Ariel Ambulance - Done....

[tgreco]

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already bought the big trumpeter 1/35 scale kit, now I just need to some great reference shots, so I know what needs scratching

anyone know a source for good screen grabs etc.?

(and Yes I've been to the site about the restoration, but the ships in pieces, and lot's of parts are removed)

Thanks in advance...

added...
found a great source for screen grabs, but if anyone can recommend anything else, I'd appreciate it

 

[GDafi]

pm me, and I can put you in touch with with someone who can give you lots of information

 

[tgreco]

<div class='quotetop'>(GDafi @ Oct 14 2006, 06:30 AM) [snapback]1337964[/snapback]</div>

pm me, and I can put you in touch with with someone who can give you lots of information
[/b]

pm sent

 

[AnsonJames]

Wasn't that the the thing that looked like a Russian Hind helicopter?

 

[Sidewinder]

Yes and its an excellent modelling idea, hmmm...

SAS

 

[tgreco]

I needed something to go on the shelf below my Mal and Jayne pistols

and seeing as the Thomas Models 20" Serenity model won't be around for a while
I figured I needed something to go there

 

[tgreco]

can anyone identify a helicopter that has a similar tail as the ariel ambulance?

it's obviously not from the hind

I'll scratch build if I have to, but I think it would save time to buy a kit with the right tail and cut it off

Thanks for any input

 

[KrokoHunter]

Yup, it's a great modelling subject.

I've put a Hind aside for it, a year or two ago, but haven't been able to find any good references ...

Might built it some day.

 

[pennausamike]

The original prop was found in a California aircraft boneyard.
It was purchased by fans and they have a site dedicated to the restoration/display.

http://www.arielambulance.org/

They also have a yahoo group with the most recent restoration pictures.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ArielAmbulance

A site with some decent screengrabs is

http://www.still-flying.net/index.php

Go to screencaps and the episode Ariel; be sure to check all the pages cuz
the ambulance appears during the find, construction, show-off on completion
(a really good shot of the nose), the heist and return to Serenity.

If you read all the info at the AARG ( Ariel Ambulance Rescue Group )
they mention that the ambulance body is 23' long and the tail is 15'.
The real Hind is about 58 feet long,
so the Ariel Ambulance is about 65% of a real Hind.
For modelers, the size differential means that (roughly) a 1/72nd
scale Hind would make a 1/48th scale AA; a 1/48th scale Hind for a
1/32nd scale AA; and a 1/35th scale Hind would probably do for a
1/24th scale AA. I'm sure they aren't exact translations, but should
be about right for figure-to-vehicle comparisons/display. This also
means break out the bondo and sheet styrene to make a Hind look more
like the AA.
(I'm doing a 1/32nd scale AA out of the old Monogram 1/48th scale
kit.)


Hope all this is some help.
Also, I feel that the AARG is saving a truly unique prop,
but they are small and the task before them is mighty.
They account for every dollar spent right on their website,
so I know I feel comfortable sending them a few dollars when I can.

Mike

 

[tgreco]

Alrighty, about half finished with her

the interior is complete built and painted

the radiator in the front, and front engines are built,
as well as the body of the Hind being modified to the Nth degree...

I'll be starting the gurney carriers/landing gear that go on the sides probably tonight...

But, I'm needing a source for 1.25" tube styrene or a model rocket kit that has that diameter for the two large engines on the top of it

anybody know of a source for styrene tubes in that diameter, or a kit that would have a cylinder that is 1.25"

 

[tgreco]

Re: Ariel Ambulance

finally all finished building it
now I just need to paint, weather and finish

anyone have an idea where or how I can get some custom decals made?

 

[pennausamike]

Re: Ariel Ambulance

AAAaack!!
You are finished with an Ariel Ambulance and you have not posted any pics?!

C'mon, enquiring minds wanna know,
what's she look like?

Congrats on such a straight-forward build.
Conception to complete in just a few months!

I need to wrap up some of my projects to get to the AA>

Mike

 

[tgreco]

Re: Ariel Ambulance

honestly most of the time was spent finding parts that would work
especially the rounded areas for the rear of the engines
(thought they were round, they aren't... they're a touch oblong)

the only big pain in the butt was hacking the rear end off the helicopter,
so that I could rebuild it with the correct contour... (there are 2 step downs to the tail on the hind, and the tail of the AA looks almost tacked on to a rounded fuselage)

I normally don't think to take pictures while somethings in progress... sorry
but I'll post pics of her in her primered and interior painted condition, and then finished shots when's she's finished

 

[tgreco]

Re: Ariel Ambulance

and here she is all ready for her last coat of primer, and paint...
(some parts aren't attached yet obviously)

it's a bit of an amalgam of the CGI the real ship, and some features on the trumpeter that I liked the look of.... so a personal interpretation if you will...

 

[pennausamike]

Re: Ariel Ambulance

Lotsa work, there!

You NAILED the main drive engines.
On the real prop they were made from big industrial ceiling light bells and 95 gallon hazmat cans; so good job duplicating such unusual items.
The inlet grills also look spot on.

I think you also did an excellent job on the lower frame and the "body-pod" racks.

I think your front VTOL engines and fins are too big, but that may be your choice as artistic interpretation. Likewise the non show-shaped tail.

But even where you chose interpretation over duplication, the overall look is still "Ariel Ambulance".

Can't wait to see her done!

Mike

 

[tgreco]

Re: Ariel Ambulance

well I took your advice and made new front engines last night

thing is the set piece has smaller front engines then the cg model
but I like the look of the smaller ones better

a little sanding and a little glue and that's back together again...

the tail was built from scratch. I thought I got it pretty close. I used the picture of the guys hauling the actual tail from the salvage yard (real life) for reference, but it's not even close to the real Hind's tail so a lot went into hacking the rear off the hellicopter and tail section and rebuilding it

funny thing is, if you go through all the shots on the episode, it's almost as if parts kept falling off the thing, the rear engines appear and disappear, the body carriages on the side look as if they were built from spare lumber, and even funnier, in several shots you can see the rig they had the vehicle on to roll it around, so the landing gear are never on the actual ground...(I joked to my wife about building it)

when you actually start looking at the Hind, you'll be able to tell that the Ariel was built from a Way in the Background mockup... so short of doing a complete scratchbuild compromises had to be made...

 

[pennausamike]

Re: Ariel Ambulance

funny thing is, if you go through all the shots on the episode, it's almost as if parts kept falling off the thing, SNIP ... so short of doing a complete scratchbuild compromises had to be made...

Boy are you right about the AA changing thru the episode!
I guess my take on the tail was how I remembered the overhead shot as the AA flys over the city. The body wings are way bigger than the mock up wings in that pic.

I hope you didn't take anything I said as a criticism. Even a complete scratchbuild would depend on what screen moment you were capturing.
And like I said, there are major components that you got spot on.
I would say too that your cockpit/ cooling fin arrangement is very nicely rendered.

All in all, when you paint her, she is going to be only and obviously the Ariel Ambulance!

Mike

PS And THANKS for the pics!

 

[tgreco]

Re: Ariel Ambulance

I took it as constructive criticism... never a bad thing.:thumbsup

actually I wanted someone who was as excited about the project as I was to give some input... so the input is definitely appreciated, when you work on anything this long, and have limited reference material, it's nice to know that at least there's no question as to what I was building

 

[tgreco]

Re: Ariel Ambulance

and at long long last, I got the decals printed, and we can drive a stake through the heart of this project....

on to the next project

 

[jakob2121]

Re: Ariel Ambulance

very cool!