Mi-1M, model conversion by Special Hobby - WIP

Special Hobby is a classic short series. The cardboard box with side opening contains one frame with grey plastic parts, several castings in beige resin, a small plate with PE parts for the additional tank, transparent acetate foil cab parts, decals for the East German and Czechoslovakian versions and clear black and white building instructions.
Descriptions of the kit parts and their modifications will be covered in more detail during the construction of the kit. 

In this picture I have marked in yellow the main differences between Mi-1A and Mi-1M. If you look closely at the picture, you can still find minor changes in the shape of some panels. 

I used two-component epoxy putty to make new templates for the transparent parts of the cabin glazing.  

I polished the epoxy templates and drilled holes in the underside, into which I glued the wooden log. I used the blocks to clamp the template into the vise. After clamping the template into the vise, I heated a thin sheet of acetate over the flame of a gas stove. I stretched the heated acetate sheet over the epoxy template. After the acetate sheet cooled, I removed it from the template and cut off the excess material. This is how I prepared the transparent cockpit cover and the glass part of the nose. To be safe, I made both parts twice.
Pictured:
1 - new transparent parts after removing the acetate sheet from the template
2 - transparent parts after first (rough) cutting off the excess material
3, 4- transparent parts after the second (finer) cutting of the excess material

The transparent parts are still only semi-finished. I still have a lot of work to do on them before they take their final form. 

I started modifying the hull. In the front part of the fuselage I modified the shape of the cutout for the transparent cockpit overlay. On the right side of the fuselage, I cut a new hole for the exhaust and glued a thin plastic sheet to the inner cockpit walls to smooth the inner surfaces and, thanks to a small overlap, allow the clear cockpit overlay to be glued on precisely. I cut two thin strips from the plastic plate. I glued the strips to the inside of the fuselage behind the cockpit. They serve to define the correct position of the rear cockpit wall. 

I made a new rear cockpit wall out of plastic board. The original rear wall from the kit cannot be used. It's a nicely finished resin casting, but contains two seats. However, the upgraded Mi-1M helicopter had a continuous bench for three passengers instead of two seats. 

The back wall is temporarily in place. To test the correct shape of the rear wall, I taped the fuselage halves together with duct tape. 

The original floor is also cast in resin. Its shape is not very precise. I'll make a new floor later. 

For the bow I used a modified upper plastic part from the kit and made a new lower part with windows. For the bow I used parts I made by stretching heated plastic sheeting over a template. In this way I prepared 1 transparent part and 2 white foil parts. I cut holes for the windows in the outer part (white plastic). The holes for the windows in the inner white part are only pre-drawn so far. 

Now I'm gonna go inside. I need to cut the window holes and add the details on the inside. Finally, I'll join the three pieces together.
The photo doesn't show the inside piece finished. The parts are put together without gluing just to check. 

I will use the same procedure as for the bow when making the glass part of the cockpit.
At the moment I have the roughly shaped parts ready. 

I will use the same procedure as for the bow when making the glass part of the cockpit.
At the moment I have the roughly shaped parts ready. 

To close the fuselage, I first had to glue all the parts that needed to be glued to the inside of the fuselage parts. 

The resin cockpit floor looks nice, but unfortunately it doesn't match the reality. So I'm going to install a new one made of plastic panels and profiles. So far I have managed to fabricate some of the details on the front. 

I can't even use the back of the resin cockpit. It looks nice, but it matches an older version of the helicopter that had two seats in the back. The improved version I'm building had a bench seat with a backrest across the full width of the rear cockpit wall instead of two separate seats. So I made a new rear cockpit wall out of plastic plate. I'll get to making the bench later. 

One more look at the blanks of the new cockpit floor and rear wall. The production of the new cockpit equipment parts will still require a lot of work. 

On the inside of the bow I added an inner structure made of plastic profiles. After cleaning and painting I will glue it to the inner part of the bow. 

Some details need to be added to the resin pilot seat. It lacks a system to anchor the seat to the floor. 

I'm continuing to add detail to the rear of the cockpit floor. I'm using plastic plates, plastic profiles and wire to make the small parts. 

I glued the reinforcement profiles to the resin pilot seat backrest according to the photos.