andyf117

I know Crisp created his own set of drawings for his Sea King build, largely in preparation for adding the rivet detail to it, so he'll doubtless be able to give you more detailed info on that aspect of the airframe than I can - might be worth sending him a PM?

If by "auxiliary turbine location" you mean the third generator bulge on the port side of the doghouse, the HC.4 had the 'standard' one as seen here (on a Mk.50): The HAS.6, however, had a longer one, as seen here on an ASaC.7: Note how it extends halfway into the rectangular panel aft of the access platform.

Don't know if Crisp's responded to you directly, but in case he hasn't, the rivet pattern was common across all Westland versions, as the base airframe was the same throughout production - which was why all non-ASW versions had a 'plated over' sonar well. I believe the only variations may have been around/across the different window configurations. Likewise, the airframes were a standard length - including the HC.4 - it was only the useable interior cabin length which was increased when that version was developed. All Sea Kings had five main blades - it was tail rotors that varied between five or six blades. The original HAS.1, early Norwegian Mk.43s, and German Mk.41s (throughout their service) had five blades, all other Westland versions had six-blade TRs until Carson blade sets were introduced for aircraft deployed to Afghanistan - the Carson TR was a five-blade unit.

The bad news is that Plan A didn't work - the good news is that Plan B seems to have...

C'mon, everyone knows that as soon as you sit in a military helicopter, the first sound effect to go through your head is The Ride of the Valkyries...

Ah, memories; the BBC was Health & Safety mad even back in the days when the telly was only in B&W - the Blue Peter presenters telling us kids to only use scissors with rounded ends, unless we had a grown-up present to help... ....pretty useful stuff, though, sometimes; Valerie Singleton explaining how to make a nuclear fall-out shelter from nothing but a couple of thousand soggy teabags and some strong string - or did I only imagine that one? Teabags, Bill - not soggy ones, though...

I think that I've found a way of reasonably representing the quilted soundproofing/insulation - so after adding depth to the window surrounds with plastic strip and then installing a plain flat 'plate' on which various bits of equipment and other items are fitted and stowed, some pieces of scrap sprue have been attached to the wall sections where 'panels' are to go...

Nice clear view of the SACRU in this enlargeable (right click, 'open in new window' or 'view image') view:

Sitting pretty! From the head-on and side views, it looks to me as though the starboard leg's locating hole is fractionally higher up the body than the port one... ....thereby balancing out the apparent difference in angles/lengths of the legs themselves - I had something similar once (but don't remember what on)... ....I do recall that one way around resulted in a completely lopsided appearance,, but the other way was damn near perfect - take it anyway you can get it!

Thanks, Pete keefr22 has just pointed me towards another! I have viewed various others previously, but the vast majority have gone for over 20 quid, too rich for my blood - hence gravitating towards built/scrap Airfix ones. I'm in no hurry whatsoever, so will just keep an eye open - a cheap one will come up sooner or later...

A very generous offer, Bill, cheers - just been scanning back through the old 'Fifty Shades' thread... ....looks like as well as the difference in scale issue (which I wasn't aware of), there's also a potential shape difference at the front... ....and also with the 'lump' at the rear, as Maintrack provided it all-in-one with the top piece - so I'll pass on the 'hat', but thanks... Will start looking out for an Italeri or Revell one instead - a suitable bargain one will pop up eventually, and provide the MRBs too!

Well apparently some people can understand them - as per this first entry in the Nordic GB Gallery: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235066313-nordic-gb-gallery/&do=findComment&comment=3556655

At least you've got a windscreen! I acquired a Maintrack HAR.9 some months ago, but it's sans the transparency that made up the entire upper section... ....I've never really been into the Whirlwind - always thought it looked a bit ungainly - but residing in Cornwall now, I do quite fancy a Culdrose SAR one... ....unsuccessfully bid on a couple of built/scrap joblots on eBay that included Airfix ones - the idea being to salvage those bits from one of them to adapt... ....but it might yet end up winging its way to Bill - though, of course, Ced's got a vacform machine, and is becoming quite adept at this multi-media stuff!

Looks as though demounting the clamps didn't result in disastrous consequences! Never seen a specifically non-English language Airfix instruction sheet before - multi-lingual ones, yes, but not one all in 'foreign'! Edit: Belay the above - just realised I've a Meteor III in the stash with Japanese writing on the box and for the entire instructions!

Isn't that the chances of anything coming from Mars? And what's with them instructions in foreign? Are you a bi-lingual Bill?

Says the man who bought himself a vac-forming machine!

...... Good catch - I'd totally overlooked that too! They don't all have lots of greeblies: Could you use the cutter to make the door shapes from piece(s) of black decal for the interior faces? Perhaps overpainted with DG and DE to just make complete decals for them? You'll be needing to find one of these: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/hallam-vac-504-auster-aop9--238548

Very neat solution!

Even the pretty in pink ones had hardly any lumps and bumps...

You remember correctly...

The seller's description does state that the nose section's been removed and will need to be replaced...

A bit of digging came up with these - if you look closely at the first one, you can make out four 'studs' on the sponson, presumably the mounting points for the missile rack: Whilst this rack has much longer launch rails - presumably for different missiles:

Doesn't help with the pylon details, but another shot of the same aircraft shows it was carrying torpedoes too: Just realised you mention 'the side view' above, so have obviously already got this one - but I'll leave it up for the benefit of others!

Crisp (EX-FAAWAFU) will be your 'go to' guy, but having done a lot of research on various versions for my long-term Sea King build project, I'd be happy to provide any assistance I can - there has been the odd pointer I've able to give him, eg., the different lengths of third generator bulges...