Roden SE5a - kit 602

[Simon Cornes]

Silly me, in my haste to pick up one of these at a decent price via eBay I completely missed the bit about 'Hispano' on the box top and thought I was buying Wolseley!! Now the Wolseley SE5a is kit 607 but I have looked at the parts and the 602 kit seems to have a Wolseley Viper crankcase and sump included. The sprue with the radiators also has one which is unused for the Hisso so I'm wondering if thats the one for the Viper? The unused one as vertical 'gills'. I see that Hannants have a Mastercasters radiator and prop - MST32013. Is that the one I need? I think that it may well be - looking at photos of Shuttleworths 'Wolseley' SE5a but I would appreciate your opinion!!

 

Thanks

 

Simon

 

 

[1943Mike]

Simon,

 

I'm building Roden's 1/48 S.E.5a Wolseley Viper kit as I write this. My kit came with two radiators. I'll attach a picture of the one I left on the sprue and the one I've completed (using some aftermarket PE for the grill/grid area).

[Simon Cornes]

Hi Mike

Thanks for the reply. Bearing in mind that mine is the 1/32nd version, as you clearly show, the Wolseley Viper rad has a hole like a keyhole. Neither of the two rads on my sprue have an opening that shape - One is oval with parallel sides and the other is oval but the sides of the opening taper inwards going down the radiator so I would say the first is like your part 37. I have ordered a Mastercasters resin replacement 32013 and that is shaped like your part. So Roden have almost given me what I want, but not quite!! I'm not sure what the Roden Part 4 in my kit is supposed to be for!!

Thanks again

 

Simon 

[FZ6]

Hi Simon,

 

Happy to scan the Roden Wolsley instructions as I recently purchased one if it would be of help identifying the parts.

 

Regards,

 

Mark

[Simon Cornes]

Hi Mark

Thanks for the offer. As things stand I've ordered a resin replacement radiator so I think the problem is solved!

Regards

 

Simon

[Peter Lloyd]

Yes, the Wolseley was direct drive so the thrust line of the propeller is lower.  The radiator in 1943Mike's image is the standard for the Viper, but some early Viper aircraft had a slightly different one that more resembled that fitted to Hispano/Adder-powered aircraft, the Adder being a Wolseley-built Hispano clone with the reduction gearing and consequent high thrust line.

 

A Viper-powered machine should have a finer prop then the Hisso if you want to be pedantic. In January 1918, the engines relevant to four-blade props were ordered to only go to 56 and 24 Squadrons.