I’ve always liked the H-19 Chickasaw and always wanted to add a nice one to my 1/48 collection however the only kit even close was the old 1960s Revell kit and in truth it was not even 1/48 but more like 1/50. Okay, that part I could deal with and the abundance of heavy rivets was something I could deal with but the cockpit and interior, oh boy, was that ever a mess. Nothing even close to the real thing plus the clear pieces in that kit were like coke bottle bottoms. More than a year ago I began to address these issues starting with the wind screen. I constructed a concave mold and vacuformed a new windscreen successfully. Next the interior. I mastered a seat, instrument panel and center console based off actual cockpit photographs and made molds. I had to revise things several times before I achieved a level of success that was acceptable to me and this happened in little spurts with months of inactivity between them. Today I have cast my first 1/48 H-19 interior pieces. It is far from the complete front office I desire but it is a large step towards that goal. These pieces shown, other than one seat, are fresh from the molds and not trimmed yet.
When this is all done and I am happy with it I will run off a couple sets for those Helo fanatics that care to pick them up but of course by that time Eduard or Trumpeter will put a well detailed kit of the H-19 on the market and all my work will be for naught.
Looks nice, Heritage just came out with a detail set for the H-34 / Wessex so finally both of these are covered for detail. Now if Revell would just bring back the kits.
Swanny,
Looking forward to seeing your progress on the H-19. I have a couple in my stash. Put me on your “limited” edition list for yor resin details.
I got one in my stash, so I’d be interested in one
I’m interested. Thank you. If you still need any specific references for the areas you haven’t down yet let me know. I’ve got an H-19 manual and cabin/cockpit walkaround of various H-19, HO4S and HRS models.
Had heard this one and just tried to search for Heritage with no luck - got a link or more details?
Ditto on what everyone else said. I would like a set when you are ready to go into production.
Charlie
It is for a Wessex but should work for an H-34 as well since the main difference is the engine.
http://www.heritageaviationmodelsltd.com/wessex-helicopter-detail-set-261-p.asp
It says they are working on a full resin Wessex in 1/48 too.
I bought several 1/72 items for the Whirlwind from them last year and had great service. Shipping to the US was surprisingly reasonable.
I picked up one of the Heritage sets when they first came out and yes - they work for the Wessex and the H-34 but are not as nice as the older Cutting Edge H-34 set. As for reference I could use some information on the lower cabin, specifically the forward firewall.
I’ll post them here for all to see. Back of cabin working forward. File names should specify aircraft type:
Keep in mind that these are museum aircraft so accuracy is at the whum of those who did the restoration.
Could we perhaps convince you to do this transmission? I haven’t looked at an H-19 kit in a while but on the real aircraft the xmsn is pretty visible.
I’m kind of looking at that right now. Have to decide how much to do in resin and how much is just going to be scratch work that the modeler will have to deal with. Thanks for the pics - very helpful and confirmed a couple things I was trying to remember.
I’ve seen interiors of these helos done in both light gray and interior green. This one obviously will end up interior green. While these modifications may not be up to CMK or CE standards they’re a heck of a lot better than what the kit started with and I have a long ways to go yet.
Looks great to me!
Swanny
Wow! Your work is impressive and I also will like to be included for your upgrade parts. I recently picked up the Revell kit on ebay and was hoping to obtain some aftermaket parts for it. Will you be tackling the door and cabin windows also?
I’m interested!
Good luck finding aftermarket stuff for this, best of my knowledge there is absolutely nothing which is why I’m making this stuff. As for the side door I most likely will not be making a new door. I have cut mine free and sanded it a little thinner but now can see how having a new resin door would make removal of the old door simpler for the average modeler, we’ll see. I already have a master for the front windshield and will also be doing the upper side windows as they are bulged. The lower windows are just flat panes so I figure if you are good enough to make a resin set like this work then you are good enough to cut a few flat panels from clear stock. Right now I am working on the yoke and collective then need to make the templates for the lower cabin roof, floor and bulkheads. Note I said ‘templates’, I’m just going to provide those and the modeler will have to cut them from sheet stock. I’m going to have to make a couple of resin pieces for the tail rotor tunnel where it passes through the lower cabin as well. It’s hard to decide what to include and where to stop and still keep the whole package reasonable, both for production and for cost. I’ve got quite a few bucks tied up in molds and masters already.