Colin W Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 (edited) Hi Chaps I'm starting a bit late on this as I was ready to go 2 weeks ago then got side tracked with an Airfix Catalina so here we go. This will be an almost from the box build but I have got a set of 3d printed blade folds I bought from Telford in 2013. These will be a new medium for me but I think the challenge will be not loosing them to the carpet monster rather than any modelling aspect. My plan is to do it relativly clean but Im toying with the idea of drilling the bullet holes and red circles as she is today. I will have to build the interior as well which will be from the parts bin. Many years ago I collected the 3 Revell kits (HAS3, HAS 5 and UH34) and some of 72 scale decal sheets to reproduce in 48 but the kit was so awful I never built anything and sold them all when these were released by Italeri. I built the HAS 5 when these kits were first released and it was a great model so this should be good too. Anyway on with the action, Im sure Photobucket gets slower every time I use it! All WIP photos have been added to the last post on page 4. Old links dead due to Photobucket. Sorry for the inconvenience Colin W Edited January 2, 2018 by Colin W Picture restoration 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 Welcome aboard Colin. Enjoy the GB good to see someone tackling the blade fold... Enjoy. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 Well since it was Telford weekend and I'm 8,000km too far away to go I decided to have a modelling weekend and got stuck into the Wessex today. Reading one of the other posts I saw reference to the 'Plus 4' book and realised 'i have this', so a quick rummage found the book and solved all the reference issues. My first job was to join the nose halves to the fuselage halves. This got the joins perfect and moved any fanding and filling away from the detail to under the nose where it can be dealt with quietly. I always do some intrior detail to helicopters so decided to scratch build Humphreys based on the Plus 4 Book. The electronics and seats are scrap resin from years ago modified and made to look navy like. The sonar tube is 1/4 " alloy tube and the winch is made from 2 truck tyres in a frame from 1/24 scale truck mirror holders and plastruct. Im quite pleased but it might be a little high. it needs a few more miles of cabling and hydraulic lines to be finished and Im sure there are some more electronics to fit in. I did add the heating duct onto the port upper fuselage. Only construction today so no painting yet. Does anyone have a great way to straighten out rotor blades? I know they droop but not like this! Cheers Colin W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 Would anyone (Heloman) know whether Humphrey was still fitted for ASW during the Falklands? I concidered yes as it still has some ASW gear inside today, found and sank a sub and was loaded onto a destroyer (HMS Antrim). On the other Humphry is equally famous for exploits as a utility helicopter rescuing the SAS where ASW fit would be very un-useful. Today I read that the HAS3 was retired from 'First Line Service' in 1971 although continued in the training role until 1983'. How then did a training HAS3 end up in a war zone if it had been retired 11 years earlier? Were the Seakings too big to fit Antrim and there were no big ships left? Questions leading to questions? Help appreciated. Colin W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Macnaughton Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 I suspect Chris Parry's book "Down South" will give the definitive answers to those questions but my copy is inaccessible at the moment. Re-roling an embarked aircraft is a normal part of a Ship's Flights activities - the only issue is how long it takes to remove one set of kit and then fit the other set. What was the source re HAS3 training role only? It seems most unlikely that a front line ship would deploy without the right equipment and I'm sure Chris Parry thought he was on an operational flight! The County class hangar and access were specifically designed around the Wessex so I presume the Sea King was too big. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 OK guys, first question, Humphrey was not fitted with ASW gear in the Falklands. The needed capacity... As for the rotor blades, they do look suitaby drooped, don't worry to much about them. They will look fine in the end. That is unless you want to fold them and then, they need to be straigh/flat. For this you'll need a piece of stout card. Tape the blades to this and then subject then so some steam... Colin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moaning dolphin Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Nice start! That ASW kit in the back does look convincing. I did do a 1:72 Humphrey some time ago and stripped out the back for a theoretical troop carrying role......looks like I got lucky on that one! Does the kit come with any option for other MK3's? Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted November 14, 2016 Author Share Posted November 14, 2016 Hi Thanks Colin for the info. Now do I carry on with Humphry and save the interior for another yellow blue one later or buld a Yellow and blue one now? Hmmm. Just checking the kit parts, the HU5 kit has a flat lower fuselage as Humphrey is today, but this HU3 kit has the fairing for the sono bouy with the plumbing for the IFR etc all cast on. To build Humphry as per Falklands would require an HU5 lower fuselage part with scratch built detail and the HU3 kit. The HU5 part I have is glued to the bottom of my HU5. Oh to be able to pop down to the LHS and buy another kit. Its looking like Humphrey in yellow and blue...... As noted above I planned to use the blade fold so will flatten out the blades. Colin W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted November 14, 2016 Author Share Posted November 14, 2016 Sorry