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Airfix "James Bond Autogyro" - who else used them?


bootneck

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Hi Mike.  Shirely came up with the suggestion that if you Google XR944 (civil reg G-ATTB) there's a myriad of photos to be found, and apparently the a/c is up for sale!  It did remind her of Ken which obviously upset here a bit, so I hope the info may be of use.

 

HTH

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If you want close-up 'walk around' type photos I can share with you the ones I took when one Wallis a/g was in Beaulieu Museum.

The original Bond movie a/g was destroyed in a crash and the one in the museum was one of the others marked up to replace it.

I took photos of the cable & pipe runs and the 'weapon' installation so I could detail my kit. [which I still have to finish :whistle: ]

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On 10/15/2016 at 6:23 PM, Scimitar said:

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

I photographed the two Vinten-Wallis Autogyros at the 1982 Farnborough Show. G-SCAN was painted gloss Oxford Blue with white reg and G-VIEW was in 'Army camouflage' of matta black/olive drab with red reg. 

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Ken's first autogiro G-APUD is at MOSI in Manchester. It's Benson gyroglider that Ken added an engine to. The seat is from a Spitfire, the fuel tanks are two shell petrol cans and the ASI is a car speedo driven by a small alloy prop. 

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4 hours ago, AMB said:

No there isn't!  That's a  Callus Centaur 2000 gyrocopter not a Wallis Autogyro!

 

I know, but it's still an Autogyro... and could probably be made from the Airfix kit with modification, and it's something different from the box which is what the OP wanted.

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On 13/10/2016 at 9:58 PM, bootneck said:

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.

 

No problem about it. There are other options available for you, as long as you like to experiment and do some scratch work too.

 

 

On 13/10/2016 at 9:58 PM, bootneck said:

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.

 

The first five WA-116s were built by Beagle Aircraft at Shoreham on 1962 and three of them were for evaluation by the British Army Air Corps. In 1966, one of the previously mentioned Beagle built WA-116s, registered G-ARZB (nicknamed as “Little Nellie”), was modified for use in the 1967 James Bond film “You Only Live Twice”. Few Wallis autogyros have been operated privately, with nearly all of them being used for research and demonstration flying by Ken Wallis himself.

 

The Wallis WA-116 Agile was powered by a McCulloch Model 4318A four cylinder horizontally opposed air cooled engine, providing a top speed of 185 km/h and a range of 225 km. After building first nine single seaters, the construction of a two seat variant the WA-116T was begun in 1969; Ken Wallis tested a four blade rotor and finally produced the WA-116F with which he won the closed circuit world record in 1974 in the 670.26 km category. Wallis autogyros have been powered by various types of engines, within the range 72 hp to 160 hp (the latter is used in the two seat Wallis WA-122) and have been employed for research programmes, including one promoted by Sperry Radar. In 1983 development of a production version, powered by a Weslake engine, was under way in association with Vinten Ltd.

 

When I start studying the Wallis autogyro, I had the impression that all Wallis autogyros, were all same - at least identical. The fact that each one of them is not a product of a factory assembling line but the result of custom hand work, shows that there are plenty of differences between them - obvious differences or just small details identified after careful observation. For example the autogyro represented into following picture as seen at EGBK Sywell, UK during the PFA Rally, back in 1973, is the s/n G-ARZA (ex-registered as XR942 and painted dark olive with official British Army markings), one of the five first Beagle built WA-116s, typed as "Wallis WA-116/Mc Srs.1" (the “Mc” means McCulloch engine and the “Srs.1” goes for series 1). The three of these first five Wallis autogyros were produced on behalf of British Army Air Corps for further evaluation and had no cabin cover. After a brief military carreer, these three Wallis WA-116/Mc Srs.1 remodified, repainted and received new civilian callsign register. One of them, was destined to become very famous as "Little Nellie" after appearing in the 1967 James Bond film “You Only Live Twice” movie. Research based on the published files & info, shows that the serial numbers of these first built "Srs.1" are the following:

 

  • G-ARRT was the first Beagle Aircraft built prototype, first flown on 2 August 1961 at Shoreham. Aerodynamic cabin cover added later.
  • XR942 initially built on behalf of British Army Air Corps and later renamed to G-ARZA. Aerodynamic cabin cover & beacon lights on rudder fin added later.
  • XR943 initially built on behalf of British Army Air Corps and later renamed to G-ARZB. Aerodynamic cabin cover & dummy rocket launchers added later to become the widely known 007 James Bond’s "Little Nellie".
  • XR944 initially built on behalf of British Army Air Corps and later renamed to G-ATTB. Aerodynamic cabin cover and longer main rotor blades added later.
  • G-AXAS was the last built "Wallis WA-116/Mc Srs.1" and was Ken's favorite, since he was usually demo flying with it at Reymerston Hall Dereham, UK until his last days. The tail rudder fin was replaced on 1986, by a Wallis WA-122 spare part.

