[Shasper]

Since you're doing this bird in SA service, wouldn't a South African name be appropriate?

Looks good so far man keep it up!

Shas  

[Maverick]

For myself, I've never thought my profiles were 'hard & fast' interpretations, merely guidelines, so no offence taken.  That said, whilst there's a degree of logic to the black front-end from an anti-glare pov, I can't quite see the sense of the entire forward area being so.  At the end of the day Damian, "it's your fecking model"...

Regards,

Mav

[Damian2]

Since you're doing this bird in SA service, wouldn't a South African name be appropriate?

Looks good so far man keep it up!

Shas  

Jeff and I were just discussing this. I've come up with" SH-360 Aonyx

D

ps. Wiki it, I think it fits

[Damian2]

For myself, I've never thought my profiles were 'hard & fast' interpretations, merely guidelines, so no offence taken.  That said, whilst there's a degree of logic to the black front-end from an anti-glare pov, I can't quite see the sense of the entire forward area being so.  At the end of the day Damian, "it's your fecking model"...

Regards,

Mav

Its that way 'cause I was lazy...fiddled a little more



What do you think of this one?

D

[BlackOps]

Hey! a few more stripes and you'll have an Eddie Van Halen signature series rescue bird     Couldn't resist 

I think it looks pretty good 

[Shasper]

Jeff and I were just discussing this. I've come up with" SH-360 Aonyx
ps. Wiki it, I think it fits

Aye mate, sounds perfect to me!

Shas

[Weaver]

What do you think of this one?

D

How about moving the front red chevron a bit further back, so that the white chevron between the red and the black doesn't look "squashed"? Like this:



(Apologies for my butchery of Damian's butchery of John's Profile....... Yes, I know I've "lost" the top of the u/c fairing bracing strut: it was too complicated to mess with at 4.30am!)

[Damian2]

Ok got a minute amount of progress to show off This is my first real kitbash as most of my whiffs are just different paint schemes and weapons. Needless to say I'm quite nervous as my skills are no where near the JHM/Eddie M. levels

Ok on to the pics!

1. I've seperated the tail of the UH-60 as well as its roof. For the tail I want to combine it with the SH-3 part at the hinge for an easier join on the Hasegawa fuselage and it will raise the tail for waterborne ops.



2. The roof will interesting as the UH-60 roof is 4.3cm wide while the SH-3 is 3.5cm wide. I don't want to simply widen the fuselage because then the clear parts won't fit. Oh well I have time to ponder my solution



Thats all for now folks! Any suggestions, crits or comments are most welcomed!!

D