1:72 Boeing Chinook HC.1 wheels

Eduard 1:72, resin wheels for the Boeing Chinook HC.1 helicopter

A set of replacement wheels cast in resin for a model of the Boeing Chinook HC.1 tandem rotor helicopter in 1:72 scale. It is not a kit but a detail accessory with which you replace the plastic wheels supplied in the base box.

Why replace the wheels

Wheels in injection-molded plastic tend to be split into two halves, so a seam runs exactly through the middle of the tread and has to be sanded away, and part of the raised pattern disappears with it. Resin castings are in one piece, have a crisp tread and detail on the sidewalls and usually a suggested flattening where they meet the ground. On the Chinook, which rests on its landing gear under a fairly massive fuselage, that flattening shows at first glance: the model stops looking as though it were hovering above the surface and starts looking as though its own weight were bearing on it.

Working with resin

• First wash the parts in lukewarm soapy water to remove mold release agent residue, as paint will not hold otherwise.
• Cut the casting block off with a saw or a cutting disc; never break it off, as resin is brittle.
• Sand the cut faces and burrs, ideally wet and always with respiratory protection, as resin dust is harmful.
• Bond with super glue (cyanoacrylate); an ordinary cement for plastic does not work on resin.
• Apply a primer before painting. Tone the tires toward dark gray, as a pure black looks unnatural on a model.

Who the set is for

For modelers who build the Chinook HC.1 in 1:72 scale and want to take the landing gear beyond what is in the box. Working with resin calls for a steady hand, so the set suits more experienced modelers.

This is not a model. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the package. Use a respirator and ventilate when sanding resin; super glue holds on skin too.