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1/32 EC-725 CARACAL - Forward Landing gear bay - 12/21/2008


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Hi guys,

I'm french and I have had the idea of dealing with this conversion a while ago, it looks its a big challenge for me, though I been modellin' for 25 years...

Just in case you don't know what the Caracal is, its the latest Puma series evolution by Eurocopter. Ordered by both the french Armée de Terre (Army) and the Armée de l'Air (Air Force), it is used for SAR and special ops missions. It is the first french helo having the air refuellin capability.

I had to have a try...

Its ident name in the Air Force is the EC725 Caracal, this is the one I'll try.

Let me bring you to my crazy scratch converted helo progress

pict2419jz1.jpg

I need two kits (cos of the fuselage length), plasticard, putty and putty and putty...

The dashboard

ec6249vc.jpg

First fuselage surgery step

pict2449yd2.jpg

Best regards,

Richard

Edited by Kerojp8
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Carryin' on...

Cockpit arrangement (no glued parts yet)

pict2460ji1.jpg

pict2462cs4.jpg

Armor protected cockpit seats

p1000315lu2.jpg

p1000314qg0.jpg

Windows and doors are different on the Caracal so they need to be opened...

p1000316hq9.jpg

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New approximate future profile in red.

p1000319we2.jpg

The blue writing says "cuttin doors and opening windows"

Cheers,

Richard

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At last, a family pic...

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And I could not stop this w/o showing you I have still worked on the ceiling

p1000374za3.jpg

p1000375py3.jpg

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Hey, here's where I am !

So what do you think bout it ? Comments welcome.

Nite !

Richard

Edited by Kerojp8
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Hi,

Thanks for your comments !

As refs I use available internet pics and a french mag.

Special thx to Moritz for this awesome link !

Regards,

Richard

Edited by Kerojp8
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Hi,

Thanks for your comments !

A tiny update tonite, just to show the almost completed winchman console. The lever is used to accurately place the winch exactly where the winchman wishes, cos he then gets the control of the stationary flying helicopter.

p1000404on1.jpg

Cheers,

Richard

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Hi,

I carried on scratchbuilding the cab... :taunt:

Side armor plates for gunners. Masked ceiling neon lights

p1000440rl7.jpg

Right cab console, still missing some instruments to be added

p1000442ki7.jpg

Armor plate is positioned for the picture

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Pearls are "pushed" a little more in the ceiling than before

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Little detail, better visual effect

So, how'd you feel its coming along ? :D

Cheers,

Richard

Edited by Kerojp8
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  • 2 months later...
  • 11 months later...

Hello,

Yes, she's back ! It's been a long while since I did not update that thread...

Well the Caracal is now back on my workbench and I started dealing with it again.

The floor AWA the roof are now attached to the left fuselage half :

p1020364qe6.jpg

Then here you are with a mandatory device in the EC725 cab while on duty ...

p1020367vs0.jpg

Then you got the mech seat, moving forward and rear on rails. It came from the Revell 1/32 EC-145 kit, barely identical to the one I needed. It was a spare in the box per the EC145 cab version I plan :

p1020365wx7.jpg

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More to come...

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Then an electronics board where are gathered all the necessary controls, screens, to service the ECM/flares devices :

Front

p1020430vy8.jpg

Side

p102431jv9.jpg

Then come the side MG stands. The machine guns on the pic is an infantry MG, will have to undergo lotsa changes to depict a FN MAG 58, but the base is sound. The plasticard hamburger is the basic beginning for the MG casings tray

p1020429xv2.jpg

Then do come the work on the ammo boxes racks...

0.25 and 0.5 mm plasticard as a raw mat :

p1020432fw9.jpg

Assembly

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After glueing them I had to test fit the ammo boxes themselves.

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Blend "skull white" and "chaos black" from Citadel colors to paint the racks grey and boxes black :

p1020436cn5.jpg

Hereunder is the result

p1020437tm3.jpg

Place trial...

p1020440za8.jpg

Seems to be Ok, huh ?

Right, I'll try and update that one sooner next time guys.

Best regards,

Richard ;)

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Good to see you're still at it! :doh:

Are those weapons in scratch-built in 1/32 or are they 1/35? If they are 1/35, you can get FN MAGs much easier than converting a SAW, which is a completely different weapon. Many kits contain M240s or L7A2 GPMGs, which are essentially FN MAGs.

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