Sikorsky HH-3F Pelican: USCG Clearwater #1484
Conversion of Revell 1/72 HH-3E JGG to USCG HH-3F

Dutch
Over the holidays, I purchased for $5 an already started kit of the Revell 1/72 HH-3E Jolly Green. The previous owner had assembled and painted the cockpit and had glued the sponsons to the fuselage sides. The kit had then been placed in storage for a number of years and suffered some water damage, rendering the decals unusable. Also, two of the side windows were missing. See photos 1, 2, &3.

Photo_01: HH-3E parts layout #1. Notice only six side windows, completed cockpit & sponsons glued to fuselage.
Photo_02: HH-3E parts layout #2. Remaining parts.
Photo_03: HH-3E head-on showing sponsons with anhedral.

I considered my options. I found a spare set of Airfix HH-53C Super Jolly Green Giant decals which would work nicely, but I still had the problem of the missing windows. I did some further research and decided on building a HH-3F Pelican, either USCG or AMI. I purchased decals from Model Alliance (72-186) and Tauro (72-557) for the respective version. I downloaded photos of each version. I decided on the USCG version.

I then tabulated the necessary modifications to be completed:
1. Fix sponson anhedral (plastic card)
2. Delete External tanks
3. Delete IFR probe & plug holes (scrap sprue)
4. Cut larger forward windows (clear plastic card)
5. Add new sponson end walls & floatation bags (plastic card)
6. Replace/reduce thickness of stab support (file / scrap)
7. Add interior floor and search seats (plastic card & spares)
8. Add ice shield (Fujimi SH-3D/H Sea King)
9. Add 2x pitot tubes above cockpit (spares or PE)
10. Add various aerials (spares / PE)
11. Add winch above door (spares / PE)
12. Add nose radar (cut ext tank + hemisphere radome)

So far, I have accomplished the first two mods. See Photos 4 - 8.

Additionally, I traced the sponson ends onto thick plastic card, as seen in Photo 8. I will purposely cut them over size, glue them in place and then file to shape, rounding the edges as I do. I will use a portion of the same plastic card for the cabin floor. (Photo_09)

Revell 1/72 HH-3F Pelican USCG #1474 Pt.2

Continuing with my previous entry, I accomplished the next few steps on the modification list.
1. Delete IFR probe & plug holes (scrap sprue)
2. Cut larger forward windows (clear plastic card)
3. Add new sponson end walls & floatation bags (plastic card)
4. Replace/reduce thickness of stab support (file / scrap)
5. Add interior floor and search seats (plastic card & spares)
6. Add ice shield (Fujimi SH-3D/H Sea King)
7. Add 2x pitot tubes above cockpit (spares or PE)
8. Add various aerials (spares / PE)
9. Add winch above door (spares / PE)
10. Add nose radar (1/48 500# bomb from Monogram F4U-4 Corsair)

scale-rotors.com
seems like an extensive project, looking forward to see the progress

Dutch
Revell 1/72 USCG HH-3F Pelican ? Pt.2 (Correct version)

Thank you to all who commented on my efforts. John, I have taken your 1/48 scale F4U 500# bomb suggestion to heart, finding one in the spares box in under 30 seconds, (after having spent 30 minutes locating the spares box amongst all the other boxes in the garage.) Colin, appreciate your suggestions as well, but I think I?ll keep this one simple, just adding basic details. AFAIK, USCG HH-3F rotors were non-folding and I am researching if they had those roundish square blobs mounted between the blades at the hub as on USAF HH-3Es.

However, while looking at the 1/48 scale 500# bomb, I noticed that it may be slightly large for scale. However, it is the best I have and much better than the HH-3E fuel tank with a hemi-sphere glued to the end. Please look at the following two photos of HH-3F 1492 (now retired) taken from Airliners.net. One is from the left side circa 2006 and one from the right side, circa 2008. Notice that the left side lower window is oddly shaped, having been reduced in size to accommodate the radome fairing. From the right side photo I notice that the landing light is completely visible in the center of the nose, so I must conclude that the radome is offset to port somewhat, necessitating the smaller lower port window.

airliners.net/photo/..ad5404c1a2356d404810
HH-3F USCG 1492, 2006

airliners.net/photo/..ad5404c1a2356d404810
HH-3F USCG 1492, 2008

Not much new to report this week. I was very busy with work and home duties, not to mention repairing front end damage to my 1:1 scale Volvo 960 for the past three weekends.

I added the sponson side walls, but over filed one slightly, and added putty to build it back up to the correct shape.

Photo_10

My first attempt at filling the IFR probe mounting holes failed. I used scrap wedges from my thick plasticard used for the sponson end walls. They left a gap on either side and broke out of the hole when I tried to cut them flush. BAD idea! See photo 11.

