PZL W-3A Sokół (D-HSNA, Polizei Sachsen) completed

 

On the control sticks there are a lot of red knobs. You can try to plop on red paint or paint the knobs BEFORE you install them on the sticks.
Step 1: thin discs of 0,4 mm round rod prepaired with Tamiya tape for painting.  

Step 2: dabbing of the knobs with red paint.  

Step 3: take up the knobs with sharp scalpel. 

Step 4: place the knobs with CA on the sticks.  

Step 5: enjoy the red knob result with a glass of red wine 🙂 

 

 

 

 

Edges of both openings thinned down.  

The engine housing is a true puzzle. For such an complex structure the fit is very ok. In the middle I used a piece of square rod as spreader.  

 

 

A bit too massive kit parts replaced (cockpit illumination light and engine levers) 

Grips/steps and the openings in the fuselage are a bit too thick (0,7 mm). I calculated the thickness with max. 2,5 cm and intend to replace them from 0,45 mm wire.  

Upper console completed. 

 

New research results: not the complete cockpit is painted black. On original pictures is well visible that the rear wall is light grey and not black.  

Fuselage prepainted in window area for better & cleaner installation off the windows without masking. 

Etched “legs” for the seats replaced with U-shaped piece of 0,4 mm wire for better strength.  

For better & cleaner installation & better alignment I used 0,25 mm wire. 

Gradually the collection of parts looks like a helicopter.🙂 

 

 

 

 

Dry fit of windscreen parts, not yet glued. 

 

They are several configurations for the cockpit step. The Polizei - version is a bit different in comparison with the etched parts so I made them from wire. 4 Installation points for the search light added.  

 

Mount for the searchlight made of soldered wire (0,38 mm). For comparison the kit part: too small, too weak and flat instead round.  

 

 

 

 

This time I spent almost 1,5 hours to manage the left step. Because it’s very tricky to soldering I will made the diagonal struts from plastic.  

 

Finally, I chose wire instead of tubing and a slightly different „division“ in comparison with the other side. It worked better. 

 

 

 

Courtesy Felix Troschier (thx!!) 

New research results: the center of the stabilizer kit part should be fixed (part of the fuselage). The notch for the tail damper is too short. Will be widened.  

 

The kit offers simplified pitch control. The actual arms for fixing the pitch links are missing. In reality, on the existing kit-arms are attach the centrifugal force weights.  

 

 

 

Red: (fixed) part of the boom. Green: part of the tail rotor, moveable. Consist electrical connection for deicing of the blades (“Schleifkontakte -Ring”). The cable coming from fuselage is well visible.  

Courtesy Airplane-pictures.net 

Mounting for the moveable hoisting arm. Position and shape of the side-formation lights corrected (round not teardrop) 

Although I always take thinner material then I find out in my research I end up with is too thick. 🙁 

 

 

 

Yesterday I airbrushed for the second time green (top side). This time I learned from my own error during airbrushing the lower side. I used first the semi mat green 131 as well covering base without dust enclosure problems and finished with the right green tone (H3, a very thin layer was necessary. Today I removed the Tamiya tape I’m very happy with the result. 🙂🙂;) 

 

 

 

Yesterday I decided to use red decals for the rim of the door openings (instead of airbrushing). This was the correct decision. 🙂 

 

 

Tail rotor completed. Nothing looks better as imitation of metal leading edge as…. metal.  

The last painting hurdle is taken: the narrow green stripe is in place. I decided to use painted decal instead of airbrushing and this decision was right. 🙂 

 

Decals in place. Masks of any windows removed. 

 

 

 

 

The last big hurdle of the project is taken: all masks removed. After cleaning of all edges (about 1 hour) I’m very satisfied with the result! 

 

 

 

 

As usual I used short pieces of wire (0,25 mm) to attaching of the doors instead of glue.  

 

Ready for installing. Bare metal foil and two pieces fine black cable.  

 

Finally on own legs…🙂 

 

 

The more the thing looks like Sokół, the harder it becomes to instal
more details. 

The best way to imitate a mirror in 1:48 is... Mirror foil. 

 

Before last detail on the fuselage: the wipers. I made them of plastic because the etched parts are only 2D.  

Before painting and installing the small spring of the underside.  

 

In the original the steps are covered with a antiskid mat. Yesterday I tried to use my self made decal based mat and I foundered sadly: Agamas decal softener did not only soften the decals but also the green paint🙁. Fortunately I tried this only on one side so I could today try another technique. I mixed dark gray paint with micro baloons and painted the steps with this mixture. The result is stunning. 🙂 

 

Another side finished after second airbrushing-session in green 🙂 

Last detailing task before rotor: the search light. (Thx FT for detail-picture-support) 

 

 

 

 

 

Main rotor: the part - breakdown is not optimal. Because of that I separated the blade-cuff halves from the rotorhead and completed the blades first. Installation of the blades as usual with wire. I left only the pitch link arms and glued them to the blades. The pitch links themselves I will make of wire.  

Instead of one common long shaft I used two separate shafts (1,3 mm tube) for lower and upper components. In connection with a third “hidden” connection-shaft (0,85 mm) it’s possible to manage the rotor detachable.  

Today I managed the last airbrushing session: dark grey (“black”) rubber areas as deicing system
and metal for the rotorhead. Less than 195 m to run🙂🙂