20mm Rhodesians

[bazookajoe]

And of course it has a Venter trailer.

[Ash]

Had a go at a K-Car Alpha (Dalmation)

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Nice work.

Is that turbine in a literal armoured bath tub?

[Ash]

Nice work.

Is that turbine in a literal armoured bath tub?

Cheers. My scratchbuilding leaves alot to be desired, & the air filters ended up a tad oversized.

The exhaust on the real thing were sat inside a tub primarily to prevent the heat seeker in a Strella (SAM 7) from seeing the hot spot, the exhaust pipe would have been angled up to so the gasses would be dispersed by the down draft.

[gamer Mac]

Cracking model

[juergen c. olk]

Beautiful work.

[flatpack]

Outstanding performance on your behalf, covering a fascinating period.

[Ash]

Thanks guys. Just a quick note; the technician sitting behind the guns in the reference photo is apparently the only bloke ever credited with shooting down a fixed wing aircraft with a helicopter, not with the set up in that picture but from a standard K-Car with a 20mm cannon.

[ulverston]

Ash, did you once publish more pictures on how you converted the helicopters? I may have dreamt it but I seem to remember there being more pics? I only ask as I have one en route and a "how to" would be really handy... as would finding out where to source a door gunner and gun.
Also on their way is an order from Under Fire miniatures... reading this thread pushed me over the edge...

[Ash]

Ash, did you once publish more pictures on how you converted the helicopters? I may have dreamt it but I seem to remember there being more pics? I only ask as I have one en route and a "how to" would be really handy... as would finding out where to source a door gunner and gun.
Also on their way is an order from Under Fire miniatures... reading this thread pushed me over the edge...

I think I may have, can't remember where I posted them and any links from back then (made the first eight years back) will have died when Photobucket disappeared up its own @rse.
There are a few pictures at the begining of this thread. Just had a rummage through an old HD and found the originals....

The good old Heller 1/72 Alouette III, was a very old OOP kit back then and the plastic was a tad brittle. I believe it has since been rereleased so hopefully better quality plastic. It's pretty much a follow the instructions build with the following modifications:

Chop off the starboard side cabin door (keep the pilots door).


Chop off the portside cabin & front door (works for both G-Car & K-Car).


Only add the rightside pilots seat and controls (no co-pilots).

The addition, if you wish to make them are:
Add armoured head rest/shield to pilots chair.
Add hood to control console (like a monitor glare hood).
Add port side front seats backwards.


Add bench seat to rear of cabin.

Pinched mine from another kit, made a press mold to make extras.


Add exterior steps (full length both sides for G-Car. Full length starboard side K-Car, short step port side).



Adapt exhaust pipe to point up at the end (never bothered).
Add anti Strella shield to exhaust (thin styrene works ok).


Add fat air filters. Made mine out of rectangles of plasticard, three or four layers each one slightly smaller. smooth the ridges with filler. Add filter looking front panel).


The ammo feed is incorrect in the above picture. The belts should go up the middle between the guns, with pipes catching all the doppies on the outer sides.



Add weapon mounts & .30cal (G-Kar. Elhiem have some nice guns. Also look on eBay for brass and resin barrels. Avro Lancaster barrels for the G-Kars, should be able to find some nice brass ones for the 20mm).





I got my pilots from Elhiem; I liked them as they don't have tons of kit like life jackets etc.


Technician/gunners I used the Vietnam crew from SHQ (HC1)

http://www.shqminiatures.co.uk/Ranges/Vietnam/Vietnammain.php?UID=2020050321052194.13.176.254

I also modified the rotors after an unprovoked attack by my daughters cat. Added some thin steel rod and attched the whole assembly with magnets, which makes storage a lot easier.


Let me know if you need any reference pictures, I have quite a few...

[ulverston]

Ash thank you for taking the time to post the how to. I know this will have taken you a lot of time and effort and its very much appreciated. The seat layout and gun construction is particularly helpful and very clear, the four barrelled monster is a work of art! The kit I ordered is a Heller which I believe is still in production... it will be interesting to see how it takes to alteration. I have saved your pics for reference-I hope that's OK?
Thanks again for the help I am indebted.

[Ash]

No probs, happy to help. Quite frankly being stuck at home you gave me something to do! Any other querries fire away, I'm in all day.

One tip: when glueing the bottom part of the hull/cabin to the back end; tape the clear part of the roof/canopy in place whilst the glue drying. Helps to make the clear parts fit for when you get to that stage. I forgot on the last one and ended up with a bit of a gap, that required more plasticard and filler to sort and is still visable.

Also test fit any crew figures;  I found some, once glued into their seats, touched the underside of the ceiling and stopped it fitting. If that happens it's easier to cut down the bottom of the chair than file down the head!

[ulverston]

Good tips thank you. I have purchased the Lancaster gun barrels from fleabay and will probably start with a G Kar. For the support struts on seats etc did you use brass rod or fuse wire please? I may try and seat some crew in the passenger seats but as you mention it may be a bit of a squeeze! Elhiem pilots will be used for the pilot and door gunner I think.
Lock down has been a gift for me, horrible for the people affected but I have been wanting to actually do this for a couple of years now. My table is covered in little huts also of your design... again thanks for the help.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Thanks for that,, nice work.

[Ash]

Good tips thank you. I have purchased the Lancaster gun barrels from fleabay and will probably start with a G Kar. For the support struts on seats etc did you use brass rod or fuse wire please? I may try and seat some crew in the passenger seats but as you mention it may be a bit of a squeeze! Elhiem pilots will be used for the pilot and door gunner I think.
Lock down has been a gift for me, horrible for the people affected but I have been wanting to actually do this for a couple of years now. My table is covered in little huts also of your design... again thanks for the help.

I used brass rod for the side steps, I can't remember what gauge it was, but it came in straight lengths not on a roll. I drilled the holes into the body of the heli at about 45 degree angle and bent them with little round nosed pliers. I found it a lot easier to make each piece over long, superglue it all together and them trim the rods down once set. A lot simpler than trying to construct something and then glue it to the aircraft.