Angels of Mercy: 1/72 RVHP Kingair B200 VH-MWU

[RayS]

I went searching into the stash and pulled this out to start filling the ACAM display table. (I found a couple of Eurocopter Rescue helos as well)



Turns out the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) aircraft was based at Essendon (in Melbourne for our non Aussie viewers) and now is retired from that fleet and flies around up in PNG as P2-JON

The comprehensive instructions


and some parts





The white metal gear will need some careful clean up


I started by removing parts from the pore stubs


and could not resist an early test fit


and some assembly of the interior started. I found an image of an air ambulance interior and will add some detail which wont' be seen. Since no colours are called out form pictures I see the interior is a light grey, so I will go with that and pick out a few bits and pieces with other colours.

[hrtpaul]

Holy shit Batman I knew that serial number BB1418 looked familiar. VH-MWU was one of my planes I looked after when I worked at the RFDS at Essendon. And I now look after it at Tropicair in POM as P2-JON. That is so trippy and has made my day. I've been after this kit for ages. I'll be watching this with great interest mate. The interior colour was a pale beige colour with dark blue coin mat on the floor between the seat tracks. I have a shit ton of exterior pics of MWQ and MWZ which were the same as MWU. The only real difference was MWU had King avionics and MWQ, MWX and MWZ had Collins. Externally they were the same. One issue I see with that kit is the center strake that goes under the tail is the original Beechcraft part and is too long. When the aircraft had the Raisbeck mods, it was cut down in length and a larger strake was added to each side. Also I can't tell from your pics but it'll need the fully enclosed high flotation gear doors and the fuselage cargo door added. If ya have any questions, ask away mate. I spent 8 years working on that very machine.

As it was at the RFDS VH-MWU


After leaving the RFDS in the scheme they left in


And as it is now as P2-JON

[RayS]

Thanks Paul, I have had this one in the stash for probably 10 years (set me back around the $80 back then) along with a RAAF B350 and an MC-12W Liberty.

The MC-12W is started as I stalled on the interior colours (not that you could see much). I might get back into that one as well while building this one. You can't have too many King Airs!

These kits are engineered very nicely and even with my hamfistedness should turn out quite nicely.

As for the strakes, there as another block of resin in the kit with the said pieces you mentioned were missing. I was not sure about the longer strake and prepped it anyway. I can now use that part to make up an antenna that pinged away when cutting it off the pore block. Thanks for the interior colours, I was going to make a couple of seats to go in the back as per the one interior cabin shot I could find, in the picture they were a creamy/beige colour.

One think I am not sure about is is the antenna fit, there were 3 supplied in the kit but I am not sure of the locations and if there are any more. I assume the antenna fit would not have changed much between airframes?

[72linerlover]

Wow, nice choice, Ray.
The white/red livery is real stunning.
Best wishes for your build.

Eugenio

[hrtpaul]

As for the strakes, there as another block of resin in the kit with the said pieces you mentioned were missing. I was not sure about the longer strake and prepped it anyway. I can now use that part to make up an antenna that pinged away when cutting it off the pore block.

One think I am not sure about is is the antenna fit, there were 3 supplied in the kit but I am not sure of the locations and if there are any more. I assume the antenna fit would not have changed much between airframes?

You'll still need that longer strake but it'll need to be shortened. The antenna fit was pretty universal between the 4 aircraft. PM me your address and I'll send you a USB with all the pics I have, including a heap of antenna pics.

[hrtpaul]

The white/red livery is real stunning.

Good from afar but far from good. Up close they looked very worn. The red faded extremely fast and the paint wasn't very shiny once they were sold off.

[RayS]

Thanks Paul and Euge, PM on the way shortly Paul.

Did some work on the internals and splashed some paint inside, I think I will lighten the buff I used a little.

Back seats made from scratch and control yokes borrowed from a P-3 Orion interior detail set. The kit supplied ones were very fragile and broke



and a comparison with the MC-12 (B350) fuselage at rear

[Graeme H]

Don't know how I missed this one, nothing better than a good King Air Build, like you I have the B350 RAAF one in stock and a 200 one that Clayton when he was at Hawkeye was selling.

[RayS]

With many thanks to Paul I am able to enhance the interior and exterior of the build.

I have started with the inside and modified my dodgy seats. I also added a small compartment on the forward cabin bulk head, not that much of it will be seen.

[hrtpaul]

Bloody hell mate that looks wicked. Really nicely done so far. Those seats look wicked. That cabinet on the FWD RH bulkhead is the medical cabinet where all the bandages, medical equipment, drugs etc. Take it from me, that "small" cabinet didn't feel very small should it have to be removed