bootneck Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 I know, I'm mad but I've decided to add another Wessex to the GB! This one will be, hopefully, a Wessex HAS.3 similar to Humphrey fame although I shall probably do it in the pre-Falklands blue-grey and yellow livery. The fuselage has been glued together however there will need to be some considerable modifications to make this HC.2 into a HAS.3 The nose will need filing down to Mk.1 shape; then the large exhaust outlet holes will need to be filled; as will the window in the door. Following that, I shall scratchbuild a dorsal spine and radome, plus the 'upper lip' for the nose. Making a start on the nose by filing off the large intake cover. The nose has been attached and is ready to be worked on, to get the correct shape The nose has been filed to shape and the large exhaust opening has been filled. Tailplane also added. I won't need to make the cutout in the nose, or add the mesh as I did with the Mk.1 build, as this area will be covered by the 'upper lip' which is a recognisable part of the HAS.3 version The window in the door has been sealed, ready to be filled, as there is no window on the door of the HAS.3 I plan to give the model a covering of primer tomorrow, to check for any problems, and then will proceed onto the spine etc. Never done one before so that should be fun! cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McYellowbelly Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 Lovely work and inspiration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted June 24, 2013 Author Share Posted June 24, 2013 I hope it will look OK when finished; there's lots to do with this one. cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McYellowbelly Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 If the one in the background is anything to go by, you'll do fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-FAAWAFU Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 You do understand that a Helicopter Group Build means that a group of us build helicopters, not that you have to build a group of helicopters on your own? Inspiring work, Sir; I am wrestling with a single example in 1/48 and finding my ageing eyes and fat fingers getting in the way - and you're doing stuff like this in 1/144??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper_city Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 More braille scale goodness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted June 26, 2013 Author Share Posted June 26, 2013 You do understand that a Helicopter Group Build means that a group of us build helicopters, not that you have to build a group of helicopters on your own? Inspiring work, Sir; I am wrestling with a single example in 1/48 and finding my ageing eyes and fat fingers getting in the way - and you're doing stuff like this in 1/144??? I really should pay more attention to the GB rules! The fun of this scale is there isn't too much detail to worry about. It's not like you guys with your ginokerhuge 1:48 scale stuff, such as worrying about if the rotor housing flange plate is correct; or the blade tip assembly is the correct yellow; or even if the rotor head torque spigot is correctly aligned!! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1fuN0 Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 I dont see why you cant replicate that in 144th scale... steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murdo Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 I dont see why you cant replicate that in 144th scale... steve He did, can't you see it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palacefan Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 I really should pay more attention to the GB rules! The fun of this scale is there isn't too much detail to worry about. It's not like you guys with your ginokerhuge 1:48 scale stuff, such as worrying about if the rotor housing flange plate is correct; or the blade tip assembly is the correct yellow; or even if the rotor head torque spigot is correctly aligned!! Mike This diagram brings back memories of my apprentice years. I had six months stripping and rebuilding these and the main gear boxes. I can almost smell the paraffin. Nicely done as usual Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-FAAWAFU Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Me too - memories of learning how the Sea King hydraulic blade fold system works... (shudder). The trouble is, I now struggle to make things out in 1:1 scale, let alone 1:144. My hat is well & truly doffed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gajman Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 The builds are looking good. And that one in the background looks good too. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted July 14, 2013 Author Share Posted July 14, 2013 The builds are looking good. And that one in the background looks good too. Gary Hi Gary, thanks. The one in the background will be a Wessex HCC4 Queen's Flight but it was over 25% done before the GB started so I can't include it here. Getting on with the HAS.3 though and scratchbuilt the housing which sits behind the rotor head. I have also sourced a radome from a Sea King kit by Sweet Aviation. The lower part of the nose needed cutting away and a liberal amount of filler adding. The nose has been cleaned up and I found it better to cut out the area behind the rotor head for the housing piece. The housing has been fitted and the radome is in place. I gave the whole thing a spray of primer, which showed some areas that needed a some attention, and I'm now ready to progress. Another coat of primer and it is looking better. I have now given the model a coat of blue/grey and yellow. There appears to be a rather sharp angle where the main body line meets the rear section. It is not so obvious to the eye as it is here on the image. I shall work at making this less acute plus round off the area where it turns up to the tail. Once that is sorted I shall replace the tailplane and then start to work on the decals for this build. Thanks for looking. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-FAAWAFU Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Lovely! Suddenly it's a sunny 70s day in Portland... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Hi Mike, lookin' good, nice little conversion to the 3. Thanks for the illustration of the MRH, greasy rotorheads who could forget them! Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted September 9, 2013 Author Share Posted September 9, 2013 Another mad panic, along with the 1:144 Wessex 1 and Wessex HU.5. I've sourced the decals from various accessory sets plus the Royal Navy from a Sea King kit by Sweet. The next task was to mask up the canopy ready for spraying. There are 11 individual glass panes, none larger than 2mm! The canopy was given a coat of Tamiya fine primer as a base and then sprayed with Vallejo yellow. Once it had dried I could then fit it to the model. I also added the flotation cans plus decals. I finished off the decaling and gave the model a light coat of Klear before adding the rotor blades. The blades were bent upwards so had to do some reshaping but I didn't have too much time. I will do some more to it afterwards. The final thing to do was put it on a base. This one is the standard carrier deck base which I use for displaying FAA aircraft. Well my time has run out so that is it for this GB. I will be doing more work on this kit later, in order to finalise some of the missing details, but not as part of the GB. Converting the Anigrand Wessex HC.2 into a Wessex HAS.3 took a fair bit of researching and effort, with lots of cutting and filling but I am happy with the result and should look OK alongside my other FAA aircraft on display. Thanks for looking Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Another fine addition to your collection of little choppers Mike - great build again, lovely result! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Congratulations Mike another fine Wessex replica for the display. Thanks for sharing the pics with us. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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