The SAAF Forum

Hi Geoff,

I did take the Airfix shape across to my resin parts. I did see your earlier post about the cut out shape and I did consider doing some investigation and correcting the shape but I have to admit that I then decided that it was underneath the kit, so no one would see it bu tme, so I took the lazy way out.

However, please do not let that stop you giving me all the advice and tips because I have sourced two 1/32 Matchbox Pumas which I plan to convert to Oryxes and those will be done accurately as I hope to complete at least one of them to a standard where I will enter them in competitions.

Please post some pics of your Puma/Oryx kits. I have been toying with a similar idea but looking at the pics of the SAAF Pumas/Oryxes, there seem to be many slight variations applied over time, so I gave up on that idea and have decided to do just a few with the most noticeable differences.

Gary

Hi Gary,

Which paint scheme are you going to do the Oryx in?

Geoff

I'm thinking that this one will be one of th eread and white ones of which there were two for a while. Either that or a UN version.

Gary

HI Gary,
1238 or 1249 were the two red and white ones.

There are two camouflage patterns that have been aplied to the Oryx's besides the grey scheme.

Geoff

There is a God out there for the Oryx fans and as always, it happens when a scratch-builder has almost finished some outstanding resolve making bits and putting them together. Scaleworx was working on a complte Oryx resin kit about 2 months back and must be close to being finished. I wait excitedly for this kit so I can make the SANAP version.

Bruce

Just a question, I have seen pix of Oryx wit the small side pontoons, were the later bigger pontoons fitted later?

If so I recon a conversion to an "earlier" Oryx might be in the capabilities of even me if I don't have to make those big ones


Theuns

Hi T,

Yes, the earlier Oryx's had the small sponsons and also the "Puma" type of air filter.
The Oryx's have used three types of air filter!

If you do decide to make an earlier version,remember the sponsons are not rounded as in the Airfix model,but have a flat edge.This can easily be built with a piece of plastic card.

The earlier Oryx's also had a different camo paint scheme as to the present dat Oryx's.

G

HA-ha, just like the Wasp and Scout. A company called Freightdog will be releasing a 1/72 Wasp and Scout kit in the near future. I'm so glad, because I dont have the guts do do what you have done.

Will look out for that resin kit...

The Oryx, what a beast! Got tasked one day, to fly from Bloem down to Zuurberg area, to hoist a hiker with broken leg on top of mountain. Was going to be very cold that night if he had to stay up there......Sat there at about 1000'AGL upper function alt hold set and calculated the fuel burn over and over, as 3600 Shaft Horse Power thumped that eight ton chopper along...Got onto the HF radio and ZRB confirmed strategic fuel available at Middelberg....they took a looong time to get back to us! ( I actually had a gut feeling they were giving us duff gen......!) Anyway, arrived in the area, found the guy. Wind by now was a bit testy, positioned overhead the Casevac in a low hover, trimmed the attitude (trim release, then fine adjustments on the chinese hat) and she sat there steady as, almost hands off, (what a babe!) whilst the enginer (Johnny Greyling?) hoisted the doc, (who had spent all afternoon climbing up to the hiker) and CASEVAC aboard. We then made the short hop (in an Oryx anyway!) to the 'Ambo parked at the bottom of the mountain, then with a quick wave, turned her nose towards Bloem. She made it all the way back, no re-fuel......You sure got to love those Sponson Tanks!!

Nice story J.

Ohhh man, thats a nice story JJ.
Things like this makes me come back to this forum everyday

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Da-di-da-da-da

It's been a while since I worked on this but I have recently made some progress.

Added the heat shields to the side of the engine housing, getting the cockpit put together and putting the tail unit together.



A while later I just needed to put the passenger door on the other side and it'll be ready for painting.



Thanks for looking and any comments/critiques are welcome.

Gary

Any progress on the model?



Have you put the adittional heat shield on the stbd side of the Oryx,just below the shield that you have already put on?

Geoff

Hi Geoff,

I haven't put the additional heat shield on ... only just seen your post. I will take a closer look at my references and add the missing part. Thanks for the heads up.

So here's the latest progress pics.

Work has been progressing slowly on this. This is how it's looking at the moment. I'm working on the floats round the nose. It's just spare sprue softened over a candle and bent into the correct shape. The 'nose' is a missile from the spares box cut into a length of pipe which was then covered at one end and rounded off. Pretty much the same technique was applied to the intakes, but they were then filed so that they had loads of flat surfaces around the sides.





Thanks for looking and any comments/critiques are welcome.

Gary

There should be a law against having so many unfinished Impala's

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Brent Best