Bob, The kit has 4 schemes. Humphrey in grey, a yellow RAF training flight machine from 'Cosword' (Cosford misspelt?) and 2 blue and yellow ones. The latter are both noted as being on HMS Antrim in 1982 but carry a PO (Portland ) tail code. Not sure it can all be true as Antrim was quite small and I haven't read about Humphry being painted on the way south but then again, the Harriers were! Colin W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Macnaughton Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 4 hours ago, Colin W said: I haven't read about Humphry being painted on the way south but then again, the Harriers were! I found "Down South" and the diary entry for 8th April 82 says Humphrey's yellow scheme was painted out at that stage on the passage south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted November 15, 2016 Author Share Posted November 15, 2016 Well being the only grey Wessex adds more to the Karma of Humphry I am going to stick to the original plan and do it in edsg . I'll save the interior for when I get another kit to do a yellow and blue scheme . I'm sure there will be another helicopter GB soon. Thanks for all the information . Colin . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickE Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Hi Colin Did you need another HU5 lower fuselage part? I have the HAR2 conversion set which provides a different lower fuselage part so the kit one is surplus to requirements Regards Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Macnaughton Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Having now been through Down South until mid May 1982, it is clear that Humphrey had the full ASW fit from 24 April. On April 3 while enroute south the sonar was removed but radar display retained and it was a key part of the ability of Humphrey to land and retrieve the SAS from Fortuna glacier in South Georgia. Around April 24 when submarine transmissions were detected the sonar was fitted again and was ready for action (but not used) when Humphrey surprised ARA Santa Fe on the surface near Grytviken. It remained onboard thereafter and was used for ASW sorties subsequently sometimes armed with a Mk 46 torpedo and a Mk 11 DC. At least one sortie involved only carrying a single Mk 46 on 11 May and this was actually released against a sonar contact which was observed to evade and depart at speed - suggesting a non Argentinian submarine! That seems to offer a few options for external configuration as well as what is fitted internally. Did the decal sheet include any sort of kill mark for Santa Fe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted November 20, 2016 Author Share Posted November 20, 2016 Excellent many thanks Francis for the update. Fortunately I've been diving all weekend so haven't done anything since the top pictures other than fill in the hole in the floor . I'll now replace it and carry on. Thanks also for the offer Mick but I know that Humphry still has the sonar fairing on the lower fuselage so I can use the kit part. It sounds like I need a copy of 'Down South on my Xmas list as well . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted November 24, 2016 Author Share Posted November 24, 2016 Well back to the action this week. I have resurected the ASW kit as built above, given it a lick of paint and popped it into the interior. I'm not sure what the screens looked like but I've used some resin bits and done the screens in blue. I'll add some more wiring and piping then give it a wash but I thought I'd better do a post since Rodders has already finished. Some of this would have been easier without the floor being secured into the fuselage but I did that when I was going for the empty look. The rear door has been covered wiuth a curtain made from tissue soaked in pva. Main cabin Humphry Cockpit and gear box bay. Rire extinguished added behind copilot seat. Thanks for looking Colin 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Fox Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Lovely work as always Colin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickE Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Looks great Colin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moaning dolphin Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Coming together nicely, that cabin is looking the business now! Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Coming together nicely Colin. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted November 27, 2016 Author Share Posted November 27, 2016 Thanks for the comments above. Well a bit more done this weekend with the interior top on and now the fuselage fitted together. Covered in clamps now so I'll post that tomorrow. Anyway here is the completed interior. I replaced the PE seat belts with more usual ones from tape and gave the whole thing a wash and a dry brush with Rub N Buff. Rotor blades started and will do the floded blades in parallel with the fuselage now. Cheers Colin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 Folded blades, remember all the leading edges face downwards. Need any pointers just ask. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickE Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 Looking good Colin. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moaning dolphin Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 Wot he said! Moving along nicely! Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted November 28, 2016 Author Share Posted November 28, 2016 Leading edges down right Ho. Thanks Colin Colin W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moaning dolphin Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 I have posted a video in the reference section that shows the spreading operation being carried out, should give a good idea on the mechanics of it all, even if it is a little blury! Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now