I got the Fonderie Miniature (from now on I will refer to it as the FM) H-21 flying banana when it first came out a few years ago and I intended to build it right away. Of course then Special Hobby (they will be SH from now on) came out with there version of the same helo and I had to buy it as well. As time went on and I played with them both here and there I decided that I would build them both, but with some converting and creative plastic bashing. I am building the FM H-21 as an abandoned German machine and the SH H-21 as a Vietnam chopper in service.

The SH kit (upper photo) has some interior detail so I just added some stuff, the FM kit (bottom photo) has less so more detail will be needed.



I will be opening the engine compartment on the FM kit so I will be adding detail to it as well, this is the start.

Lots of extra detail is needed on the interior of the SH kit, a lot of plastic bits and fine solder.

more on the SH kit details.

The radio rack is a good place to do detail.

there are some photo etched parts here and there.


The cockpit needs lots of detail as the nose is all glass and lots will be seen. The yellow parts are resin cast included in the kit.

Wow Doug!!!

great stuff!! Too bad you already built in all that stuff .. I would have liked a few resin copies of the cockpit/radio parts for my Flying Banana ....... still need to find the courage to continue mine (want to place CMK pilots in the pit, but sill need to add some detail)

all the best

Steffen

Hey Steffen
Yes It would have been nice but I do not know how to do that stuff anyway. Just so you know I started on these two kits because of your build, but I did not want to crowd in on yours so I thought it would be best to do another.

Now some more work on the FM kit interior, and the engine compartment.

I am doing this one as an abandoned wreck so I will be doing some boxes in the radio compartment that are just thrown in and not connected to any thing.

some stuff needs to go in the engine compartment also like a fuel oil heat exchanger and such.


The aft cabin area gets some detail also, lots of solder and plastic bits.

WOW!

That's a lot of details, I guess a cavern like the fuselage screams for them. I assume you're using solder for the conduits. Ehat are you using for the conduit clamps?

The clamps are just sheet lead cut to thin strips and glued on with CA.

I hope this does not get complicated me going back and forth, but here is some more progress on the cockpit of the SH kit.

Beautiful! Really model making going on here! Love all the extra detail you're adding.

A M A Z I N G ! !

The interior is awesome amd the idea to make an abandoned aircraft is great.
I'll follow with great interest.

The painting on the F.M. H 21 is starting with Tamiya paint and a oil wash of burnt umber to bring out the detail.

The engine for the F.M. kit, just a random resin radial part as it will only be partially seen.

engine now painted and installed in the FM kit.

A few seats installed in the FM kit.


and the SH kit gets some also.

Well, Doug- all I can say is that this is a remarkable thread! I've got both these kits as well, and am buoyed up to see the level of care and detail you're giving them. The engine mount looks to be a ferocious bit of building- cheers! Tell me- do you have personal experience with the H-21, or just good references?

Thanks for posting all these great pics-
chuk

Amazing is't enough, this is really great.

More progress finally on the FM kit. I have not posted much on it for a while as it was a bear to get the fuse together. A lot of sanding and filling went into the seam and at long last it is ready to show to you guys. All I can say about it is take your time and od some other things in between the sanding so you dont get burned out.

The rear rotor lump was a real chore but it is coming together now.

Now I am in the middle of replacing all the panel lines that were removed while sanding and filling.

The vertical and horizontal stabs are now on, I used the horizontals from the FM kit but the verticals came from the SH kit as I needed the larger ones for this helo and they were extra parts in the other kit.