Rodders154 Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Italeri wessex as a HCC4 tail rotor still rotates wrong way Main cabin step after 4 attempts to knock one up I gave up for now no decals for the main blades as I don't have any Normal look at from 5ft away Rodders 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Rogers Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Looks fine Rodders, very attractive paint work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 GORRRRJUSSS She looks lovely Rodders On my must do list too, such a pretty colour scheme 10/10 mate very delissh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darby Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Now I don't want to sound picky but the grass could do with cutting. Nice Wezzie by the way 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonl Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Very nice scheme.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Good work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders154 Posted November 1, 2014 Author Share Posted November 1, 2014 Now I don't want to sound picky but the grass could do with cutting. Nice Wezzie by the way Spoke to the groundsman he said he would do it when he put the red carpet down. Rodders 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders154 Posted November 2, 2014 Author Share Posted November 2, 2014 Groundsman been and cut the grass, laid the red carpet and fitted the missing steps Rodders 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Womby Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Well done. It looks a hard scheme to mask and you've done a great job. That scheme makes the somehwat portly Wessex look quite elegant. David 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Very nice ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeboggan Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 (edited) Hi Rodders,I was searching for this helicopter on google as I spent five years (1982-87) working on it and it's twin 732.The model is beautiful in almost every detail.I see you have painted one of the rotor blades yellow, that did not happen on the Queen's Flight, they were all black with yellow tips. They were not worried about other aircraft seeing them normally as a "purple" airspace was imposed on all air traffic when they were flying Royal Family members. (no other aircraft within 5 miles I believe)Also you have a danger sign on the tail about the tail rotor, it was never there either.I spent many hours washing and polishing this helicopter, when I was on shift work.They also had floatation devices fitted into the main wheel axles when flying over water.I have a few photo's that I would gladly send to you if you want them.Let me amend the main rotor paint bit, the blade was black but the actual hub end was yellow.You have done it justice, well done. How can I send you a photo of xv732 with the floatation devices fitted? Just noticed, there are 2 D shaped radio antenna's missing, they were placed just in front of the tail wheel on the skin in front of the tail folding hinge and also you have positioned the "Queens Flight" decal too low on the port side, it was centred between the windows. Sorry to be picky.Mike. Edited January 21, 2015 by mikeboggan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeboggan Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Just been checking your tail rotor against the original aircraft, you have the blades fitted backwards. that is why it spins the wrong way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders154 Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 http://glostransporthistory.visit-gloucestershire.co.uk/Ken_Guest_helicopters.htm I am happy with the build I don't count rivets if it looks good to me I am happy with that. Accuracy is not to high on my list. Building pleasure is. The Italeri kit is well known for its wrong way round tail rotor but I ain't bovveredRodders PS there should be 3 steps on the main door but I have only 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 (edited) Indeed it is Rodders and didnt you mention that when you posted the set? Blooming hard 'look' to capture and I like what you have done A small edit There is no flotation gear fitted now it is on display in Hendon Rodders, I have pics if you need any Edited January 21, 2015 by perdu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Hello Rodders, Nice job on the Wessex Queens Flight Beautiful paintscheme. Keep modelling the way you are doing now. Keep sending the picky comments, we can all learn from it. Especially from those persons who actually worked on these machines. Regards, Dirk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkdipXV711 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Stunning work Rodders...well done, she looks fantastic in that paint scheme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeboggan Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 I did not imply any criticism, the model looks wonderful, and I commend your painstaking work, I just have an eye for detail. We used to wash and polish these aircraft after the last flight of each day, then a Warrant Officer would inspect the whole aircraft, rivet heads included for missed dirt and smears on the paintwork, "bug smashers" picked up a lot of dirt. The Wessex was limited to flying below 6,000 feet due to the amount of Mag alloy it contained ( especially in the coupling gearbox) and it's maximum rate of decent (1500 FPM) in case of fire. Mag alloy burns very fast. As I am now semi retired, I have a wish to build models of all the aircraft that I worked on. I used to build them some 30 years ago, but little fingers kept breaking them, now however, I can display them without worrying. You are correct about the steps, there were 3, the lower step folded up and locked in place over the upper one. Can I ask how you managed to get hold of the "Queen's Flight" decals? I have looked up Italeri models and can't find a Queen's Flight one. Regards Mike. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Mike, Interesting story. He likely just used scraps from his decal stash to hash together the scheme, although Revell released a kit with decals for the scheme in question. He may have used those decals. I had the kit at one time, I sold it on eBay. I too worked on one of the Queens aircraft. In Canada we had a VIP Cosmopolitan that the Queen was using. One night it was stored in our hanger (I worked Hercs at the time). We snuck past the guards, into the aircraft and took some of her booze and cigars. Hopefully I don't get kicked off of BritModeler for this. How many guys can say they drank the Queen's liquor and smoked her cigars? I don't even think they noticed anything was missing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stesca Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Excellent and a scheme you do not see very often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders154 Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 I did not imply any criticism, the model looks wonderful, and I commend your painstaking work, I just have an eye for detail. We used to wash and polish these aircraft after the last flight of each day, then a Warrant Officer would inspect the whole aircraft, rivet heads included for missed dirt and smears on the paintwork, "bug smashers" picked up a lot of dirt. The Wessex was limited to flying below 6,000 feet due to the amount of Mag alloy it contained ( especially in the coupling gearbox) and it's maximum rate of decent (1500 FPM) in case of fire. Mag alloy burns very fast. As I am now semi retired, I have a wish to build models of all the aircraft that I worked on. I used to build them some 30 years ago, but little fingers kept breaking them, now however, I can display them without worrying. You are correct about the steps, there were 3, the lower step folded up and locked in place over the upper one. Can I ask how you managed to get hold of the "Queen's Flight" decals? I have looked up Italeri models and can't find a Queen's Flight one. Regards Mike. PM me and I can send you some badges. The aircraft was in service for a long time and it underwent suttle changes during its life I do generic and not any perticullary dates if you notice even though the aircraft in the picture is 732 it does have the danger flash an no pop out flotation gear. I was very friendly with mike keep the first artist for scale aircraft modelling who was taken from us far too early and he drew the top differently. When questioned he went upstairs and then returned with the original Westland drawing for the paint scheme. Rodders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeboggan Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 About the paint scheme, many designs were drawn up and submitted to the palace for scrutiny, the Queen always had the final say of course. She had the red, white and blue of the flag incorporated in the paint scheme. The interiors were quite plain, no fancy gold plate, she didn't like that. The only exception was in the seats of the fixed wing aircraft, we called them "Lambo's" (lamborgini seats), beautiful leather work on a seat that could recline, turn and move backwards, forwards and sideways. But the helicopter seats were almost standard aircraft ones. I have been trying to upload my photo's from my computer, but somehow it won't work. The comment about the grass needs cutting is something we always hated, every landing site we went to was told not to cut the grass for 2 weeks prior to landing, but they always cut it the day before, it was a nightmare for us maintenance guy's with the clippings being sucked into the engine intakes. I remember on one occasion in the outer Hebrides when we called in a sea king to do a practice landing, it blew away everything, grass, policemen's hats and the local dogs. Scooby, there was always plenty of wine and food left over after the flights which the guy's on shift consumed with gusto after we finished work, never saw any cigars though. The only thing we didn't eat was the game pie, it was absolutely awful, even the police dogs wouldn't eat it. I did manage to collect a lot of "Ambassador class cutlery" and the trays from British Airways, they supplied the food. I still have them 30 years later. So don't worry. This is fun, re-living my past, and bringing back a lot of old memories, but it was very hard work and we all had to be dedicated to doing it. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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