 

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On 14/10/2016 at 0:27 AM, malpaso said:

John Noakes used one on Blue Peter.

 

That was NOT a Wallis autogyro. It looks like, but its not.

 

 

On 14/10/2016 at 2:44 PM, John_W said:

I remember reading that one, He flew in a two seater unpowered training version on a towline.

 

The "unpowered version on a towline" is not a gyrocopter / autogyro at all. It's a kite!

 

 

On 14/10/2016 at 10:20 PM, bootneck said:

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?

 

As said before, there were differencies - mainly on engines.

 

 

On 19/10/2016 at 7:41 PM, Derbyeomanry said:

Didnt the Germans tow autogyros behind submarines whilst on the surface as spotters-tough if they had to  dive quickly

 

 

No they did not. The "flying vehicles" you mentioned, were kites! There IS difference between a helicopter, a gyrocopter and a kite.

 

 

Anyway, for anyone who is interested, the Wallis autogyro has been presented HERE in forum as 1/18 scale Wallis WA-116 Agile autogyro scratchbuild model. For scale modelers who are like to build the model, it is available as 3D printed scale model under 1/16 and 1/18 scales by Anyuta 3D printed scale models into following links:

 

 

Have a look on following pics of the kit parts and complete buit model.

 

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IMAGE_0083_zps1vrknurx.jpg

 

IMAGE_0084_zpsod5cbb0c.jpg

Edited by Nick_Karatzides
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On 4/19/2017 at 8:22 PM, Pete in Lincs said:

I scratchbuilt an autogiro years ago and

used a 1/32nd VW engine as a starting point.

It's not perfect but I like it, and, having seen the

Airfix one, I prefer it!

I built a 1/72nd scale one about 40 years ago! I've still got it somewhere. But I remember having trouble doing the engine - it was before I'd rebuilt engines and cars n stuff so didn't really understand what the bits were then. It is on my must 'restore' list, but you've given me an excellent idea - I wonder if I can find a 1/72nd scale air-cooled VW engine somewhere. Any ideas?

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4 hours ago, alancmlaird said:

I wonder if I can find a 1/72nd scale air-cooled VW engine somewhere. Any ideas?

 

@ alancmlaird,

 

Having already designed and produced / 3D print a VW engine for a customer who asked it under 1/9 scale, I guess that it would be possible to re-size it down to 1/72 scale too - ofcourse, you should not expect the detail level as seen on a bigger size scale model. On the other hand, I really cannot see how a VW car engine would fit on a gyro and also look realistic. Maybe you should try an aviation related engine if planning to add it on the above mentioned Wallis gyrocopter?

 

Anyway, if interested, feel free to contact with my colleagues who run the Anyuta 3D online shop, hoping you 'll find best product (custom-made also possible ofcourse) for you.

 

Regards,

Nick

 

CAD%20engine%20VW%2001_zpsr1zaduo8.jpg



CAD%20engine%20VW%2002_zpsvptvgvwe.jpg

CAD%20engine%20VW%2003_zpsvace8wma.jpg

CAD%20engine%20VW%2004_zpslzxqwk2m.jpg

 

CAD%20gyrocopter%20Wallis%20WA-116%2001_

 

CAD%20gyrocopter%20Wallis%20WA-116%2002_

 

CAD%20gyrocopter%20Wallis%20WA-116%2003_

Edited by Nick_Karatzides
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Strip the unnecessary cooling fan and housing off, replace the carbs, mount magnetos on the crankshaft with an engine support frame picking up on the clutch housing bolt holes plus a few other mods and you have a VW engine suitable for light aircraft / Gyros. Quite a common aero engine really.

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Wot he said. And not that different from a Lycoming flat four either.

 

22 hours ago, alancmlaird said:

find a 1/72nd scale air-cooled VW engine somewhere. Any ideas?

Tamiya Kubelwagen or schwimwagen perhaps?

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1 hour ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Wot he said. And not that different from a Lycoming flat four either.

 

Tamiya Kubelwagen or schwimwagen perhaps?

Great idea - never  thought of military vehicles. Not looking for mega-detail - the whole model is only about an inch and a quarter long.
I went to a demo of a self-build autogiro at, of all places, Callander Highland Games! It was maybe 20+ years ago, the kit was £9K plus engine. The engine offered was an 'aero-ised' version of a VW 2-litre flat-four. Anyone remember what the craft was?

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On 20/04/2017 at 9:29 PM, alancmlaird said:

I built a 1/72nd scale one about 40 years ago! I've still got it somewhere. But I remember having trouble doing the engine - it was before I'd rebuilt engines and cars n stuff so didn't really understand what the bits were then. It is on my must 'restore' list, but you've given me an excellent idea - I wonder if I can find a 1/72nd scale air-cooled VW engine somewhere. Any ideas?

In case anyone else suggests it; the Academy WW2 Light Vehicles set has some bits for a Kubelwagon engine, but not enough of the right bits

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