Photo_11

I then tried fitting a piece of sprue into my electric drill and gently filing it to a conical shape while turning the drill at moderate speed. It worked! I then pushed it into the hole, marked it with a mechanical pencil, removed it, cut it, glued it in place and sanded it flush.

Photo_12 TA-DA!

I donated an ice shield from a Fujimi 1/72 SH-3H kit that will be built as an SH-3A, hence not required. I will wait to cut and mount the 500# radome until I have the fuselage halves together and the canopy dry fitted.

Oh BTW, I found this fine copper mesh at my local hobby store. Do you think it could be used for the screen material at various points along the fuselage, by swcribing the outline and then carefully grinding from the back side to complete the hole? The mesh comes in a vary large sheet, probably 4 square feet! So I may be cutting it into smaller pieces and offering for sale (postage).

Paragon
Photo_13

I have completed the following items on my check list:

Fix sponson anhedral (scrap) & putty
Delete External tanks
Delete IFR probe & plug holes (scrap)
Add new sponson end walls (scrap)
Locate ice shield (Fujimi SH-3D/H Sea King)
Locate nose radar (spare 1/48 500# bomb from Monogram F4U Corsair kit?)
Cut interior floor and locate search seats (scrap & Revell Sea King)

I have yet to complete the following items:

Add interior floor and search seats (scrap & Revell Sea King)
Cut larger forward windows (sheet)
Replace/reduce thickness of stab support (file / scrap)
Add ice shield (Fujimi SH-3D/H Sea King)
Add nose radar (spare 1/48 500# bomb from Monogram F4U Corsair kit?)
Add 2x landing lights to bottom front hull (scrap clear sprue)
Add 2x pitot tubes above cockpit (PE)
Add various aerials (PE)
Add winch above door (scrap & PE)
Add sponson floatation bags (scrap)

Cheers!
Dutch

Dutch
Revell 1/72 USCG HH-3F Pelican ? Pt.3

Well, after a bit of work related travel and a short holiday I am back to work on the USCG HH-3F.

I have located a FOD cover from a Fujimi SH-3H donor. I have cut the 1/48 500 lb bomb at a slant to serve as the radar and will file to shape once I assemble the fuselage. See Photo 14. I have also pinched two seats from the same Fujimi Seaking for the search crew seats opposite the large windows in the forward fuselage. I will have to scratch their head and arm rests and bases. I also discovered that the instrument panel is missing, hence my plasticard replacement using the Fujimi instrument decal as a rough guide. I?ll file to fit as necessary. Still no winch as yet, but I am working on it. See Photo 15.

Photo_14: 500# bomb cut at a slant.

Photo_15: Various additional pieces.

Based on the following photo from Airliners.net, I will have to scratch the four sets of three red web seats for the rear fuselage. I do not think I will be putting much more detail inside, as it will be unseen.

airliners.net/photo/..F-Pelican/1197976/L/

I enlarged the two forward search windows. I checked photos carefully and noticed that the starboard window is closer to the aft edge of the door. I checked the port side using the forward edge of the engine intake as a reference point, and deduced that the port window requires enlarging forward. So I used a Sharpie marker and carefully colored the plastic I need to remove. Not too scientific, but I?ll go slowly so as not to remove too much. What was that old adage? ?Measure twice, cut once!? [To which I usually respond: Oh drat! I cut that piece three times, and it?s still too short!]

Photo_16: Note black marker denoting area to be removed.

I then used my Dremel motor tool to remove the excess plastic and files to carefully make a square shape with slightly rounded corners. See photo 17.

Photo_17

I repaired the stbd sponson forward edge that I previously sanded too vigorously. Looks better, but may need just a little more. I?ll have to add the floatation bags at some point as well. Next I?ll start on the interior. Again, I won?t add too much detail as the rescue door is closed and not much can be seen.

Presently, I have completed the following items on my check list:

Fix sponson anhedral (scrap) & putty
Delete External tanks
Delete IFR probe & plug holes (scrap)
Add new sponson end walls (scrap)
Add instrument panel (scratch)

I have yet to complete the following items:

Add interior floor (plasticard)
Add search seat details (scrap & Fujimi Sea King)
Cut larger forward windows (sheet)
Add four sets of red webbing seats (scratch)
Replace/reduce thickness of stab support (file / scrap)
Add ice shield (Fujimi SH-3D/H Sea King)
Add nose radar (spare 1/48 500# bomb from Monogram F4U Corsair kit?)
Add 2x landing lights to bottom front hull (scrap clear sprue)
Add 2x pitot tubes above cockpit (PE)
Add various aerials (PE)
Add winch above door (scrap & PE)
Add sponson floatation bags (scrap)

Cheers!
Dutch