Contrail Hendon vacform build

[Horatio Gruntfuttock]

Hi all, I’ve decided to bash together an old Contrail Fairey Hendon that I picked up at a Swap’n’Sell a couple of years back for the princely sum of $20. It has always been an attractive project for me as it does not have rigging and represents the beginning of the monoplane era in  Bomber Command.

The kit was in excellent condition and appears to be the later moulding with better quality moulding, a nice set of decals, white metal bits and the transparencies are not yellowed. 

I know that General Melchett built one a few years back and did a grand job and I have made reference to his build when working through this one. 

However, I did find some more detailed descriptions of the interior, and have incorporated these findings into my build. 

The good General appears to have simplified the crew area considerably and I would like to quote some details from the Aircraft Illustrated articles from January and February 1974 - here

in which the author, the redoubtable Ian Huntley, describes the layout quite fully as follows, but with my point forms.

A/c Ill, February 1974 p 53

 “The normal crew consisted of four men -

pilot;

navigator - combining the duties also as second pilot, bomb aimer and front gunner;

wireless operator and mid-upper gunner; and

rear gunner.

There was, however, sufficient space for a fifth or sixth crew member if so required for training or operations.

“The pilot sat high up on the port side . . with a small flying instrument panel immediately in front . . a separate panel on the starboard side . . contained switches and instruments for lighting, heating, bomb selection, fusing, emergency release, engine (management) and brake pressure”

Throttles were on the port side beside the pilot, along with tail incidence, radiator shutter and trimming controls.

“The control column was fitted with a large hand wheel. .  (incorporating) a brake lever.”

“The navigator sat immediately behind the pilot, and was provided with a folding table and seat. Stowage for a . . chart  board, maps and computer were provide on the port side”

“ A camera mounting was arranged below the flooring, adjacent to the navigation position, and an access door enabled in-flight operation to be made”

This is represented by the lozenge-shaped hatch in the drawings

“The radio operator occupied the space between the navigator and the front spar and was rear facing. A wireless crate was mounted above the spar, to which a table was also attached, a trailing aerial reel and generation control panel was mounted on the port side. Light was provided by a transparency on each side of the fuselage at head height.”

Page 56.

“The bomb aimer’s position in the nose was equipped with glazed forward and downward vision panels; bomb sight ( and stowage); height speed and temperature gauges; bomb fusing, selection and release switches” I would assume these were on the starboard side of the nose to conform to usual RAF practice, but who knows?

Page 52.

“ A metal floor was provided within the complete fuselage. This covered the full internal width. . . at the bomb aimer/front gunner’s position, thereafter being restricted to the starboard half only , as far back as the front spar. Aft of the rear spar it became a narrow walkway attached above the lower longeron and finally covering the full width at the rear gunner’s position.”

“Engine starting was facilitated by. . . two compressed air bottles mounted in the fuselage above the centre section, one on each side of the walkway.”

A starting panel was mounted on the starboard side adjacent to the wireless operator.

The February 1974 Aircraft Illustrated magazine, pages 54-55 contains some nice drawings by Ian Huntley which give some more detailed information than the ones with the kit.

Using all of this information I have drawn up some simple location sketches for the equipment fit and , while I am not going to try to do the whole lot, I have tried to represent much of the gear that was in place. One of my great modelling pleasures is cutting and gluing wee bits of plasticard and HSS to make up bits and bobs inside aircraft and I hope the results are satisfactory - much of it can’t be seen anyhoo!

The area around the W/Op is a problem as the kit’s central wing passes right through the fuselage and so makes it difficult to add the details outlined above.

OK so here is the kit and some of the bits apart from the vacform sheets

and here are the remainders after the parts have been cut out - you can see the unused overly large floor section  that is incorrect for the cockpit. 

And here are the components ready for sanding.

Here are some of my rough sketches based on Mr Huntley's descriptions

Here are my fuselage halves sprayed and given a slight wash to highlight the bits I have added. I use an el cheapo commercial spray can called Mist Green ( sold by Wattyl here in Oz) which looks very close to interior Grey-Green - all will be matted down when done. Nothing has been done to the nose and tail yet and no detail painting has taken place.

Close-up of the nose and cockpit section showing all the bits and do-dads. Mine is quite different from the General’s based on my research. Not as neatly done, mind you, just very different!

 

That is state of play hopefully I can update in a few days' time.

Edited May 26, 2017 by Horatio Gruntfuttock
spelling errors

[cngaero]

Great start on this old kit.

Watching with great Interest.

[Martian]

Love a good vacform build, love the Hendon so I'm up for this one!

 

Martian

[bristol boy]

Interesting stuff, I'd like one myself but they are too expensive when they crop up on ebay.

Always good to see a vac being built, I'm no expert but managed a decent result with a Contrail Sparrow and Sanger Bombay, currently working on a Contrail Botha.

You've made a great start, looking forward to more.