kidcurrie42 Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Hopefully someone out there can answer this question, When the Wessex HAS.3 was fitted for ASW, did it carry a crew of two Radar and Sonar operators, or was this task performed by one crew member? Happy Modeling John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 From the info I have two operators were carried radar operator and a sonar/sonobuoy operator and an aircrewman. I'll look for the manual pages tomorrow and then copy them to this thread. A torpedo or depthcharge was carried on the port side on a stores carrier, alternatively an external fuel tank. Colin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidcurrie42 Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 Thanks Colin, I had a feeling that it would be at least two, would not be feasible to try and manage a radar screen at the same time as carrying out sonar op duties. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewa Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Chris Parry's 'Down south' is a good read - he was the Observer on Antrim's flight in 82 (Humphrey of Santa Fe fame). He quotes four crew - 2 pilots, observer and aircrewman. Observer and airecrewman in the cabin, observer on the left with radar and tactical plot, aircrewman on the right operating the sonar. A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidcurrie42 Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 Thanks Andrew, I must get that, Chris Parry was my XO onboard HMS York, when he found out I was a model builder he asked me to build him the Humphrey, must have been between 1988/90 so I guess it was the Revell 1/48 kit, I had actually forgotten about building this until today. Happy Days........... John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewa Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 It's basically his diary written at the time so written in the first person and real time, so very immediate - lots of confusion and communication challenges. Considering the rank he got to, it's quite interesting to hear his opinion of his senior officers and command decisions. A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 (edited) As promised the manual illustrations of the SONAR operators station and the dipping SONAR winding gear. SONAR operators stations with 'plotting table' to the left. Operators seat plus insrtructors seat to the rear. Note the lattice seat support frames. Plotting table or to give it it's correct title optical sub-unit. Winding gear looking aft. I've highlighted the support framework in red and the dunking SONAR head is shown in th eraised position. The basket under the gear is the guide frame and is hidden on the fuselage underside by the fibreglass fairing part number 28B in the 48th kit. Sonar winding gear looking forward. I hope the above is of some use to some of you? As you can see it's not an easy installation to model, so good luck if you're going to attempt it. Don't ask me why but Mrs Photobucket descided to turn all the images through 90 degrees!!!! Colin Edited January 15, 2014 by heloman1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Hi Colin, if you could send me those drawings as hi-res images, I could measure the real thing and then add the dimensions to the drawings. This could help if planning to scratchbuild the framework? Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Hi Colin, if you could send me those drawings as hi-res images, I could measure the real thing and then add the dimensions to the drawings. This could help if planning to scratchbuild the framework? Mike Hi Mike, as requested email inbound. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Hi Colin, drawings received OK, thanks. I'll print them off and take them to the museum on Saturday; If I get some time then I will start measuring the various frame lengths etc. The winch gear is not in-situ at the moment; however, if it hasn't been sent off for refurbishment, I'll try to find it and get some details of that as well. This may take a couple of visits but should be worth the effort. cheers Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 (edited) Hi Mike, I did try to scale it using the cabin wall as a scale but it's a long slog. Whatever input you have will be brilliant. Colin Edited January 15, 2014 by heloman1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Hi Colin, I did try something like that but the rig is in the centre of the cabin and there is over a foot gap to the wall. This minor distance could still affect overall dimensions. cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidcurrie42 Posted January 15, 2014 Author Share Posted January 15, 2014 Thanks Colin, after comparing the drawings and the photographs from Mike, a basic set actually looks doable. Happy Modeling John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Hi to Colin and Mike, as I'm about to tackle an HAS3 I wonder if these measurements ever made it into an archive someplace accessible I can work off any of the long dims just to put some life into my little rebuild The pictures are going into my Wessex file now, ta B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Hi Perdu, I'll send you a pm Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Hi Mike could you send to me also as this is a future update I will be doing to my Mk3 thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Some ref pictures if anyone wants them. Note the stb'd seat framework appears different to the manual. Westland Wessex HAS.3 XM328 653-PO by James Thomas, on Flickr Westland Wessex HAS.3 XM328 653-PO by James Thomas, on Flickr Westland Wessex HAS.3 XM328 653-PO by James Thomas, on Flickr Westland Wessex HAS.3 XM328 653-PO by James Thomas, on Flickr 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Those are fabulous pics James ta 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 No probs Perdu, I have a few more if you need them, just shout. Quite fascinating to see the installation at long last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 This looks pretty good, where is she based? I think I might have pictures of her being refitted some time ago 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 It's at the Helicopter Museum at W-S-M. Well done to the collection on a great restoration, and for showing off the internal gubbins which usually remain a dark art to most of us. They also have a separate dipping sonar unit on display, I didn't quite expect the shape of the bottom bit being a block with all those circular (receivers?) parts. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 On 17/11/2016 at 7:52 PM, Grizzly said: Hi Mike could you send to me also as this is a future update I will be doing to my Mk3 thanks Hi Grizzly, send me a pm with your email addy and I'll sort something for you. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 Cheers, I thought it might be. Bootneck/Mike sent me lots of the stuff about this and he is around there I imagine having a series of reciever/ transmitters at fixed distances apart in the sonar head must go in to the computer for making analysis even possible Lovely looking bit of kit too, I love this electrickery stuff Wish I understood it Mike, all my stuff sorted now but I think I broke the link oops sorry b 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 Mike my e mail is [email protected] Thanks for help Len Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIGHTS ON Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 My modelling chair in my bedroom as a teenager was a Wessex 3 observer's chair rescued from the firedump - perfect for those saturday afternoon builds when everything else was spread around the floor within easy reach!! No modelling desk in those days. Then I discovered beer & girls and the hobby died until many years later Just reading "rescue Pilot: cheating the Sea by Jerry Grayson" - mostly dits as a 771NAS wessex 5 pilot at culdrose, but does briefly mention the Wessex 1 & 3. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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