Helicopter!!

The helicopter was finished in time for Xander's birthday and it was a hit! Here it is on it's maiden voyage. I did add a couple of handles on each side to facilitate easier access after this picture was taken and our neighbor painted a bumble bee on it and painted "The Stinger". I'll put more pictures up later with that.

THANKS MANDY FOR THE BUMBLEBEE IDEA FOR THE PAINT THEME!

As you can see in the picture below it is complete with a ceiling fan for the top propeller and 2 smaller fans for rear propellers. You have twice the turning power with 2 rear props. There is also a CB antenna for calling in backup (not needed with the flying ace pictured below).



Inside the cab we have fan switches up above and a telephone in the rear. The dash has the original steering wheels (I don't know what you call a steering wheel in a helicopter), original fuel and oil gauges, a video tracking device and another button.




A plexiglass windshield keeps the bugs out when you are traveling through hyperspace. It ain't like dustin' crops, boy!

more helicopter

This was last weekend when I started assembling the new helicopter by using the old one as a template. I borrowed my neighbors jigsaw to make all of the circular cuts and it was a lifesaver.



Our neighbors were throwing out a ceiling fan so it became the propeller.



The landing gear.


Another neighbor built a fence last year out of lattice. I used some of his broken leftover pieces for the rear tail.



I still need the rear propeller. I'm paying a coworker to fashion something for me. Hopefully he'll have that to me this week.



I started painting this weekend and put 2 coats on and realized that the plywood was going to suck all the paint up and I needed primer. So then I ran out and bought some primer and primed it. I need to put another coat on there then I'll go back to painting. It should look like a giant bumblebee when I'm done.

coffeetable

I fixed up a coffetable for Sergey. He built it last summer and the top wasn't sanded down enough so when it was stained it looked terrible. So I sanded it all down.


Xander helped too.



And put 3 or 4 coats on the top surface, 2 or 3 on everything else. It turned out pretty good.