bootneck Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 I've had a dig around the stash and pulled out the Airfix 1:24 scale kit of the James Bond Autogyro but I don't want to build it as the James Bond version. I'd like to know how many other Autogyro's of this type were built and who used them. I'm looking for something different than the film version. cheers Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessica Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 According to Wikipedia, the largest user was Ken Wallis himself. Of course, with only 5 built, that's not a difficult statistic to achieve. G-ARZA and -ZB (Little Nellie) appear to have been the most commonly seen. It could also fly with the pod off. This one has 2 seats and a larger rudder. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ascoteer Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 I saw Little Nellie stripped of her Hollywood weapons systems at Ken Wallis's brother's garage in the early/mid 1970s. Somewhere I have a photo of me sitting in her. I would have been about 11 or 12. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnerboy Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 did that take off from the Garza strip? sorry, I'm bored tonight 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonM Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 31 minutes ago, Ascoteer said: I saw Little Nellie stripped of her Hollywood weapons systems at Ken Wallis's brother's garage in the early/mid 1970s. Somewhere I have a photo of me sitting in her. I would have been about 11 or 12. Ah Wallis' Garage Cambridge. I sat in a Lancia Stratos, Jackie Stewart's Tyrell, a least one aircraft - possibly a Gnat. I also remember the army and navy recruitment teams visiting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Nellie also flew in military markings. XR942 for Army evaluation 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpaso Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 (edited) John Noakes used one on Blue Peter. Don't know if John actually flew it himself but it appeared on front cover of a Blue Peter Annual with an article about it inside.http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nffy5l_ZEG0/UpnM8e6keyI/AAAAAAAA3bw/3dqlqx-ja9k/s1600/Annual+7.jpg I remember getting this annual and thinking everyone would commute by air when I grew up. Still waiting for commuting by air ... and to grow up! Cheers Will Edited October 13, 2016 by malpaso Link added 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ascoteer Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 38 minutes ago, GordonM said: Ah Wallis' Garage Cambridge. Indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted October 13, 2016 Author Share Posted October 13, 2016 46 minutes ago, Scimitar said: Nellie also flew in military markings. XR942 for Army evaluation That's interesting. Anyone know what colours and markings adorned both sides? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Green overall (sorry don't know exact shade) I believe the stripes were dayglo orange. Standard fin flash. There is a colour photo around but can't track it down at moment. Richard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Found TWO colour ones of XR944 ((G-ATTB): chef.bbci.co.uk/news/660/media/images/74662000/jpg/_74662578_autogyro_2.jpg and 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessica Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 4 hours ago, Scimitar said: Found TWO colour ones of XR944 ((G-ATTB): chef.bbci.co.uk/news/660/media/images/74662000/jpg/_74662578_autogyro_2.jpg Something seems wonky about that URL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 14 hours ago, malpaso said: John Noakes used one on Blue Peter. Don't know if John actually flew it himself but it appeared on front cover of a Blue Peter Annual with an article about it inside.http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nffy5l_ZEG0/UpnM8e6keyI/AAAAAAAA3bw/3dqlqx-ja9k/s1600/Annual+7.jpg I remember getting this annual and thinking everyone would commute by air when I grew up. Still waiting for commuting by air ... and to grow up! Cheers Will I remember reading that one, He flew in a two seater unpowered training version on a towline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 14 hours ago, Jessica said: Something seems wonky about that URL Don't know what went wrong there. If you Google XR942 AND XR944 you should get the pic Not sure if it is when it was on the trials or after a restoration. Richard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 Thanks Richard, I have googled and found those images. I thought there would have been more of these autogyro's built and therefore more choices for builds. Think I'll do a bit more research before getting the glue out for this one. Thanks to everyone who contributed with links and advice Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 production list here: http://www.airport-data.com/manuf/Wallis.html If you click on G-VIEW there is a nice gloss black one in he background. Interestingly doesn't show 'Nellie' as being XR942 Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 That's an interesting list and thank you for providing it. Do you know if they are all the same airframe type i.e. can they be built from the Airfix kit? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMB Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 (edited) The reissued Airfix kit has decals and instructions for the Army variant without nose nacelle, so depending which version of the kit you have, this is an easy alternative. In October 1982, I visited Ken Wallis at his house and we pushed his entire fleet of Autogyros outside for photography., so I have photos of them all. During my visit he very kindly gave me one of the original kits and I built it as the prototype, G-ARRT, as it looked in the '60s and remodelled the James Bond figure to represent Ken Wallis himself. Incidentally, that photo of John Noakes of Blue Peter does not show him sat in a Wallis Autogyro. That's a Campbell Cricket! Edited October 15, 2016 by AMB 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted October 15, 2016 Author Share Posted October 15, 2016 It's always interesting to get feedback from someone with a personal association of the subject being discussed or requested. Thanks for posting this. The kit is the re-issued version No. 04401. It is the one with the box-art of James Bond sat in the cockpit with his arms folded, yet still seemingly able to fire the canons and missiles whilst at the same time as dodging and weaving from all those nasty baddie helicopters. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMB Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Mike, In that case you should find decals and instructions for the Army evaluation machine. Alas, despite vigorous marketing and publicity, I think Ken Wallis only sold two of his autogyros and one of those was to a relative. In 1962 the Army evaluated three of them, but never ordered them. BEAGLE were all geared up to market and produce them but that came to nothing. Then came the James Bond film 'You Only Live Twice' which gave 'Little Nellie' enormous publicity, yet still no sales. The sad story there was that Ken Wallis did all the actual flying in that film, but they forgot to give him a name credit at the end. Another hoped-for break came when Vinten cameras were promoting it with two registered G-SCAN and G-VIEW in 1982, but again after trials, still no orders or production and Ken Wallis retained all those built at his house in Norfolk. Therefore, unless you want to model an Army evaluation machine (I have one of these in my stash to build) or the prototype as mine, then it can only be one of Ken's personal machines. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted October 15, 2016 Author Share Posted October 15, 2016 Hi Adrian, I'm starting to remember some of this now; perhaps that was why I put the box in the stash in the first place, not enough information about other variants. Obviously, from your findings, there weren't any. Thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Given Adrian's info above then the black machine was probably G-SCAN but then I found this http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Hodgson/10148.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Batt Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Ill try to remember to let Shirley (Jennings) know this thread is running tomorrow, she might have some insights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Batt Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Had a word as promised and the short story is that Wallis was approached by Beagle and Vinten(?) in terms of manufacturing the design, but he becamse dissillusioned by the changes that these manufacturers were making. An example was he was barely able to get one re-designed aircraft off the ground due to the increase in weight. Shirley has promised she'll take a look into her files (and knowing her that might mean a massive amount of work by herself, which I've tried to gently discourage) but in the short term her preferred website/forum is www.rotarywingforum.com which could be worth a look and enquiries there. HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 Thank you very much Dave. Please do discourage Shirley as this is only a general query on what variants were available, nothing more. I'll pop over to the website and check it out. Thanks again Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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