MOC - rescue helicopters

[Criga88]

Hi all, this week I started to make helicopters in the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Service livery. They operate a variety of aircraft and I intend on making them all at some stage.

The first MOC was the Eurocopter AS350 Squirrel which was easy enough. The helicopter was a quick re-paint of my police one with the only real changes being to the door configuration and the searchlight replaced by a loudhailer. The loudhailer is due to this aircraft's primary role of beach patrols.

The second aircraft is the Kawasaki BK117 which was a bit more of a challenge. While this shares the same rotor diameter and length of the AS350, the cabin has a lot more room inside. Up to four minifigs can sit inside, or two with a brick-built stretcher (based on mista_carrot's design on flickr). Access to the cabin is through the pilots doors, 'sliding' doors and a clam shell door on the rear. I'll do a render to show the stretcher and inside of the cabin when I can.

Let me know what you think and stand by for more.

Edit: Here's the .LXF's for anyone who's interested

Eurocopter AS350 westpac.lxf

Kawasaki BK117 westpac.lxf

For anyone trying to build the BK117, there's four illegal connections in the nose that aren't in the file. There's a technic pin with stud holding the cheese slopes for the chin windows and another two that form the connection that holds the lower part of the nose to the fuselage.

Edited July 5, 2014 by Criga88

[emilstorm]

Some very interesting parts uage in both! I like how you did the air intakes on the BK117. And interesting sliding door technique.

[lightningtiger]

Very interesting designs you have there 'Criga88'.......are these digital creations....it's hard to tell ?

Brick On 'Criga88' !

[escortmad79]

Could you create the BK117 in 6 wide?

Can you post up pics of other angles too? (Espcially front)

[Criga88]

Thanks everyone. Lightningtiger, these are rendered LDD creations but I brick build as much as I can with the parts I have on hand, it's a lot easier to work out the more complex sections that way. As for a 6 wide escortmad79, I think 4 wide is more fitting as it is a relatively compact helicopter and any changes would result in the entire model's size ballooning. I'll get some more angles rendered for you though.

[Criga88]

Added a huey to the virtual Westpac hanger, it was only a matter of time until I gave my favorite helicopter a new look. I also placed a S@H order for a few bits and pieces so I should be able to build a mostly correct model of the AS350 and BK117 when it arrives.

Edited July 5, 2014 by Criga88

[Criga88]

Put the AS350 together this morning when my latest PAB order arrived and the red and yellow looks great when built so this one's a definite keeper. I tried to order parts for the BK117 as well but since it has a lot more hard to find ones I'll have to bricklink them.

Edited July 5, 2014 by Criga88

[timtam12]

hi there.

I am a massive fan of helicopters and love your designs especially the As350 and i would love to make it but the file doesnt like me and won't download.

[Criga88]

Thanks Timtam, it's hard not to be a fan of helicopters when they're so awesome. I just tried the downloads from my brickshelf link in my sig and they work, if you haven't already tried those downloads yet, otherwise I'm at a loss.

[Criga88]

Another addition to my rescue helicopter fleet, and this time it isn't a Westpac heli. This is the Eurocopter EC145 of the Ambulance Service of NSW which operates out of Bankstown Airport in Sydney, I see this helicopter flying to and from RNS Hospital every couple of days so I had to build my own rendition. There's a few parts that I need in specific colours and some areas that need either strengthening or a bit more roundness for me to call this one 100% done, it's joined the rest of my choppers for now.

Comments, criticism and questions are welcome, and keep an eye out for updates.

[Criga88]

Well, I'm back after an extended break from building thanks to work, and of course I'd start things off with another Huey. This livery is based on the Bell 412 EP helicopter 'Terry Summers' as used by the CareFlight service in Australia. There's minor changes my standard MOC for this one on the interior and the exterior was mainly adjusted to suit the livery, however the radome on the nose was a fair bit of trial and error to get the ball joint piece to sit in a realistic position.

Comments, criticism and questions are welcome, and keep an eye out for more.

[Hironori Michifuri]

Hi there!

Very nice & cool. I'm interested in your rescue helicopters but didn't download the file.

[nico_savary]

Hi,

Really great helicopters in yellow and red that look very much like the french "sécurité civile". Would love to build them.

But the lxf files you give for the AS350 and BK117 don't want to open in my 4.3 LDD... Any idea ? Any new file that I could try out ?

Even more interested in your EC145...

... successor of the BK117